With frost nipping at our heels, the tropicals (i.e. hibiscus, bougainvillea, heliotrope, and fuchsia), the tender herbs (bay and rosemary) and even the classic “annuals” (geranium, coleus, impatiens and begonias) should migrate indoors.

You stand a better chance in keeping plants healthy and non-crispy if you bring in the plants indoors before the heater turns on. The delta between temperature and humidity won’t be as large!

Now comes the hard part. Some experts suggest cutting back plants to one-quarter of their original length, flowers and all before bringing in the plant. The idea behind this is that the new leaves are adapted to the low indoor light, unlike the older “outdoor” leaves. I don’t usually bother. I stick my pots right next window…and they just carry on. 

And make sure all the potted plants are bug-free before bringing them indoors! It’s relatively simple.

First, water the pots until pours out through the bottom. With their homes flooded out, many insects, including ants, scurry out of the pot. Also check the under the pot and under the rim of the pot for any bug hitchhikers.

Next, spray both sides of the leaves with a dilute soapy water mix (a few drops of dish detergent in a litre of water). The soapy solution is too mild to adversely affect leaves or the soil.

Once indoors, mist the leaves on a regular basis because indoor air is much drier than outside.

If you don’t have the space in bring in your pots, don’t despair and throw it all away. Take some cuttings from the healthiest plants, and root the stems indoors. By spring, the cuttings will have developed into container-ready plants.

It is easy-peezy to bring houseplants back indoors. So what are you waiting for?