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Season 2 • Episode 22 - October 28, 2023
The fall is a time of transition and
that is true for your indoor plants, too. We met with
Jarid at the
Portland Nursery on Division Street (503-788-9000)
to talk about that transformation. Jarid told us that
passage from fall to winter is a critical time for your
plants. You could be bringing in bugs and diseases if
you don't take the right steps. First, you will want to
give them a good cleaning. You can mist them with water
and wipe them down, or you can use a "leaf shine"
product on the larger-leafed plants to knock off the
dust and dirt. While you are doing that, check for bugs
or diseases. If you notice something you may want to
check with your local garden center to narrow down what
you find. The winter is when all your indoor plants
could start showing signs of pests and diseases from
their summer vacation outside. Judy mentioned that her
first steps are to acclimate the plants by moving them
into the garage or shed for a couple of days to get them
used to the temperature change. She also mentioned that
you could give them a good spray with a hose to knock
down most of the bugs and clean them before you bring
them in. Jarid then covered a couple of few synthetic
and natural products that you could use. For the natural
products you could use an Insecticidal Soap spray. This
is a natural product that will smother the eggs and
young insects. If you have a problem with mites, you
might want to use the Bonide Mite-X product. The last
natural product is Bon-Neem. This will deliver a double
hit to bugs. The first effect is a quick knock-down
action for the insects and then the sulfur in the
product will help control fungus and mites.
For a quicker and more synthetic approach, Jarid had the
Systemic Houseplant Insect Control. This product is
sprinkled around the base of the plant and is taken up
through the "system" of the plant. It takes care of
those critters in the roots and the leaves. The final
product was the "Eight Insect Control." This is a foliar
application so you spray it on the leaves to knock down
those nasty bugs.
Of course the difference between the natural product and
the chemical product is the times for application.
Natural and Organic products have to be applied more
often than synthetic and chemical products. Natural and
organic products tend to break down quicker in nature
than the others. Also, remember that the label is the
law! Always follow the printed instructions for proper
use and don't use a product for a problem that isn't
listed on the label.
Regarding fertilization, you can give a light
fertilization when you bring your plants in. Also be
aware of your plant placement. Some plants will need to
be closer to windows for sun exposure and others will be
able to handle a little shadier place in your home. Also
be aware of drafts in your home. A heating vent may be
your enemy if your plant doesn't like to be baked by the
hot air. Other plants may welcome the warmth. Watering
can also be a problem. Remember to not overwater your
plants just because they are inside. Get them on a
schedule and keep checking foliage for pests or diseases
that can pop up. If you have questions, either location
of Portland Nursery has the experts to help you with
answering them. If you are looking for a new winter
plant companion, check out the selection at either
location, though the Division store has a larger
selection to choose from.
PODCASTS
2022
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