Do you guys use any special techniques for preventing bugs from coming in with your potted plants? I am bringing in my pineapples which I dug from the yard and I don’t want to contaminate the indoor plants with pests. One website recommended dunking them for a while in tempid water and wiping the pot clean. They neglected to mention the mess floating potting soil makes. I have them in separate rooms from the plants that stay inside, and was debating how long to quarantine them before I declare them clear enough to go under the supplemental lighting with my indoor plants.
I give mine a good spray with triaz. before I bring my citrus into the house and make sure I hit the soil as well. I will then feed them once they are inside. That works for me. It has stopped white fly and scale, entirely. The trees are well soaked and dried before the huge effort to bring them indoors.
I’m planning to hit mine with a good shower of neem before letting them inside
Big problems are scale and spider mites
Yes, you’re so right and I forgot about the spider mites and all of the ‘honey dew’ what a mess! The triaz. really takes care of that.
I only tried to bring in potted peppers, got aphids every time. I used sprays, covered soil with plastic, washed them off with no success. Usually by December the battle was over and let them all - plant and aphids to freeze outside, to allow quarantine time before I start my next year plants in February. So interested to hear if it is possible at all.
My biggest problem is fungus gnats. After trying several methods, the only thing that work for me is to cover the whole surface of each pot with a thin layer of sand. I guess any sand would do. I just buy a bag of Play sand from Home Depot.
I have to be careful when watering my plants. If water causes soil to be exposed, I cover the spot again with sand. So far, it has worked well for the past two years. This is my third year of doing it.