coming in from the cold

I hope it is ok to cross post, I posted to indoor gardening also but I know all of us in the northeast have to do this . How do you all prepare your plants that have been out for the summer to come in for the winter ? I have several plants that just thrive when they are placed out side for the summer
my clivia gets layed on its side and sprayed with a strong stream of water to get any debree that has lodged between its leaves out then a good spray of neem, I am always tempted to treat the soil as well ( not that there is much soil in the pot anyway, mostly roots!) : )
what do you guys do
laura

Just wanted to say that is a beautiful Clivia. (I don't have any indoor/outdoor plants.)

I usually just make sure to get them in well before I have to turn on the furnace, so they can adapt to being indoors before they get heated up. I never spray or treat unless I see something serious.

Bringing them in before the heat goes on is exactly what Ralph Snodsmith on radio says to do.

I washed mine and dunked each one in Concern, an insecticidal soap, then let them sit and get rid of excess water and then they went to the unheated indoor porch to rest until spring. I do look for bugs or problems and try not to bring them indoors.

pirl:

How 'unheated' is your indoor porch? We have an indoor porch, too, but it does get below 32 degrees out there in the winter time. We have an outer room which gets a trickle of heat, so that room stays sat about 36 to 40 degrees. Which room would you recommend?

pirl......should i be worried about bugs or anything being in my potted plants?.....last year i just brought them all in.....didn't do anything....but i am concerned now that i read your post and thought how naive i was not treating mine last year.....

i feel concerned about washing some of mine down like my gardenia...i thought that it hurt the leaves ..?

Candyce - I'd go for the warmer room and keep the most tender plants against the warmest wall - that's fairly cool at 40 degrees. Our porch has three doors - one (that we don't open in winter unless it's mild out) to the outside, one to the guest room and one to the master bedroom. All day it stays warm and if the sun is shining it can easily get up to 90 degrees in there but at night falls down to around 50 - 55.

Sticks - I'd never again use the insecticidal soap with all the warnings on the label and I would use a tiny amount of liquid soap in a sink filled with warm water and swish the smaller plants but hose down the larger plants, trying to get both sides of the leaves and flush the soil. The gardenia LOVES humidity and would love a quick bath!

I bought a plant stand early last year to help get many off the floor. I use sterilized trays with sterilized gravel (just a Clorox soaking and rinsing) and then add water to the trays to keep the humidity level up.

Pirl,
Ralph rules! I've met him several times, SUPER nice guy in person, just like on the air.

I love Ralph! He awarded me first prize for a rose tip - a fully paid trip for two to Pasadena and the Rose Parade, the game, a day at Catalina Island and more - even breakfast in bed!!! To make it perfect January 1 is our anniversary so we celebrated in style!

We've also met Ralph.

who is ralph? did i miss something .....besides a trip to pasedena?

How marvelous for you, pirl!
What a great story. Does he have a website as well as his gardening radio show?

Yes, the Gardenhotline.com

He's a radio host on Sunday mornings from 8 AM to 10 AM and generally takes gardening questions unless he has on a special guest for one of the hours. He's always a gentleman and the author of a few books. He was head of Queens Botanical Gardens for many, many years. He was also on TV with a gardening segment on some morning show.

how very interesting...;)

Ah, yes! NOW I remember. I used to listen to him on the radio when I was at work sometimes, and this was before Anna and I began to garden for serious. Now, I don't work .... well, I don't get paid to leave the house ... so thanks for the web link.

We call that not being gainfully employed. You get paid with hugs, kisses, love and affection along with flowers. Sounds good to me. Money is simply a tool.

Oh, pirl! You DO understand!! Isn't life just grand???
I wouldn't trade this postition for anything!

Long ago a friend used to argue "Success is money and don't you forget it". Baloney. When I made the nice money I was never as happy as now when I'm a mess in the garden.

Hear! Hear!!