Father’s Day sometimes gets lost during all the activities at this time of year. It can be kind of anticlimactic especially after Mother’s Day. However, this day has been celebrated for over one hundred years in the United States. It was founded by Sonora Smart Dodd in Spokane, Washington at the local YMCA in 1910. Her father, William Jackson Smart, was a Civil War veteran who raised his six children as a single parent. In Catholic countries of Europe it has been celebrated as Saint Joseph’s Day since the Middle Ages.
Of course it is celebrated to honor our fathers but what to get him as a gift can sometimes be problematic. To make it really unique, it is an opportunity to share the day doing something together. If you want to make this day truly special, then plant a tree with dad knowing that trees are the lungs of the planet and will live for generations to come. Even grass, shrubs and houseplants add oxygen to thwart the effects of global warming. A fun thing to do as a family is a little landscaping project. Dad will appreciate the help.
Flowers are for mom but a living gift is something he can keep at the office or in the home. Every time he sees it, it will remind him of you. You can share care with dad for a bonding experience without having the responsibility of an animal like a dog or parrot. So give a plant in some shape or form for the garden or in the home.
Plants for use indoors are referred to interiorscaping and are essential in homes today. With condominiums, apartment living and smaller yards becoming more common, one of the best ways to enjoy nature is by making it part of the indoors, especially on hot summer days. Even if you are lucky enough to have a home with a yard, interior landscaping brings it all together.
Plants are an inexpensive way to beautify the home or dad’s office in a professional way. If you are short on cash and the home needs a few extra pieces of furniture that you can’t afford or if you want to try a little gardening but don’t want to get grubby, then indoor gardening is for you and dad!
The secret to successful gardening in the home is selecting the right plant for the right place and then caring for it properly. Local nurserymen or garden supply dealers can give you some help in selection as well as plant care. Here are some tips now that will keep his green thumb green.
If just beginning a houseplant project with your loved one, start with the right container. Wooden tubs are excellent since wood prevents rapid drying out of the soil. Some containers lack drainage holes that may cause a watering problem unless you are growing plants that prefer or tolerate wet conditions like papyrus. Clay pots are fine and can be painted to blend with the colors in the home. Brass and copper are ideal for table and mantle arrangements. But, as these containers are usually small, pay careful attention to supplies of water and fertilizer. Too much or too little can be fatal to many plants.
Soil is very important for houseplants. There is no perfect mixture. However, a longtime favorite is a blend of one part peat and one part coarse garden soil or cinder and one part vermiculite or sponge rock. These may come already mixed for you at the garden supply store.
When choosing houseplants, select varieties that will withstand adverse growing conditions such as low light intensity and dry air. To be satisfactory, houseplants must do more than merely survive under indoor conditions. They must maintain an attractive appearance with a minimum of care. Air conditioning and gas appliances, as nice to have as they are, may be rough on houseplants.
Several books are also available at local garden shops to assist you and dad in exterior or interior gardening endeavors. Gardening books make great Father’s Day gifts. Sunset’s Western Garden Book is a good start. There are also several books specifically written by and for Hawaiian gardeners.
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Norman Bezona is professor emeritus, University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.