Winter is around the corner which means, it’s time to start moving some plants back indoors! The key to a smooth transition lies in knowing the right time to bring them inside and how to do it without inviting bugs. Let’s break it down step-by-step!
Aphids, mealybugs, and other types of houseplant pests aren’t normally a problem outside. But they can quickly turn into a major infestation during the winter if they come inside on your houseplants.
When To Bring Plants Inside For The Winter
Knowing WHEN to start this process is key. You should start moving your plants inside during late summer or early fall, before nighttime temperatures consistently drop below 60°F (15.5°C). Exposing tender houseplants to temperatures below 50°F (10°C) can cause damage.
A good rule of thumb is to bring them in at least two weeks before your area’s average first frost date. For example, in zone 4, that’s September 20th, around the end of summer.
Waiting too long could shock your plants which can cause their leaves to drop, go dormant, or even die if frost hits unexpectedly.
Amy’s Tip #1! 👩🏼🌾
Moving all your houseplants inside at once can be overwhelming, both for you and the plants. Instead, bring them in gradually over a few weeks. This way, you can manage the workload, and the plants can adjust more easily.
9 Steps To Debugging Your Plants
Debugging plants might sound complicated, but it’s actually straightforward. Here’s how to do it step-by-step:
Supplies You’ll Need:
Steps:
- Fill the Tub with Soapy Water: Fill your large utility tub with tepid water, and your wash bucket with warm water. Add a few squirts of a mild liquid soap to each as you’re filling them. (Avoid soaps with degreasers or detergents, as they can harm plants.)
- Soak the Plants: Submerge each plant—pot and all—in the soapy water for 15-20 minutes. The soap kills bugs on the plant and in the soil. Weigh down any floating pots with bricks or rocks.
- Clean Any Exposed Leaves: Clean the leaves that aren’t submerged – If any of the leaves aren’t completely covered by the water, use an organic insecticidal soap to clean them. Or you can use my recipe, which is 1 teaspoon of mild liquid soap per 1 liter of water in a spray bottle.
- Remove Debris: Skim any dead leaves, bugs, or debris from the water using a kitchen strainer before pulling out the plants.
- Scrub the Pots: After soaking, scrub each pot clean with a brush.
- Rinse Thoroughly: Use a hose to rinse the plants and pots to remove any remaining soap and debris.
- Drain the Water: Allow the excess water to drain completely from the pots before bringing the plants indoors.
- Repeat as Needed: Continue the process until all your plants are debugged. Top off the water in the tub as needed and remove debris between batches.
- Move Plants Indoors: Once drained, bring your clean plants back inside and let the soil dry out before watering again.
Debugging Large Plants To Bring Indoors
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 and let it dry before I move it back inside.
NOTE: 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.
Amy’s Tip #2! 👩🏼🌾
If any of your plants are root-bound, repot them after debugging, before bringing them indoors. This keeps the mess outside and gives the plants room to grow.
3 To-Do’s AFTER Bringing Outdoor Plants Inside
- Increase Humidity: Many houseplants thrive in higher humidity. Use a portable humidifier indoors to maintain a humidity level around 50%, mimicking the plant’s outdoor environment.
- Inspect Regularly: Keep an eye out for pests after moving your plants inside. Early detection makes it easier to manage any outbreaks.
- Quarantine New Plants: If you’re bringing in new plants from outside or from a store, keep them isolated from your other houseplants for a few weeks to prevent spreading any hidden pests.
Benefits of Soaking Your Plants in Soapy Water
- Soaking gives your plants a thorough watering, so you don’t need to worry about it right away after bringing them inside.
- The process removes dead leaves and debris, leaving your plants looking fresh and clean.
- Your pots and plants will be sparkling clean, adding to the satisfaction of having healthy indoor plants.
Related Post: Fall Houseplant Care Guide
Amy’s Tip #3! 👩🏼🌾
For large plants that are difficult to submerge, use a modified approach: Once clean, spray the entire plant with neem oil to deter pests (test a small area first to check for sensitivity). Wash the leaves and stems with soapy water, then rinse thoroughly with a garden hose.
Debugging FAQs
What do I spray on plants before bringing them indoors?
You can spray your plants with a neem oil solution, or use an organic insecticidal soap to clean the leaves. I highly recommend testing any type of spray on a few leaves before treating the whole plant to make sure it won’t cause any damage.
Will your debugging method kill bugs and eggs in houseplant soil?
Yes, using my method to soak your plants in soapy water should kill any bugs or eggs that are living in the soil too. Sometimes there can be air pockets in the soil where they can survive though. So if you’re concerned, then soak them a little longer. Also, gently tap the pot after it has finished bubbling to try to release any trapped air.
How do you debug plants that are in pots without drainage holes?
To debug plants that are in pots without drainage holes you can wash the leaves with soapy water or insecticidal soap and rinse them off well after. Then spray the leaves with neem oil.
My method of soaking houseplants in soapy water works great for most types of plants, and will help to make sure you bring your outdoor plants inside without bugs. Trust me, starting the long winter off with clean and insect-free houseplants will make your life SO MUCH easier.
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!
More Posts About Houseplant Pest Control
- Where Do Houseplant Pests Come From?
- How To Use Neem Oil Insecticide On Plants
- How To Get Rid Of Bugs On Your Houseplants
- 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.
Josie says
Can I soak my plants in the same water or do I need to change it with every plant
Amy Andrychowicz says
You can use the same water to soak all of your plants. Just use a strainer or something similar to remove any floating debris between plants, like I show in the article.
Jessica Heath says
I was very excited to find this! I gathered all supplies and got to work! But the pots floated back up so I got some rocks. Now ALL the soil is coming up out of the pots 🤦♀️(3 down to the roots completely) any suggestions? I’ve got 503 plants to do, I need to find a solution.
Amy Andrychowicz says
It’s common for the soil will float out of newly potted plants, so it’s best to only use this method on the ones that are established in their container.
Payal says
How do you do this with plants that are in pots WITHOUT drainage holes?!
Amy Andrychowicz says
For those without drainage holes, you can follow the tips above for how to debug a plant that’s too large to soak. Just wash the leaves with soapy water and rinse them off well after, then optionally you can spray the leaves with neem oil. But always test the soap and oil on a few leaves before treating the whole plant, because some are very sensitive to any type of spray. (And P.S., if you put your plants outside, then they need to have drainage holes or they will drown when it rains and eventually rot.)
Dolores Schwebel says
What is the ratio of water and soap in the tub? I had a hard time keeping the plants submerged without them falling over. How do you keep them submerged?
Amy Andrychowicz says
I don’t have an exact ratio of soap to water. I have always just turned on the hose to fill up the tub, then poured in the liquid soap until it creates a nice thick foam on top of the water. If I had to guess, I would say it’s somewhere between 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of soap, and my utility bucket is about 70 quarts. Sometimes plants in plastic pots will float, yes. I weigh them down with rocks or bricks.
Mellissa says
Thanks for sharing souch great gardening advice.
Does this washing method also work for succulents? Is it okay to dunk them?
Amy Andrychowicz says
I have used this method for my succulents for many years with great success. However, some types of plants can be sensitive to soaps, so it’s always best to test it on a few leaves before treating the whole plant.
Margie morales says
What about cockroaches? I’m quite fearful of bringing them inside . Will this method work for them also?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Humm… honestly I’m not sure. We don’t have cockroaches where I live, so I can’t speak from experience. The soap *should* kill all types of bugs, and/or the water should drown them.
Sabrina says
how often do you believe I can do this with my plants? every second or third watering or could I replace it with watering until all my bugs are no more?
Thanks!
Amy Andrychowicz says
This is not the best method for long-term pest control. I recommend only doing it before bringing your plants back inside for the fall. There are other less risky methods to use to control/get rid of bugs for the long term.
Sherry Johnson says
When the debugging my plants do I put the whole pot with soil and plant in soapy water.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yep, the whole pot, soil and all. I do have a video in the article that shows me doing it, so take a look.
Marcia says
I need to transplant my outdoor plants (Hibiscus) before I bring them in. Before reading this I was thinking of washing all the soil off completely and repotting with new soil. Now I am wondering what would be best. 1. Should I wash all the soil off then soak the roots in the soapy water bucket. then rince and repot with fresh soil 2/ Should I pull them out of the pot (leave the soil on) and then put them in the bucket of soapy water then add extra soil and repot. or 3. should I leave them in the pot to soak and transplant after draining. What are your thoughts?
Amy Andrychowicz says
I recommend leaving them in the pot. Fall’s not a great time to repot plants, so if you can, it’s best to wait until spring to repot them.
Theresa Hett says
Hi, I am about to perform your recommended process but i do not have unscented liquid castille soap. I can only find peppermint. Which i have. is that safe to use??
I know i could order it, but i am in Michigan and my window is quickly closing! I need to get my plants in this weekend. Bugs have been so bad this year, i really don’t want them inside!
I’m grateful for your advice.
Theresa
Amy Andrychowicz says
I haven’t tried the peppermint myself, but it’s always a good idea to test any type of soap on a few leaves of each plant before you treat/soak the entire thing. That’s the only way you’ll know for sure if it’s safe to use on each of your different plants.
Tammy Strong says
I have a 2 huge wandering Jew plants is it okay if there leaves are in the water also? Does the water need to be just at the top of the pot? Thank you.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I have used this method of debugging my wandering jews before bringing them indoors many times, and it works great. In order to get all the bugs, you should submerge the whole plant – pot, leaves, and all. But, if you’re worried, then test the type of soap you use on a few leaves first, to make sure there’s no damage. That’s the biggest concern for using this method.
Heather says
Some of my pots don’t have holes in the bottom so they wouldn’t just drain. What do I do in this case?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Definitely do NOT soak plants that are in pots without drainage holes. Instead, use the instructions I have under the “Debugging Houseplants That Are Too Large To Soak” section above. (As a side note, you shouldn’t put a plant outside if the pot doesn’t have drainage holes, or it will quickly drown when it rains.)
Jane Wendte says
I am excited to use your suggestions! I have had a problem with frogs/toads in my sunroom that I think is related to bringing my outside plants in. Could they have laid eggs in the soil which then hatch indoors? Help!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Oh how weird! I guess it’s possible that a frog laid eggs in your plants. However, I have no idea if this method of soaking them would kill the eggs or not, so it’ll be an experiment for that. LOL!
Kristi says
I have 3 huge spider plants that I need to bring in for the winter. There’s no way I could individually wipe down all the leaves (it’s soooo thick & full) so if I find a large enough bucket, is it ok to fully submerge snake plants? This is a scary process. For reference I’ve sent you pics via Facebook dm. Thanks!!
Amy Andrychowicz says
I have used this debugging method on all of my spider plants for several years, and it works great. I’ve never had any problems, just make sure to use a mild liquid soap, as I recommend in the article above.
Ashleigh says
Is this method safe to use on herbs that I want to bring inside that have been growing in pots outside through the summer? Specifically, lavender, rosemary and basil
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, as long as you use an organic soap. However, be sure to test the soap on a few leaves of each plant and let it sit for a few days before submerging the whole thing. I haven’t tried it on the herbs you mention, so I can’t say for sure it won’t damage them. Basil would be my biggest concern, because they can be very sensitive to sprays and soaps.
Ashleigh says
Ok thank you so much 🙂
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome!
CCB says
I want to make sure I understand. I soak the plant with the soil in soapy water. Then drain and rinse well. Clean outside pot. Do I need to fertilize afterwards or just wait until scheduled feeding?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yep, you got it. Definitely don’t fertilize them in the fall though, unless they’re winter blooming plants, otherwise you should wait until spring.