Will bugs invade your home after you bring in plants for winter?

11 years ago

Insects? Spiders? Bugs? Creepy things? Eggs laid inside pots? Will they invade your home after you bring inside pots that were outside during summer?

Featured Answer

brodyjames_gw

11 years ago

Will they invade your house? You mean the whole house? Most likely not. For me, they've stayed around the plants because the soil is where they like to hang out. If your house looks like those on Hoarders, then, yeah, they probably will. ;)

Keep some Safer insect soap, diatomaceous earth and/or rubbing alcohol around and you'll be fine.

Nancy

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Comments (6)

cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
11 years ago
Only if you bring them in with the plants - a thorough removal of all that prior to inhousing saves vast amounts of time and frustration.
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
11 years ago
I need to run some liquid seven through some pots that I noticed some ants coming out of.
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hookilau
11 years ago
I sure hope not. I started taking plants in during the first week of September when our nights started to dip into the 50's. I don't have a lot, only about 2 dozen.

A couple of days before I brought them in, I re-potted & pruned as necessary in the interest of making room. Since I only did a few at a time, I inspected everyone really well & started them in one sunny corner of the house.

After they passed daily inspection, put on new growth & looked good, I put them in their wintering spot in the brightest room in the house.

That doesn't mean I didn't miss a few. One small pepper plant had aphids. He was sequestered until I felt sure I had eradicated the infestation. I also had a couple with mealybugs (one plant was from an Ebay seller, the other 2 were Walmart bargain Adeniums) that were already in isolation in a small bathroom.

Once they get the all clear, they will join their brethren but at the end of the line. Hopefully all will be well. I don't see any ants or anything, most of my plants are in gritty mix. I had maybe 7 or 8 fungus gnats flitting around but yellow sticky tabs got rid of 'em.

Hope it stays that way. I'm concentrating on keeping my collection down to no more than a couple of dozen pots (not plants, loophole 0_- heh heh.)

Antoinette
notolover
11 years ago
I've started bringing some of my plants in and I'm on the lookout for any bugs. The sunroom has the perfect conditions for mealies and spider mites.

But last night I brought in my big begonia pot so I can enjoy it longer. Apparently the little tree frog that spends time in the self-watering pot hitched a ride and was serenading my husband at 10pm. I don't think he would enjoy my sunroom all winter, or will he? They probably don't like cactus.
summersunlight
11 years ago
Unfortunately I had problems last year with spider mites showing up on plants that summered outside.

My plan this year is to use neem and horticultural oil, plus change the soil before they come inside.