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Your outdoor plants beautify your home and bring you joy. Their colorful blossoms brighten up rainy days, attract honeybees and hummingbirds, and give you something to care for and appreciate. However, when cold weather threatens to damage your delicate blooms, it’s time to take action. When doing so, you want to ensure no unwanted guests are coming along for the ride. Learn how to bring an outdoor plant inside without bugs so you can enjoy your greenery year-round and not worry about interloping insects.
Can outdoor plants survive indoors? They can with the right care. Follow this simple, step-by-step guide to give your plants a pest-free transition to indoor living.
Your very first step is to conduct a detailed inspection before moving the plants. What outdoor plants can you bring inside for the winter? Coleus, geraniums and begonias all do well indoors. You will need to inspect them closely for signs of insect activity, so it’s best to use a magnifying glass for a close-up view. You may even be able to use your smartphone. Examine the tops and undersides of leaves for bugs, webs, eggs and holes. Any leaves that are discolored may indicate the presence of pests.
One telltale sign of an insect infestation is honeydew, which is a shiny, sticky substance emitted by aphids, mealybugs and scale insects. You’ll see it on the upper surface of leaves and also on any surfaces under or around the plant.
Be sure to examine the pot and soil, as well. Closely inspect the edges and rims of your containers, being sure to focus on any crevices and on the bottom of pots and saucers. These are popular pest hangouts.
Removing dead or dying foliage reduces the number of hiding spots for any bugs that want to hitch a ride inside. It’s also a good way to keep the plant healthy in general, as pruning overgrown sections improves air circulation. This encourages stronger growth and increases resistance against pests and diseases.
It’s vital to be careful when pruning potted plants. Prune no more than 20% to 30% of the plant at a time to avoid stressing it out. However, flowering houseplants can typically handle a little more. Be sure to understand their limitations before starting.
Sanitize your pruning tools with alcohol or bleach before beginning to avoid spreading diseases or any remaining bugs. Cut just above a node, which is the area of the stem where leaves grow, at a 45-degree angle. After you’re done, give your plants the correct amount of sunlight and water so they recover safely.
Knowing how to bring an outdoor plant inside without bugs is vital to prevent unwanted guests, and a big part of that is effective cleaning. Here is the best way to clean your plants safely and thoroughly. Doing so eliminates bugs and also enhances your indoor environment once you bring them inside.
Having clean plants will provide you with peace of mind before bringing them into your house.
Despite your best efforts, your outdoor plants may still be harboring stragglers. Many pests live in the soil, such as fungus gnats, spider mites and mealy bugs. Fungus gnats are small black flies that live in soil and thrive in damp environments. They lay their eggs in the potting mix, and the larvae feed off fungus. Spider mites are the culprits if you spot cobwebs on your plant. Mealy bugs, which are noticeable due to their white, fluffy exteriors, also live in soil.
Inspect the soil closely for telltale signs of an infestation. The best way to combat this is to repot your plant. Soil with bugs should be thrown out or refreshed with ingredients like perlite or compost to improve its health. Generally, it’s best to start fresh in these cases, especially if there are a lot of pests or the plants are root-bound.
Choose a fresh, sterile potting mix made for your specific variety of plant. For example, trailing plants like pothos and philodendrons like a light, well-aerated soil that contains orchid bark, while ferns do best in moist soil with vermiculite and coco coir.
Plants that have been debugged and treated still need an adjustment period. They should be placed in quarantine for about two weeks to ensure no more bugs remain. Insects can be sneaky, and the last thing you want is for well-hidden stowaways to infect your other plants.
Place your new arrivals in a room by themselves and monitor them closely. You can even set up sticky traps to catch anything so you know exactly what you’re dealing with. Once you get the all-clear, your former outdoor plants will be able to join the rest of your household garden when this time period is up.
Knowing how to bring an outdoor plant inside without bugs is good for you and your home, but is it good for your blooming beauty? Moving from a bright, outdoor environment to a dimmer interior can shock a plant. It’s important to avoid this, since it can result in wilting or yellowing leaves, leaf drop and slowed growth.
Focus on a gradual transition to help your plant adjust. Begin by placing it in a shady spot outdoors for a few days before bringing it in. This is a good time to do your cleaning. When it’s time to bring it indoors, ensure it’s in a bright location to simulate sunshine, such as by a window where it can get lots of natural light. Your quarantine area should allow for this.
Coax your plants that need extra care with grow lights. You can leave these on for 12 to 14 hours per day to help them adjust to their new environment.
It’s vital to understand how to bring an outdoor plant inside without bugs. Your plants will be healthy, your home will be clean and pest-free, and you won’t have to deal with annoying insects. Be sure to continue monitoring for any signs of unwanted activity and keep your plants happy and healthy. That way, you can enjoy their colorful blooms and be transported to a tropical paradise, even in the midst of winter.
