What does everyone do to prepare their plants to bring inside for the winter? I have some plants that will spend the summer (and have done so) outside and some plants that will live indoors permanently. How do I prepare those summer-outside dwellers to come inside so they won't bring in bugs, etc. that will harm the inside dwellers?
Thanks.
Sarah
Bringing plants indoors for winter
Hello Sarah, I don't have plants that I keep indoors, except for cathedral cactus that I have had for 15 years on my kitchen window.
I just bring my tender plants into the garage temporarily when a frost threatens, but I guess your best bet would be to wash the outside of the pots well, remove debris from around the base of the plants, inspect them for signs of insects and disease and treat those if necessary, and rinse off the plants before bringing them in.
Other than that, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe someone who does what you want to do on a regular basis can give you more pointers.
By the way, have you planted all the plants you got at the swap yet?
Josephine.
Hi Josephine, Thanks for the info. I have planted some of the plants that I got from the swap and will plant the rest this weekend.
Sarah
I asked my mom the same question and her answer sounds like a big pain, but worthwhile... she told me that I needed to repot all of my plants that I wanted indoors. When I unpot them, she said I need to check through the entire root system to look for "stow aways", rinse most of the dirt off of the roots to find any bugs, and then repot in sterile potting soil in new pots or pots that I've dunked in a solution of 1 part bleach and 9 parts water and let dry. My mom has been gardening for 50 years, so I believe her, but it sure sounds like a lot of work. Anyone have an easier method?
I had read in one article to put your plants in your shower and run the water on them for 5 minutes or so. But, that just takes care of the outer leaves. My plants are in no way infested with bugs, but they have been outside, and we do live in Tx, so...not sure that is enough.
I don't do anything to mine because I wait until the last minute to drag them in. LOL I put them in our enclosed sunroom, so I don't really have to worry about bugs. However, last year I had a horrible infestation of aphids, so this year, I'm thinking of spraying my aphid-prone plants with a water & soap with a splash of ammonia spray before bringing them indoors.
I usually give them a shower outside with insectide soap. I use H2O2 diluted to rid of any soil bugs, specifically fungus gnats. I do this twice a couple days apart prior to bringing in. I also try to bring in NOW while the house is open and no heat, and warm days outside so plants do NOT go into shock. Considering I have over 100 pots outside that have to come in, it is a chore, but worth it to not infect the rest of them with somehting terrible and to ease the plant into the dry conditions of the house. IF only I could ge the greenhouse built. However, I will still ahve to do all the steps of preventing tag along insects, etc.
This year is going to be much worse, I have been hit iwht the propogation bug and now have LOTS of brugs, more ficus than I can shake a stick at and everything else that I have recieved from all the lovely friends here at Dave's. Usually my living room ends up looking like a wild jungle. I don't even put a Christmas tree up in there (we put up 6-7 trees around the house) becuase it is so overgrown with plants.
Good luck.
I don't do much of anything to mine either. Sometimes I bring in ants from outside that are living in the pot, but they "disappear" pretty fast. (LOL--I know. As long as they don't show up in the kitchen, no big deal.) I do tend to get fungus gnats during the winter, but a little peroxide in the water takes care of them.
Sarah, did you get your plant lights set up? Can you post a picture? I'd love to see them!
Dana
Dana, I did get the stand set up with enought lights for one shelf--will add more as needed. However I can't post pictures just now...insufficient hardware. I will so so as soon as I am able. I can see, though, that I'm going to need more than one stand. I hope the cost of electricity doesn't break the bank!
Sarah
The organic gardening section of the the newspaper says to soak in a solution of seaweed. I might try it this year...or do nothing.
I read on another forum where a lady washed off the outer parts of the pots, and under the rim. Then sprayed everything down with neem oil before bringing plants indoors. I hadn't heard of the H202 for the soil though. I will do that. I suppose the little gecko living in my sunroom could eat whatever else may make it in.
i am planning to spray with some liquid dish soap and water but hope i don't use too much soap to water and kill them--i am just doing what i think will work--does anyone know how much soap i should us?
I have no magic formula. I probably use about 1/4 c to 2 C of water. I also put in about a capful of rubbing alcohol and/or ammonia.
thanks-i plan to start tomarow so that sure helps
i posted elsewhere on the texas site but remembered this and it fits better here
do i bring a pot of hens and chicks in for the summer --the kind of strawberry pot that spills out of holes around it --will hens and chicks survive the north texas winter in the ground? in a pot?