Garden Tip 67:

DROPPING TEMPERATURES!

Night temperatures dipping into the forties is a sure sign that it is time to move houseplants indoors. At this time of year I start collecting houseplants from out in the garden and gather them on the driveway next to the sunporch where they will spend the winter months.

Once I have a group collected I wipe and rinse down the pots to remove any clinging garden soil. If time allows I also give pot saucers a quick dish soap wash. Most plants will require a bit of trimming and shaping after a summer of growth outside.

When all are ready I spray the collected group with all season horticultural oil to help prevent bringing any summer insect pests indoors. The oil spray dries to a nice sheen on the plants and helps the foliage retain moisture in the dry indoor environment.

Plants do not do a lot of active growing during short winter days so I will only feed them once a month with liquid fertilizer applied at half strength.