Tips for Bringing Your Houseplants Inside for the Winter

Now that cold weather is setting in here in the Northeast, it's that time to start thinking about bringing your houseplants inside for the winter.

Our friends at Costa Farms offer these great tips for bringing these beauties inside and keeping them alive until it's safe to bring them outside again in the spring.

Bring houseplants in well before the first frost. Some tropical plants, especially, don't even like temperatures in the 40's. Plus, the cooler temperatures often are the signal for the plants to start going dormant. September is not too soon to bring plants indoors.

Repot the plants if you can. Fall is not the best time to replant houseplants; spring is better for that. But you don't want to bring in the pots that have been outside all summer with all the critters that live in them now... like pill bugs, millipedes, and spiders, just to name a few. So consider repotting the plants with fresh potting soil before bringing them indoors.

Check plants thoroughly for pests. Pests can hide in many places on the plants, especially on the undersides of the leaves. If a plant seems to have a pest problem, such as mealybugs, spider mites, aphids, etc. don’t bring it inside with other plants until you are sure it is pest-free. You may need to use an organic spray to kill the pests or wash all leaves thoroughly to remove them.

Consider not bringing plants back indoors if they are diseased or otherwise unhealthy. Plant diseases and pests can spread quickly to other plants indoors so it's safer to toss out a diseased or pest infested plant than to end up infecting all your houseplants.

Give the plants a little bit of fertilizer for a boost going into winter. Then just water the houseplants when needed through the winter until it is time to set them out again in the spring.

-Stacey
Garden Media Group

A Mild Winter Means Peskier Summer Insects

In case you missed #Gardenchat last night- here are some of the tips suggested by The Growers Exchange to help ward off pesky insects like ticks, mosquitoes, ants and termites... naturally!

Catnip 

Usually grown by cat lovers, catnip is proven to be ten times more effective at repelling mosquitoes and biting insects than the harsh commercial chemical DEET.

According to the American Chemical Society, the active chemical in catnip, nepetalactone, that drives cats crazy also repels mosquitoes. Plant regular catnip or lemon-scented catnip in full sun and keep it well pruned. Rub the leaves on clothing and skin as a protectant from biting insects. Basil Basil also keeps mosquitoes away, as well as repelling house flies, especially when planted near doorways. Whether in containers or mixed into flower beds, basil adds texture, beauty, fragrance, and most importantly a "no fly zone" to homes. Mint Both peppermint and spearmint are excellent deterrents to ants, flies and moths, but they can also keep lice and mice at bay as well. Planting either variety of mint around the foundation of a house makes a natural boundary that many pests won't go near. Use it near windowsills or beneath sinks, to keep sneaky insects from coming in to visit.
About The Growers Exchange	Planting natural herbal defenses against pests eliminates the use of harmful toxins, improves the local ecology in gardens, and provides benefits of many plants that double as culinary, medicinal or aromatic herbs. Make sure to choose the safe, sustainable insect repellents this summer and think of the garden before reaching for the toxic spray!

-Katie
Garden Media Group

Tips for February Gardening

The Feb 1916 cover of House and Garden

Preparation. Preparation. Preparation.

January's garden was all about planning, buying seeds and dreaming of Spring.  February brings us one month closer to that delightful season!

The main tasks and priorities this month are:

• Paint a fun, bright color on all tool handles.  It will keep them looking fresh and help you find them in the yard. 
•  February is also the month to get the lawn mower going and check that it's in good working order. Sharpen the blade and lubricate the moving parts, it'll be busy before too long. The shears and other tools will appreciate a tune up or spring clean as well.
• Dig in some soil amendments like Soil Reef around the roots of shrubs and trees. This will help kick start them into action when the weather starts to warm up.
• Deciduous vines should be trimmed back now and shaped if needed. 
• Your roses should also be pruned back now if they haven't been done yet. 
• If you didn't do it in January, get buying those seeds!
• 

  @KatieGMG

Accessorize Inside this Winter

Those beautiful planters on your deck or patio were a sight to behold this summer. Overflowing with brightly colored flowers, they brought you pleasure all summer long.

But now that the colder weather is starting to set in do you need to unplant them and store them out of sight where no one can enjoy them?

Of course not! Just bring them in to use as accent pieces during the holidays and winter months.

Here are some fun ways to use planters indoors from the folks at fine garden accessories manufacturer Campania International:

• Fill a cast stone urn (or small birdbath) with fruit such as apples or pears and set it on your table as a centerpiece when you are entertaining guests. Remember to use felt coasters on the bottom of your containers to easily move them from table to table.

• Keep an interesting large cast stone planter by your door to catch umbrellas or gloves, mittens, hats or other winter paraphernalia tossed by your kids as they race into the house.

• Create your own indoor water garden by adding plants such as spider lilies, taro or water lettuce to a glazed or lightweight container.

• For parties, fill an empty lightweight container with ice to keep beverages cold.

• And of course planters can hold plenty of magazines and newspapers.

With a little creativity your planters and garden accent pieces can be versatile and elegant enough to bring indoors for four seasons of enjoyment -- and an extended life.

-Stacey

GMG

Putting Your Garden To Bed

Well, it's that time of year here in the Northeast when we start thinking about putting our garden to bed for the winter. Here are some great tips from Master Gardener Nancy Bell of Gateway Garden Center on how to keep your garden healthy during the winter season.

-Stacey
GMG