I heard from Toni not long back. She seemed ok. When you read this Toni...could it be because you saw a spider on your computer a week ago and you daren't go near it for too long now? hehe

Are the plants you brought in bug free thus far?

Hey Mike..thanks for asking about me. My face is probably the color of a ripe tomato..lol..
I'm here and there, but mostly, still hauling plants in the house.
There's about, 12, or so, left, including 3 Gardenias. My intentions were to keep 'denias out until temperature was around 40, which is a lot closer than anticipated..It's 42.8F, 75% humidity now..They'll come in tomorrow.

I really appreciate you asking about me, makes one feel good inside.

Didn't you see the post I left for you in another thread a few days back?
I asked if you brought your plants in, if they were all comy-cozy..if you sprayed, been misting, bought a humidifer and/or indoor fountain. It's easy missing posts sometimes.

If you brought them in, how are they doing? Any leaf drop? or worse, insects???

Anyway, I bought some really nice-looking annuals this summer. Not that there's room for more plants, but clipped cuttings, then dug up and potted remaining annuals..going to 'attempt' overwintering them indoors..just what I need, more plants..lol..I'm also into Spikes, so dug up two, one green, the other purple variegated. I'll post pics, so you know what I mean about their looks.

Again, thanks for asking if I was alright. :)

LOL Aesir..don't even think spiders! lol Speaking of spiders, so far, this last week, there haven't been any on plants..is it possible the cold killed them off? or are they hiding within the warmest part of plants? Waiting for me to turn my head, then BOO, they got me. lol.

So far, no spiders, earwigs or house plant bugs..Of course, spraying insecticide helps..btw, so far, every plant got a ddose of ST. There is some stress when plants are summered outdoors, then brought in dry, stuffy homes, so I'm hoping ST will help somewhat.

Hope you folks are well. Keep posting how your plants are doing..
And seeds/seedlings, too..hugs, Toni

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My gh is pretty filled..plants really grew this summer..Toni

TONI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HI!!!!!!!!!!
I missed you!!!
What the heck.......I was starting to wonder if you had died of frostbite moving your plants indoors all night on a frosty one!!...How long does it take you...all night!!!lol
You were missed!!! I never saw that post you responded too. I am all over this forum, I forget sometimes where I posted a question...lol
Thanks for the tip on mites. Mite free so far!!
Right now I have ALL..count them, 30 or more in my room.
I have all my windows still open up there, and at night I just pull the blinds down to stop it from getting to cold in there.
I have all my grow lites on.........BUT do not know how long to keep them on for since that room is so cool now....How long is good to keep them on? I have all my plants in south facing windows. The sun spends about 4 ho-5 hours going across from one side of the room to the other. The sun starts shining in the room at about 800 until about 1. So I put my lites on at 700 am till 7 at night. Is this good? Is this too much lite for the temps I am keeping the room at. I am keeping the room alot colder than last year. I ahve heard not to...That alot of lite is only good for warm growing conditions?? The room is in the 50's at night and 60's by day. Colder at day if the sun doesn't come out. I refuse to put the heat on...hate that dry heat!!
I am going out to by the hot pepper stuff. I bought polmolive with citrus... And garlic.......Getting there...
I am going to start spraying asap...bugs or no bugs!!
hey maybe I will take a shower with my plants too...LOL
As for leaves falling off!!! My olive plant is dropping leaves ...green..always does when bringing indoors...
The only other plant dropping leaves is my Gardenias....some leaves are turining yellow. Probably lack of FULL all day sun now. Guess keeping them alive and healthy is the key now,,,,not making them actively grow..right?
Toni....NO BUGS YET!!!!!!!!!
That is without spraying yet....Probably because I havn't turned the heat on, I have an overhead fan circulating 24 hours a day, and its cold in the room!!! At least by night!!
Toni, what's up with all these people with using chemicals if what your saying works...?
Spraying with an easy to make natural and safe spray. I will do this and let you know by this winter if I am having sucess....
It is good to see your ok....and didn't have health problems due to chemical spraying!!! lol
Keep helping us out ..ok
Everything you say is so appreciated, I am sure by all of us!
Take care and keep in touch. I hope you got this reply!!
Take care everyone for now. Wish those warm sunny summer days were still here....
What the heck, now we can enjoy hot chocolate next to a fireplace on a nice snowy day soon!! I will be snowboarding soon again!!
Today is the coldest day of the year since summer. 40's..that's it with winds blowing at 30-50 miles an
hour!!!! Depressing.

Stay healthy and warm !!!

Mike

Hey Mike,
Would you believe I'm still hauling plants indoors? lol
4 are big..big big as in, an 8' yucca in a 24" pot. That's going to be fun carrrying inside..plus we've had rain, again, so the soil is wet! Planned on bringing the yucca, screw pine, gardenia tree and kalanchoe prolifera in before the rain hit..

That 40F day w/30-50 mph winds must have been freezing. Did you have plants out that day? If so did they go flying?
There were times we had such strong gusts, my plants rolled down the street. Here I am, running outside in pouring rain, trying to catch a run-away plant..lol. talk about embarrassed. lol

Lights..hmm, are the citrus kept under lights in windows, too? On sunny days, they're getting more than enough light.
Are you asking if too much light when temps are cold, may harm a citrus? I don't think it matters. Think about Fl. They have some cold periods, even below freezing, but the days are usually sunny..At least those I've talked to who live in Fl mentioned the cold, yet the days were bright.

Are you concerned if citrus get too much light it might force them out of semi-dormancy? Citrus go dormant, (in cold climates) by growing much slower than they do in summer. But never totally dormant. Fruit ripens in winter.
Because I don't use a soil-less mix, I won't fertilize..I believe your citrus are in soil-less mixes, right? I don't know the do's and don'ts about fertilizing in winter.
That's one thing you need to find out, Mike.
I've read threads from people why say, because they're not using soil, they have to fertiilze year round. For nutrients sake.
You probably should talk to the person who gave you their recepie, inquire about fertlizing during winter months.

Anyway, yeah, I'm still alive..lol. Don't know how long after temps dip in the teens..or -3F. Sheesh.

See how your citrus do in cooler temps..I've had better luck keeping the room cooler. Especially with Gardenias.
Oh speaking of Gardenias, it's normal to lose a few leaves once they're brought indoors..They yellow and die. Pluck off yellow or brown leaves.

Although gardenias and a few other plants like old temps, it seems the longer we keep plants outside, the harder it if for them to adapt, once indoors.
When I first grew citrus, I noticed when they were kept out till late Sept, they dropped a good number of leaves, the following year they were brought in around the end of August, and only a few leaves yellowed and dropped.
I vowed citrus would never stay out longer than Aug, but after learning about soils and insecticides, changed my mind.

Is your Olive in the same room as citrus? Olive is another plant that prefers cooler temps.
They're also scale magnets, so inspect periodically.
My Olive is planted in Alfala..lol..A woman in Fl grows olives. She's the one who got me started using it. I bought a bag at the pet store..it's pretty inexpensive. I did add a little soil though. When it's watered, water runs through. That IS well-draning..lol..Water less in winter, and stop ferilizing. They like sun year round.
Olives are slow-growing..it takes forever to grow a few inches.

It's 51.1F, 86% humidity outside. Not bad considering it's the end of Oct..Hope Halloween is nice so the kiddies can trick-or-treat wearing their cute little costumes w/o having to cover up wearing a coat..
Well, back to plants and cleaning..sigh..it's been a long day..
Take care Mike..it's great talking to you. Toni