Thanks Stush. The problem is that Home Depot and Amazon won't ship imidacloprid to Connecticut anymore. I figure my best bet is to order for pick up at Home Depot in Springfield or Westfield, Mass. That's only about a half hour (maybe just a bit more) drive for me.

We got record rain fall in early September (record for September) so mine came in and went under the grow lights nearly 3 weeks ago, it was a process of drying a few of them out!

*i live in Oregon

Most of mine came in a couple of weeks back once my balcony stopped getting much of the westerly sun. I spray only as needed. I am already battling aphids, powdery mildew, and broad mites but unwilling to let go the still blooming annuals/perennials. It does get tiring at times but I guess that's just part of gardening and not knowing when to stop accumulating... Ordered half a dozen more recently...

Are we glad we don't have to survive due to the weather like most farmers have to. It's just a hobby to us. Still puts me under a lot of stress each year and each year I got more!! Go figure. Getting ready to take over all the windowsills.

Meyermike, sorry about your foot. I hope you get some help from fellow gardeners where you are. I am obviously not anywhere close or I I would certainly pitch in (the opportunity to galk at your collection and get the throwaway no doubt providing the added incentive b)).

I am hoping for couple of weeks more...predicted temps are to be in high 50-tiesto low 60-ties daytime, and 45-50*F nights. Except Tiesday - going up to 80*F! Quite a swing, it is only 59*F right now. Not complaining - it could be much worse. Like Montana and few more states getting lots of snow!

Plants seem to be OK, photos of few of them:

Thanks Rina, that reminds me I have to dig up and bring in my Dahlias and Cannons. I think after the first frost or just before?

As Paul knows, all my stuff is still out on the driveway! The Echies will remain as long as the nighttime temps in my are 40F+. Euphorbia, Dorstenia and Adenium later this week. Haws, well, not certain!

Stan, I am not familiar with the product you mentioned, but 41% Imidacloprid sounds a bit high. For those wishing a Bayer product containing Imidacloprid, Bayer Complete has the highest concentration(0.72%) bang for buck. If you want additional "stuff", the 3-in-1 product has a fungicide and miticide (Imidacloprid - 0.47% tau-Fluvalinate - 0.61% Tebuconazole - 0.65%) not present in Complete. Complete contains a pyrethrin (BETA-CYFLUTHRIN 0.37%). There is also a 12 month product containing Imidacloprid and Clothianidin. Both are neonicotinoids.

Thanks to global warming, my plants get to stay outside much longer than usual down here in the South. Last year, they stayed outside until well past Halloween. Even then, some of them rode out the winter months on a wooden shelf on my sheltered front porch, covered by a plant blanket. My more valuable plants were moved into my garage, where I had a small space heater keeping temps at a more tolerable level.

As for any bugs, I never use any insecticides. The only treatment my plants get is a soak in a bucket of water to expel any that might be hiding. Of course, I do this while the weather's still warm enough to do so. The only pests that I typically deal with during the winter are just fungus gnats. But those are more of an annoyance than anything.

Google the 'Compare and Save' products. Reason why I purchased them. I saw a Bayer 3 in 1 that no longer has the imidacioprid. Got to read the labels to be sure. Heard they changed it. It may be a state by state issue.

When I search "Compare and Save" ink cartridges comes. Sorry, found it and the content of imidacloprid is 1.47%, but it is really designed for outdoor tree and shrub insect control.

Wendy, if you can't get what you want in a Bayer product, I will get it for you.\

I have my plants out in a greenhouse/shed kind of building. I can close it at night and run a space heater to keep it from freezing. However, eventually the daytime temps drop and become too cold. I might have a month before that happens. The longer I can keep them out of the house the better. Currently, I don't have lights for them in the house or a cool room. I might get some lights, though.

Opps, thanks Howard. I gave bad information on that. Got mixed up with weed killer. Good thing I didn't get the stuff mixed up when applying on plants. Bought that stuff also at same time. Bottles do look alike.

Thank you agian for pointing that out.

Compare-N-Save Concentrate Grass and Weed Killer, 41-Percent Glyphosate

Wendy, don't forget, we could always ahve Nancy meet up with you. Shes' coming over Friday and we will get you some if they still have it, which I am pretty sure they do)

The availability of the various Bayer products does vary state to state. I have the Tree and Shrub formula and the "Fruit, Citrus, and Vegetable" formula. They each only have one active ingredient, imidacloprid, in two different strengths. I gave some of the houseplants on the porch a drink of the stuff yesterday so they can soak it up before they come inside. I use it sparingly and only on the plants that have previously had scale or mealy. The 3 in 1 isn't on the shelves here. When I look up the 3 in 1 on Amazon, it's labeled "EPA restricted: this product cannot be shipped to NY." I use a soap spray for spider mites.

Rina,

Yes the capsules have fertilizer in them. The hibiscus seem to appreciate that. Not sure how other plants will react.

I used to never use any pest control when I brought them in from Summer Camp. But one year, I got a terrible infestation of whitefly on my two lantanas. Both completely perished within a few days. Fortunately I had them in a different room than most of my other houseplants. After that, I decided to be more proactive about prevention. It would have been a disaster if they had infected my other plants.

popmama

I am surprised that there is fertilizer in Bayer capsules.

Many tender perennials suffer from all kinds of pests indoors. We in colder zones don't have choice if wanting to keep them over winter. I decided not to keep any indoors, but have some Brugmansias that are bit of problem to overwinter for me. Those get any bugs at any times indoors - at least that is my experience. I also have to overwinter olives, couple of bay leaf trees, 3 figs (at least those go to 'sleep' in winer), passion flower, bougainvilea...I better stop now! But I try not to keep anything else - even if many are tempting.

This is what needs to come into the main plant room: one flowering maple (abutilon), one string of tears, two poinsettias (although I may reduce to one, not sure on that yet), three tropical hibiscus.

I also bring in about 10 geraniums and some succulents but those will go in my window wells in the basement. They are egress window wells that have plexiglass covers. They act a bit like a coldframe during the winter, remain about 50 degrees with sun. I've been overwintering geraniums this way for years. I've never had any problem with bugs on those.

Then there are the cannas which is a whole other story!

The Bayer capsules are like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-701710-Control-Fertilizer-10-Spikes/dp/B00192CNG2

To J Williams and anyone else who wants free pots, if you have a Lowes nearby they may have a rack in the garden center where they accept empty plastic pots and trays for re-use and recycling. Ask a manager. They will generally let you take anything you want from that rack. They'll have whatever customers have brought in recently. I've seen everything from pony packs to big pots from trees. This is how I got empty Exotic Angels hanging baskets with the swivel hooks. I also found a couple of cracked terra cotta pots on the recycling rack, which the manager said I could have. I took those to smash. The chunks go into my orchid pots.

This is also clearance season for decorative planters that have been on the shelf all season. I made a special trip out of town yesterday after checking online to see which store had what in stock. I bought a 15" glazed pot, marked down from $50 to $20.

Looks like the universe heard my plea lol. I forgot I was going to be planting planters for an employer, and then a coworker has offered to give me some clay ones she won’t use, now we’ll have to see if they are the right size.

By the way, Rina, regarding your unripe figs ... have you ever tried the oil method for encouraging ripening. The father of a friend of mine does it as I recall. Here's an article if unfamiliar with it. (You'll have to skim down a bit.)

Ways for prolonging figs? I’m in.

Paul

Thank you for the article! Will have to try that. There are many on he trees, and I am sure some are too small to ripen. But will try the trick on bigger ones :)

Yes, I'm preparing this:)

Back to the topic at hand. The Dorstenia, Adenium and Euphorbia are back in the house along with the heater.

Rina, I am the same boat about figs. Lots and not warm enough to ripen. I hate that.

By the way, Brugs are easy to over winter, easiest of all. Let me know if you want to know what I do)

Mike

I want to know about Brugs please!

I had to bring everything in - it was warm enough for few days but it is cooling down now and it is constantly raining. Fri overnight is expected only 30*F, and cold and wet is a killer for succs.

Portulacaria afra - mostly young plants grown from cuttings:

Small leaf jades - also young plants grown from cuttings:

Some of the other plants:

Bring all my Sans in. Hope the haworthia and Aloe can take 40's. I think the Agaves are last. Low tonight is 45 or so. First 50 in tonight. Then 50 more then 50 more then finial 50. Still working on lights. Got a one time use shop light at walmart today. 5000 lumuns and 5000k bright light 45 watt. $22 which is great. One time use means no replaceable parts. Cheap molded together but should last over 20 years.

All the Haws are in the house. Going to be cold tonight and cloudy for some time. No benefit leaving them out any longer.

Last guy standing. The migration is in its final phase. All tender succulents have been moved to the basement to protect them from frost. They won’t be out again until spring. (I wanted to upload photo of my aeonium but failed 5x. Sigh.)

*edit* thanks bikerdoc!

Chris, having similar issues trying to load pics from iPhone. I have figured out the powers that be are back to limiting size. I attempted several times to load the above pic of my GH without success. So finally I noticed that there was an option at the bottom of my picture library to select actual, large, medium or small. I selected medium and it uploaded immediately. Try reducing the size of your image.

Just brought these guys in for the night. Erg. Seems our warmth is so short lived this year

bikerdoc, what brand of heater is that?

Akrrm. There are several natural gas space heaters on the market. Google

NG space heaters. They are available in various BTU‘s. They are also available for use with propane

.

We have had record highs here. Today is the first day we’ve had highs in the upper 70’s. Yesterday the heat index was 102. Night temps are supposed to Be in the mid 50’s this week

Egads! I'd melt in temps like you were having! 70's, on the other hand, is comfortable.

Bringing in plants all day for the last 3 days. I'm cold, wet and tired. Still got more to bring in but just can't today. Tomorrow for sure. Hope that cold holds out some.

Howard, Don't you take a big chance of something bad happening to most of your plants? What if heat fails for some reason in your greenhouse. You get winters some times -20 degrees. One night and all is gone. I would be too afraid to trust a winter greenhouse. Now living in zone 8 would be much safer.

Stan, you know the old saying, "Pay your money, take your chances!" While I don't have an alarm system to let me know something is not right in the greenhouse, I do monitor the temp remotely. If something happens in the dead of night, it happens. The natural gas heater is a pretty simple and reliable source of heat and has been for the past 10 years. So, for now, I will continue looking at a half full glass... Thanks for your concern.

Thanks Howard, I was thinking of myself when asking about how reliable trusting in those portable gas heaters. I use one in my house for supplemental heating in part of my house that's not heated and it works cheaply and well.

Do you use a extra swimming pool cover over the green house thru winter? The kind with the tiny air bubbles like packaging wrap.

Stan, no and I really have no problem heating it. Yes it does leak heat but i’ve never had a need for the cover

Great to know. Thanks Howard.

Well I finally got all my plants inside. Still moving stuff around and trying to get it all organized. Never got below 45 degrees yet but might go down to the 30's this weekend.

We are all in one house or another until next spring. Tonight is cold at 34F.

Always love looking at your operations.

I think I will bring mine in the house any day now. I should get some lights for them.

I have a whole system when I bring my plants in. Luckily, here in south Arkansas, I usually don't have to bring mine in until around Halloween. My husband had a bread route & we have tons of trays after his helper didn't unload at the depot like he was supposed to. The picture shows two ways I use the trays & is from a post I did for my Facebook group. The bottom picture shows how I recycle old potting soil by pouring boiling water over it until the soil is completely soaked. I make sure it's over a weedy area or the driveway so the water doesn't scald anything I care about. The holes in the trays allow the water to drain out & away.

When I start bringing plants in, I fill a kiddie pool with plants, making sure pots aren't touching. As the pool fills with water, I dump 2 or 3 bottles of hydrogen peroxide & several squirts of whatever dish washing liquid I have. I let the plants soak for at least an hour or so. If the plant has large leaves or stems, I take a cloth soaked in the soapy water & wipe them. I also wipe the pots if they are dirty. I then put the pot on an overturned bread tray. I then rinse the plant & pot with the water hose. I leave it to drain completely for at least an hour (or more, depending on what I've got going on). Sometimes I sprinkle seven dust or DE before bringing in.

great setup Howard!

Sharon

Temps supposed to be in mid 30s Wednesday, so Tuesday will be the end of vacation for the house plants.