Video: 3 Things To Think About When You Bring Your Plants Indoors For The Winter

This is the time of year you want to bring your houseplants inside in order to save them through the harsh winter.

The video above includes three things to think about when you do: bugs, location and timing.

Each year I bring my plants either into the house in a bright sunny poolroom, or I put them into the garage.

No matter where my plants go after being outside all summer, there is a chance that they have insects on them. My modus operandi is to treat the plants with a systemic insecticide a few weeks before bringing them in, and then spray them with horticultural oil a day before moving them into the sun room or the garage.

When using the horticultural oil, be sure that you're not spraying in the sunshine, as you could burn the plants, even in the less harsh sun of fall.

By employing this two-step process, the likelihood of having insects during the winter will be much less. However it's still a good idea to periodically check your plants for any insect infestation and then treat them as needed throughout the colder winter months.

Remember plants do not want to be fed during the winter when they are not growing very much, and also limit your watering, as wet soil can produce root rot and kill plants. You may be surprised that some tropical plants will actually be happiest in an environment where the temperature is around 55 degrees, such as a sun room without a lot of heat.

If you're wondering what plants to put in the garage, things that are Zone 7, 8 or even 9 will survive in that type of environment. A garage that is adjacent to a house is best, as there will be some passive heat reaching the building.

If you love your houseplants and don't want to replace them each spring, these tips will allow you to keep them 365 days a year.