Central Maine Garen Club member Pamela Gemery talks with speaker Brett Johnson, of the University of Maine Extension Service, about nurturing indoor plants. Submitted photo

WATERVILLE — Brett Johnson, horticultural professional from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service, addressed the Central Maine Garden Club on the benefits of indoor plants on Oct. 18.

The gathering was at St. Mark’s Church on Eustis Parkway.

Many suggestions surfaced on how to grow indoor plants that would benefit an indoor gardener. Among many suggestions were to choose a specific location that is consistent with maintaining humidity, rotating periodically, using slow release fertilizers, and repotting the plant once a year.

Plants eventually thrive on some of these physical strategies, and the indoor gardener benefits mentally by the physical activity with lowering blood pressure and positive mood changes. Johnson pointed out that during COVID, 88 percent of people in a study felt much healthier growing indoor plants.

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