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| Photo Credit: Donna W. Moramarco |
| Make sure the stems and undersides of leaves are pest-free! |
Sure, your houseplants have had it pretty good for the past few months – basking in the sun all day then staying out all night. But the party’s over, and it’s time to bring them back indoors!
Let me be honest with you for a moment. I don’t look forward to moving all my houseplants back indoors. For years I’ve lugged my enormous palms outside every May. I drag a hose to water them – never having to worry about accidentally watering my wood floors or making a mess while preening them. They’re so easy to groom them when they’re outside. I just take a pair of sharp scissors and snip off the brown tips. The cuttings just blow away, so I’m not dragging a vacuum around the living room! Yes, my party’s over too. It’s time to lug them back indoors for their long winter respite. But before they come in through my front door, I carefully inspect them for any problems. That’s because it’s so much easier to deal with any plant problems outside. It’s easy to do. Just look at your plants in the sunlight and inspect them for any signs of insects. Because it’s so much brighter outside, chances are you’ll spot a problem more quickly and easily outside! Be sure to check all over for problems – and that means turning over the leaves and looking for any issues on the undersides and along the stems. Insects can be very clever, so inspect carefully.
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