Garden inside by trying to grow herbs

After Christmas, your live cut tree can be moved outside and be redecorated for the birds.

Anchor the tree in a bucket full of damp sand or tie it to a fence or tree. Deck it with strings of popcorn and cranberries. You also may add apples, oranges and leftover bread or pine cones that you have covered with peanut butter and then dipped in birdseed. For best results, push the edible ornaments well into the tree so that they do not blow off readily.

The outdoor gardening season is over except for pruning and monitoring for animal damage, but you still can garden inside by trying to grow herbs.

Sow seeds of parsley, oregano, sage and dwarf basil in clay pots. Once they germinate, place them under grow lights and water when the soil is dry. Fertilize the plants with a half-strength solution of a liquid fertilizer.

Most houseplants are not actively growing during winter due to short days, reduced humidity and lower temperatures. Because of their slow growth, houseplants generally require less water and much less, if any, fertilizer during this period.

How often you need to water will depend on the plant species, but most will prefer watering when the potting soil is barely moist to the touch or almost dry. Ferns prefer to be kept more evenly moist while succulents will prefer to dry out more between watering.

When you do water houseplants, water them thoroughly. Water should freely drain out of the bottoms of the pots. Discard water that drains into a saucer beneath a pot so that the plant does not stand in the surplus water.

Most houseplants will perform well with daytime temperatures of 65 to 75 degrees and night temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees in winter. Temperatures below 50 degrees or rapid temperature fluctuations may damage some plants. Keep houseplants away from cold drafts, radiators and hot air vents, but also make sure houseplant foliage doesn't touch cold windows.

Houseplants with large leaves and smooth foliage, such as philodendrons, dracaenas and rubber plants, can benefit if their leaves are occasionally washed to remove dust and grime. Cleaning houseplants improves their appearance, stimulates growth and may help control insects and mites.

If the leaves are large and firm, like those of rubber plants, wipe them with a soft sponge or cloth and tepid water. Another method is to spray off the leaves in the shower.

• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.