After a wonderful summer it’s that time of year again, time to think about bringing our botanical friends back indoors for the winter. For some of you it’s as simple as bringing a few hanging baskets from the patio to the living room and you are done. Then there are people like me who have hundreds and hundreds of plants to go back indoors for the winter. Usually I will start at the end of August, bringing the tender and fragile plants in first and this will continue until the middle of November when I finish with the hardier plants.
When bringing plants into your home there is not much difference between a new plant and plants that have been outside in the garden all summer. There are two simple rules or guidelines to follow when bringing plants into your home.
First: know your plants’ requirements. Can you provide the correct environment? Is there enough light, does it need a southern exposure? Does the plant have a rest period, or dormant faze? When will it flower, does it even flower?
Because you are returning your botanical friends to the indoors, you probably know what they like. The most important thing to know is the minimum temperature the plant can tolerate then add 5-10°. This is when most pants should be brought indoors. I’ve added a list of common house plants with a maximum and minimum temperature to help you decide when your plants should come in doors.
The second thing: is to inspect and clean all of your plants before they come into you home! If there are any pests, parasites or pathogens they most be dealt with outside. You don’t want to any of those nasties in your house.
You can use a commercial insecticidal soap to clean your plants and pots. Don’t forget the underside of the pot. I have a home brew that I use and it works very well. If you would like to try it, here is the recipe:
Ten cigarettes or a pinch of strong tobacco
2 cups of boiling water
One ounce of gin
One ounce of antiseptic mouth wash
One cup lemon scented dish soap
Make a tea with the tobacco and boiling water. Let it steep until the water is cold, then filter out the tobacco. Now add all of the other ingredients to your tobacco tea. Mix it all together. Use the brew at one teaspoon per quart of water or 5ml per litre. Using a sprayer or a garden hose attachment, wash your plant and pot thoroughly. It is best to wash your plants the same day that they are coming indoors.
For the indoor gardener, this is the beginning of the season not the end of summer!
do do do
Indoor Gardener October 2005
When bringing plants into your home there is not much difference between a new plant and plants that have been outside in the garden all summer. There are two simple rules or guidelines to follow when bringing plants into your home.
First: know your plants’ requirements. Can you provide the correct environment? Is there enough light, does it need a southern exposure? Does the plant have a rest period, or dormant faze? When will it flower, does it even flower?
Because you are returning your botanical friends to the indoors, you probably know what they like. The most important thing to know is the minimum temperature the plant can tolerate then add 5-10°. This is when most pants should be brought indoors. I’ve added a list of common house plants with a maximum and minimum temperature to help you decide when your plants should come in doors.
The second thing: is to inspect and clean all of your plants before they come into you home! If there are any pests, parasites or pathogens they most be dealt with outside. You don’t want to any of those nasties in your house.
You can use a commercial insecticidal soap to clean your plants and pots. Don’t forget the underside of the pot. I have a home brew that I use and it works very well. If you would like to try it, here is the recipe:
Ten cigarettes or a pinch of strong tobacco
2 cups of boiling water
One ounce of gin
One ounce of antiseptic mouth wash
One cup lemon scented dish soap
Make a tea with the tobacco and boiling water. Let it steep until the water is cold, then filter out the tobacco. Now add all of the other ingredients to your tobacco tea. Mix it all together. Use the brew at one teaspoon per quart of water or 5ml per litre. Using a sprayer or a garden hose attachment, wash your plant and pot thoroughly. It is best to wash your plants the same day that they are coming indoors.
For the indoor gardener, this is the beginning of the season not the end of summer!
do do do
Indoor Gardener October 2005