Whether you're introducing new houseplants into your home or reintroducing them back inside after they've soaked up some lovely outdoor air and sunshine, here are tips for keeping pests out and plants thriving year round!
When temps begin dropping into the 40's at night and the days grow colder and shorter, it's time to bring your green babies back indoors. We shared a blog post this Spring with tips for bringing your houseplants outdoors, so let's go over best practices for bringing them back inside after they've soaked up all that lovely warmth and sunshine.
Find a new green friend? Jump to Steps 2-5 for the perfect way to introduce new plants (not pests) to your home!
1. Timing
Your tropical types need to come back inside first as they are the most sensitive to cold, followed by your succulents and then cactus varieties. Basically, the reverse order as we suggested in our blog post 3 Tips for Bringing Houseplants Outdoors
I suggest bringing tropicals inside when the weather dips into the mid to low 50's (50º fahrenheit/10º celsius) at night. You can bring everyone in at the same time to make things more efficient, but most of your succulents and cactus are a bit hardier and can handle temps into the mid 40's, about 45º fahrenheit/7º celsius is generally a safe bet.
2. Clean up and Soil Scrape
Gather up your plants outside and begin removing any dead or leaves, trim or prune anything that isn't contributing to the growth of your plant.
Next, let's do something I wish I would've thought of years ago-remove the top layer of soil! Why? That's where any uninvited guests may be hanging out or have laid their eggs. Trust me, any time you can avoid bringing pests indoors will save you countless hours and possible plant loss heartbreak in the future!
To remove the soil, simply scrape off the top inch-two inch with a small shovel, large knife or spoon and discard, or add to other parts of your landscape or garden.
3. Clean Plant and Pot
Enjoy a little aromatherapy while you spray those leaves, stems, and topsoil and pot! With Sacred Leaf Tonic, you will be cleaning and nourishing the leaves and treating pests while preventing future infestations, plus, our tonic smells amazing too! No more stinky Neem smell!
Our tonics work wonders for a variety of pests and bacteria, as well as fungal infections. It's a holistic approach to plant care we offer these beautiful products for your plant care routine to safely and effectively boost the overall immunity of your houseplants and garden. Our Sacred Soil Tonic feeds the soil while ridding your plants of any unseen or lingering pests like root aphids or larvae that may go undetected (thrips, fungus gnats and root aphids for example).
Be sure to get all sides of the leaves, undersides and bottom of each pot and/or saucer too. Mealy bugs love to hang out under there!
4. Top Dress Soil
Now that you've scraped off the top few inches of soil, go ahead and replace with fresh soil and while you're at it, top dress that baby with an extra boost of nutrition! We highly recommend organic soil amendments options from our fantastic partners Mountain Organics Botanicals AND stay tuned for our very own blend of Sacred Soil Amendments, an exclusive new item Ian is crafting just for Sacred Elements!
5. Water Deeply
Now that your plants are cleaned, sprayed and topped off, give them a big drink to hydrate well and disperse all that goodness throughout the soil. Adding Sacred Soil Tonic to your water is ALWAYS a good idea as it helps plants deal with any form of stress.
*Quick reminder, our natural plant care tonics are most effective when used as ongoing treatment to prevent pests and nourish plants, naturally!
Allow plants to drain and dry outside before bringing them inside for fall and winter. You're done! Nice work. Now give yourself a pat on the back for being such a thoughtful plant parent and move forward confidently to enjoy watching your green friends grow!
Best wishes to you and thank you for joining the Sacred Elements community!
With love,
Karina and Team SE