Winter can be a difficult season for outdoor plants, but for those we grow indoors, the months of poor light and divergent temperatures can be harsh, as well.

The same indoor conditions we find pleasant in winter – warmth and comfort – may well be the same ones houseplants find stressful. Most of the houseplants cultivated today originally were harvested from nature in jungles, rain forests or moist woodlands. Others were taken from deserts or prairies. The best-kept houseplants dwell in conditions that mimic their natural environment.

With technology and knowledge we are able to manipulate dramatically the growing environment in which our plants live, and this, coupled with a plant’s ability to adapt to conditions of our homes, can produce lush green plants in the dead of winter.

This primer will keep your houseplants comfortable and healthy over the chilly months.

Choose the plant whose needs match the conditions of your home. The best advice for growing outdoor plants is also applicable to those we grow inside. If your home is well-lighted, with lots of windows or supplemental lighting, by all means select plants that thrive in full sun. On the other hand, if your home tends to have poor-quality light, select plants that would naturally thrive in the understory of other plants. Consider some of the primary factors that affect plant growth, including light, temperature and moisture. Review the conditions in your home and then search sources for plants that will find your environment agreeable to their needs.

Select the proper container. Remember that potted plants depend on you for every need, and the room in which they are allowed to develop a root system eases or radically limits their growth and ability to flourish. In a wild setting, the roots of plants reach outward and downward. A plant is dramatically restricted by its pot. Select a pot that allows for adequate root development both in width and depth. As plants grow, resize pots so that root growth is encouraged. Be careful to transplant when roots threaten to circle the pot, creating an unhealthy, rootbound effect.

Select the proper potting soil. Some potting soils are made especially for houseplant production. Choose a potting mix that will provide the perfect level of support and air movement within the root zone of your plants.

Water at the appropriate time and with the appropriate amount. It’s been said that the No. 1 killer of houseplants is overwatering. The No. 2 killer is likely an inadequate level of irrigation. Somewhere between those two extremes is the unique level of moisture necessary for individual plants.

Monitor for disease and insect problems. Key in on plant tissue for signs of disease or insect damage. If your plant has been well kept – fed and watered properly, potted appropriately and provided adequate light – chances are you will have minimal pest problems.

On the other hand, a diseased or infected plant can be a sign that the cultural condition of your plants is less than perfect. Providing adequate air circulation between plants and among the leaves of individual plants is an important way to help curb incidence of disease. Take care to not group plants too closely together. Prune plants with leaf and branch structures that become too dense.

Route out pests as soon as they are noticed. For plants that do become the subject of pest problems, quick action is the best way to minimize the adverse effects of plagues. When you notice pests and diseased plant material, eradicate them as immediately as possible. Pinch off diseased leaves and remove them from the home. Kill insect pests by swabbing with alcohol or spraying with natural soap sprays, if appropriate.

The appearance of plant tissue can be an important indicator of plant problems. Tune in next week about how to “read” plants for signs of stress.

Diana George Chapin is the NEWS garden columnist. Send horticulture questions to Gardening Questions, RR1, Box 2120, Montville 04941, or e-mail them to dianagc@prexar.com. Selected questions will be answered in future columns. Include name, address and telephone number.