Many people choose to bring their houseplants outside during the summer to bask in the sunshine and humidity… but, how do you bring plants back indoors without the bugs!? In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to debug plants to bring indoors for the winter, step-by-step.
Summer is a wonderful time for growing plants. Indoor plants really benefit from being outside for a change but, when fall comes and it’s time to bring your houseplants inside for the winter, things can get ugly.
Two things that will help you avoid major problems with your plants later on are knowing when to bring houseplants inside, and also how to bring plants indoors without bugs.
It’s important to take a few steps to ensure the transition is painless for both you and your plants, and avoid bringing bugs and houseplant pests indoors.
When To Bring Plants Inside
One of the most common questions I get from readers is when should I bring my plants inside for the winter?
Plan to start bringing your houseplants back inside several weeks before cooler weather hits in the fall.
If indoor plants are left outside for too long, cold weather could trigger them to drop their leaves.
Or worse, it could kill the plant.
Plus, the transition of bringing outdoor plants inside will be more of a shock to them if they are left outside too long when the weather starts to cool down in the fall.
A good rule of thumb for when to bring houseplants in for winter is at least two weeks before your average last frost date.
Bringing plants indoors for winter
Tips For Bringing Plants In For The Winter
If you have a lot of houseplants growing outdoors, I recommend bringing plants back indoors in small batches.
Trying to do a marathon weekend of debugging and moving plants back inside can be very stressful and exhausting for you (and hard on your back!).
Trust me, I know.
Also, if you discover that a houseplant is pot-bound, re-pot it into a larger container before moving it inside. That way the mess will stay outside.
Debugging and cleaning potted plants before bringing them back inside is a crucial step to avoid houseplant bug problems.
Aphids, mealybugs and other houseplant insect pests aren’t normally a problem when potted indoor plants are outside, but can quickly turn into a major infestation during the winter if they are brought inside on your houseplants.
Debugging And Cleaning Houseplants
How To Debug Plants To Bring Indoors – Step-by-Step
Debugging and cleaning potted plants before bringing plants inside for the winter sounds harder than it really is.
There are a few simple steps you can take to ensure your houseplants are bug-free before bringing them back indoors in the fall.
(Caution: Only use this method to debug plants that are growing in pots with drainage holes!)
Supplies Needed:
- Large utility tub or bucket
- Mild liquid soap
- Large kitchen strainer
- Flower pot scrub brush
- Spray bottle
- Neem oil
- Wash bucket
- Old towels
Supplies for soaking plants in soapy water
Step 1: Fill tub with soapy water – Fill a large tub/bucket with water and add a few squirts of a mild liquid soap (I use mild liquid soap).
I want to stress using a mild liquid soap. Be sure not to use any soaps that contain degreasers or detergents. Those can damage (or even kill) sensitive plants.
Use mild liquid soap for soaking plants
Step 2: Put plants into the water and soak them – To kill any bugs on houseplants, soak the whole plant, pot and all, in the tub of water for about 15-20 minutes.
The soapy water will kill any bugs that are on the plant or in the soil.
Step 3: Clean plant leaves that are not submerged – If any of the leaves aren’t completely covered by the water, use an organic insecticidal soap to clean the plant leaves that are sticking out of the water.
My recipe for DIY insecticidal soap is 1 tsp of mild liquid soap per 1 liter of water in my spray bottle. If you don’t want to mix your own, you can buy an organic insecticidal soap instead.
Cleaning plant leaves
Tip: When you put the plants into the water, dead leaves, bugs and other debris will float to the top. So remove all the floating pieces you can before removing your plants to keep them nice and clean.
I use a wide kitchen strainer to skim all the debris off the top of the water before removing the plants from the tub.
Remove floating debris to keep plants clean
Step 4: Remove plants and scrub the pots clean – After soaking your plants, pull them out of the tub and scrub each pot with a scrub brush to clean it (here’s the one I have Flower Pot Bristle Brush).
Scrub the plant pot to clean it
Step 5: Give the plant and pot a good rinse – Once you’re done cleaning your plant and the pot, rinse the whole plant and the pot thoroughly with the hose to get all the soap and dirt off.
Rinse off soap before bringing plants inside
Step 6: Allow the water to drain completely – Set the clean plants aside and allow all the water to completely drain from the pots before moving the plants back indoors.
Debugging plants to overwinter inside
Step 7: Remove all the dead leaves and other debris floating on top of the water (using your trusty kitchen strainer) before soaking another batch of plants.
Remove debris before soaking more plants
Step 8: Bring your plants back inside – Now that your plants have been debugged and all of the excess water has drained out the bottoms of the pots, you can move them back inside.
Once you have them put back into their indoor spot and ready for winter, be sure to allow the soil to dry before watering them again to make sure you’re not over watering them.
Bringing plants indoors without bugs
Benefits Of Soaking Plants In Soapy Water To Kill Bugs
Of course the main benefit of soaking houseplants in soapy water before bringing them back indoors is killing all the bugs, but there are a few other benefits too.
This method for debugging and cleaning potted plants is great because now your houseplants will get a good watering before you bring them back indoors!
That means you won’t have the added step of watering all of your houseplants once they’re inside (you’re welcome!).
Another added benefit of soaking plants in water is that all the dead leaves and other debris will float to the top, making it easy to discard.
Your plants and their pots will look sparkling clean too, probably cleaner than they’ve ever been. It feels great to have such clean, healthy looking plants, and it’s good for the plants too!
But wait, what about houseplants that are too large to fit into a tub to soak?
Soaking potted plants to kill bugs
Debugging Houseplants That Are Too Large To Soak
Soaking houseplants in soapy water is great for small to medium sized potted plants, but I have several that are too large for this method. So, instead I use a modified version…
I wash the plant leaves and the stem of the entire plant with soapy water (using the same mild liquid soap I use for soaking plants), and then rinse it off thoroughly using the garden hose.
Once the leaves are clean, I spray the whole plant with neem oil. (some houseplants are more sensitive than others, so be sure to test any type of spray on a few leaves before spraying the whole plant)
Debugging houseplants that are too large to soak
Tips For Controlling Houseplant Pests
Keep in mind that even if you go through all the steps to debug and clean your houseplants before you bring them indoors, you can still have problems with plant pests.
Mealybugs are especially tricky because they can live for several months without a host plant, and hide in tiny cracks and crevices.
So, if you find any plant bugs after bringing houseplants inside for winter, you could spray the infested plant with a Neem oil solution, a pre-mixed organic horticultural oil or hot pepper wax spray.
Yellow houseplant sticky stakes work great on flying pests like soil gnats and white flies, and are also non-toxic.
I recommend using these all-natural products to kill plant bugs because they work better than the synthetic ones – plus, I’m sure you don’t want to be spraying any toxic chemical pesticides in your house. To learn more, read about my natural pest control home remedies for houseplants.
Bringing outdoor plants indoors
Debugging potted plants before bringing them back indoors is a critical first step in indoor plant pest prevention.
This method of soaking houseplants in soapy water to get rid of the bugs works great for most types of plants, and will help to make sure you bring outdoor plants inside without bugs.
Trust me, starting the long winter off with clean and healthy houseplants will make indoor plant care SO MUCH easier for you! But, if you do end up with an infestation, then learn about how to get rid of houseplant bugs here.
If you’re looking for more help for how to keep bugs off plants, my Houseplant Pest Control eBook is an essential guide to help you debug your houseplants for good! Download your copy today!
Organic Pest Control Products I Recommend
Recommended Reading
- Winter Houseplant Care
- Houseplant Pest Control
- The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual
- The House Plant Expert
More Posts About Houseplant Pest Control
- Where Do Houseplant Pests Come From?
- Organic Pest Control Supplies
- How To Use Neem Oil Insecticide On Plants
- Fungus Gnats vs Fruit Flies: What’s The Difference?
- How To Keep Cats Out Of Houseplants
How do you debug plants before bringing them in for the winter? Share your tips in the comments section below.
Karl says
The mild soap worked wonders on getting rid of a few bugs I saw and bunches more that I am sure I did not. So good to do this with out insecticides!
The brush worked wonders on cleaning up the pots after a 15 or 20 minute soak. Some particularly dirty pots I let soak over night. They accumulated a white coating from the soap. I would have done better to soak them overnight in plain water, then put them back in the soap soak for a few minutes before scrubbing them again.
Amy Andrychowicz says
So glad to hear that this method of cleaning and debugging plants has worked so well for you! I wouldn’t recommend soaking your plants overnight though, that could be a dangerous practice. You could use soap on your brush when you scrub the pots, that should help remove some of that stubborn grime.
Karl says
We didn’t soak the plants more than 15 or 20 minutes, but we did soak several empty pots overnight. Next year we will not soak any more than 15 or 20 minutes in the soap mixture. Thanks!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Oh good, LOL! Check out my instructions for cleaning terracotta pots using vinegar, that removes any crust or residue (you could use that method for any type of pot).
Natalie Wilson says
Great article for debugging. I never knew. Excited to try this. This past May discovered we had a problem with carpet beetles. I assume they came in with last summers plants. I have a small one bedroom town home and they were everywhere. Will this method take care of them also?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. It’s possible the carpet beetles could have come in with your plants, but they don’t usually live in plants. Simply debugging your houseplants probably isn’t going to get rid of them. Once carpet beetles are in your house, they can lay eggs in the carpet, on furniture, in air vents…etc. So, the plants are likely not the source of your problem. But yes, if there are carpet beetles on your houseplants when they are outside, then this method of debugging should kill them.
Natalie Wilson says
Thank you! Once we discovered the carpet beetles we tore apart everything, steam cleaned etc. Hopefully we have control of it. I just want to take care not to bring anything in the fall. Will be trying your method.
Susan Sanders says
I submerged the plants but it floats back up to the top. Advice?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, it’s pretty common for lightweight plastic pots to float. I use bricks to weigh them down. Just turn the pot on it’s side, hold it down in the water, and gently place the brick on top of the pot. Sometimes it can be a balancing act, LOL! If I’m debugging several plants, then I will put as many as I can fit into the tub. That way, you can wedge the floaters in with the heavier pots to weigh them down too.
Megan says
Excellent advice! You explained everything very thoroughly and I can’t wait to try this! Also as a side note, I was reading through the questions in the comments and if people would just read your entire post they would have answered most of their own questions lol I do like how you still took the time to repeat yourself and explain it anyways. You have more patience than I do girl! Excellent work, gold star for you ! 🙂
Amy Andrychowicz says
Thanks! Glad you found the post helpful, and I hope this method of debugging your plants works well for you! LOL about the comments. I understand that people are busy, and sometimes don’t have time to read the whole post. 🙂
Jonah says
It seems important to slowly acclimate plants to an indoor setting, as to prevent shock. Many sources suggest moving plants indoors for a few nights while keeping them out during the day.
When during plant acclimation would you suggest we soak/bath our plants?
The way I see it, a bathed plant would have a harder time drying out indoors as compared to outside in the sun, but would also be susceptible to reinfestation if left outside for multiple hours over several days, right?
Perhaps I’m thinking about this wrong. We’re very new to gardening and and any input from you or the community would be greatly appreciated 🙂 Cheers!
Amy Andrychowicz says
No problem! I bring my plants inside right after soaking them, and have never had any problems. Yes, the plants do go into a bit of shock after coming back inside for the winter, but they’ll recover pretty quickly.
Tori says
What about centipedes? Will this work on those too? That’s what I have the most trouble with. And the occasional lizard burrowing into my pots only to jump out at me in early summer when I restart my pots lol! Can I bring in my portulaca? Anyone have luck with that? Also want to bring in my gerbera daisies, lavenders, rosemary, sage, basil, and a miniature rose. Anyone have luck with any of those? Also bringing in my snake plants, crossing fingers!!!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, this method will kill any type of bug. Portulaca is an annual plant. You could bring it indoors to enjoy it longer, but it will eventually die. All of the others you listed can be grown indoors over winter.
CP says
I’m sorry if this was already answered, but should I worry that new bugs will inhabit the plants while they’re drying?
Amy Andrychowicz says
It certainly could happen, but I just let my plants sit long enough for the water to drain before brining them inside. So, it’s only maybe 10 minutes or so. You could bring them inside to dry too, if you’re worried about bugs getting back on the plants. Then put them into a sink or the bathtub to allow them to drain.
CP says
Thanks for your quick answer! I have never tried to bring in annuals for the winter before. Once they’re debugged and inside do I just water and feed as usual? What about light? My house doesn’t have a lot of great natural light.
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome! It totally depends on the type of plant you’re bringing indoors. This article is a great resource, and will give you some general guidance… How To Keep Indoor Plants Alive In Winter.
Cp says
Have you ever tried baby shampoo to clean the plants?
CP
Amy Andrychowicz says
The only type I’ve used is Dr. Bronner’s baby mild liquid soap. Other brands of baby shampoo may work, I just recommend testing it on a few leaves before you dunk the whole plant into the soapy water. Just wash a couple of the leaves with the soap you want to use, and let it sit a few days. If there’s no damage, then it’s safe to use to clean the whole plant. Be sure to test it on all the plants you plan to clean.
Amber says
Hey there, I’m wondering if Ivory liquid dish soap would be considered mild enough for this? Thanks!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, I have used it in the past myself. However, I always recommend testing any type of soap on your plants before soaking them in it.
Barb Gardner says
Will this method work on ants in asparagus ferns? I have 2 huge ferns for over 30 yrs. They started out as a little plant, been sawed in half too many times to count 😁 and so many given away. Problem is the ants:(
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes! Soaking your plant in soapy water will kill the ants. Just be sure to soak it long enough. After placing the pot in the water, wait until all the bubbles have stopped coming out. Then let it soak for 15-20 minutes.
andrea keller says
how can I debug 3 foot tall by four feet wide ferns to bring inside? I could get the pot soaked but how about the hung span of fern leaves?
Amy Andrychowicz says
If the tub you’re using is large enough, you can turn the plant on it’s side to submerge the whole thing under water. Otherwise, follow the instructions above under the section titled “Debugging Houseplants That Are Too Large To Soak”.
andrea keller says
These ferns are huge, would a bug bomb do the trick?
Amy Andrychowicz says
A bug bomb would probably kill spiders and other bugs. But keep in mind that bug bombs contain synthetic pesticides, and are not organic. Also, houseplant pests (like mealybugs, scale, whiteflies and aphids) can build up resistance to synthetic pesticides, so a bug bomb may not work to kill them. If I were you, I would spray the plants down really well with the hose, wash the pots really well with soap and water, then spray the plants with soapy water and rinse again. Then keep a close eye on the plants over the next few weeks/months to watch for any signs of plant bugs. Sometimes that’s the best you can do for debugging and cleaning huge plants before bringing them indoors.
Judith says
I use diatomaceous earth on my plants to kill the bugs. Works every time. Cheap no mess no fuss and organic. Not harmful to kids or pets ( unless you have an ant farm lol )
Amy Andrychowicz says
Do you use diatomaceous earth on indoor houseplant bugs like mealybugs, fungus gnats and spider mites?