Bringing plants indoors successfully

Forum rules
Replies need to stay on topic subject and be relevant., otherwise standard HTUK rules apply.
Post Reply
User avatar
Yorkshire Kris
Posts: 10163
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:59 am
Location: Rural South Wakefield, Yorkshire Lat 53.64 Long-1.54

Bringing plants indoors successfully

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

Share your tips of how to get your plants indoors for winter. I'll start us off.

Several weeks before you want to bring plants into the house put empty pots into the places that you'll be putting the plants so that your other half gets used to the idea gradually.
otorongo
Posts: 1434
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:12 pm
Location: sub-subtropical London

Re: Bringing plants indoors successfully

Post by otorongo »

No other half here, so that's not an issue, but a good idea, thanks for sharing.

The lack of space is the real problem, that's why I keep my plants outside.
Kristen

Re: Bringing plants indoors successfully

Post by Kristen »

Yorkshire Kris wrote:so that your other half gets used to the idea gradually.
:lol: :lol: :lol:

1) For things which are top-heavy, like my Aloe vera plant which is in a relatively small pot, I stand it in a larger "outer" pot and fill the gap between the two with gravel. Also helps with drainage (if that is necessary).

2) I have used capillary matting trays successfully on windowsills. Probably not a good idea for plants that want dry conditions, or at least not until spring when they resume growth, but I have found that they only need topping up with water once, or maybe twice, a week.

Image

Image

I had some micro-pore plastic sheet I put over mine - otherwise the capillary matting will grow green with algae.

The one I have is a Garland "Self Watering Windowsill Plant Tray"
http://www.garlandproducts.com/self-wat ... -tray.html

3) Plant brought inside seem to be more easily plagued with bugs than if they were outside. Particularly Red Spider (perhaps because of the dry atmosphere inside the house). Standing the pots on an inch of gravel, on a pot-saucer of a gravel-tray, then allows putting an inch of water in that container without the plant sitting in water, and supposedly that will evaporate and rise near the plants. I've always wondered whether the makes enough of a difference, but I've heard the advice given for so long I suppose it must do?
User avatar
Yorkshire Kris
Posts: 10163
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:59 am
Location: Rural South Wakefield, Yorkshire Lat 53.64 Long-1.54

Re: Bringing plants indoors successfully

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

Plants that are regularly watered throughout winter in a house benefit from a gravel top dressing to prevent compost flies.
User avatar
Yorkshire Kris
Posts: 10163
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:59 am
Location: Rural South Wakefield, Yorkshire Lat 53.64 Long-1.54

Re: Bringing plants indoors successfully

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

Bug killer with slow release fertilizer sticks are useful indoors where spraying is frowned upon.
Only worth doing on plants that are watered in winter. Plants kept dry will not allow much release of feed/bug killer into the compost.
kata

Re: Bringing plants indoors successfully

Post by kata »

I always change the compost before they get anywhere near my back door.

Heat of the home can waken up bugs or flies eggs.

icon_sunny
User avatar
Dave Brown
Site Admin
Posts: 19742
Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:17 am
Location: Chalk, (Thames Estuary) Kent, England 51.5N 0.3E
Contact:

Re: Bringing plants indoors successfully

Post by Dave Brown »

My wife has plant detectors on every door and window. I sounds an alarm every time I try to sneak a plant in :roll:
Best regards
Dave
icon_thumright
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
fern Rob

Re: Bringing plants indoors successfully

Post by fern Rob »

My tree ferns are living in the shed this year.
GREVILLE

Re: Bringing plants indoors successfully

Post by GREVILLE »

Sand regularly inspects the wood stained windowsills for water stains caused by the dreaded drippers or outright carelessness with the watering can. I am allowed a few plants" inside but I usually get away with "more than a few". This year a Colocasia black magic has the privilege of occupying a space next the permanently resident Spathiphyllum on the tiled bathroom window.
dino

Re: Bringing plants indoors successfully

Post by dino »

GREVILLE wrote:Sand regularly inspects the wood stained windowsills for water stains caused by the dreaded drippers or outright carelessness with the watering can. I am allowed a few plants" inside but I usually get away with "more than a few". This year a Colocasia black magic has the privilege of occupying a space next the permanently resident Spathiphyllum on the tiled bathroom window.
Good luck with the Black Magic. Mine never made it, also on the bathroom window ledge.
Post Reply