‘Tis the Season to Bring Your Outdoor Plants In – But Not the Bugs!

Colder nights means that many of the plants that have enjoyed your outdoor patios through the summer and fall should think about moving indoors for the colder months to come. Who comes in and who stays out is often a matter of space and favorites, but whatever plants you decide to bring in – make sure you bring only the plant in, not hitchhiking bug pests that you don’t care to host for the winter! Carefully examine the leaves and stems of your plants, look at the undersides of the leaf in particular; insects like to hang out underneath the leaf surfaces. Leaf dwellers that may be hiding include aphids, spider mites, scale, and mealy bugs. Other unwanted passengers might be spiders, gnats, or lacewings. An easy way to remove leaf dwellers is to hose the plant down outside, or use a pressurized sprayer to shoot water at leaf surfaces. Check for soil-dwelling pests too, these uninvited guests include slugs, sowbugs, earwigs, fungus gnats, and ants. For these dirt diggers, clean all dead foliage and flowers from the soil surface, and spray them with an insecticide; let it work before you bring the plant inside.