As fall settles in, many container gardeners face a tough decision: what happens to all those beautiful plants that thrived outdoors over the summer? The good news is that many of your favorites don’t have to be left behind—they can make the move indoors and continue to thrive through the cooler months. Here’s how to make the transition smooth and successful: 𝟏. 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 Not every plant makes a great indoor companion. Herbs like basil, rosemary, and thyme; tropicals like hibiscus or mandevilla; and houseplant favorites like ferns and palms all do well indoors. Think about which plants will actually enjoy indoor conditions and which might struggle. 𝟐. 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐡𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 Before moving plants inside, check under leaves, along stems, and in the soil for pests like aphids, spider mites, or fungus gnats. A gentle spray with the hose and a fresh top layer of soil can keep unwanted critters from coming indoors with your plants. 𝟑. 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 If roots are cramped or soil looks tired, give your plants a quick refresh. Repot into a slightly larger container or just add fresh potting mix on top. Indoor-friendly soil blends are lighter and drain well, which is key for preventing soggy roots. 𝟒. 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 Plants can get “shock” moving from bright outdoor sun to indoor lighting. Ease them in by placing them in a shaded outdoor spot for a few days, then bring them inside near a bright window. Gradual transitions help them adapt to lower light and humidity. 𝟓. 𝐀𝐝𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 Indoors, plants usually need: * Less water (soil dries slower without sun and wind). * Occasional misting (indoor air can be dry). * Fertilizer breaks (growth slows in fall/winter). 𝟔. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭 South or west-facing windows are gold for light-loving plants. For darker corners, consider adding a grow light to keep plants healthy and happy all winter long. 🌱 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐟𝐟 Bringing your plants indoors isn’t just about saving them—it’s about extending your gardening joy through the fall and winter. Imagine enjoying fresh herbs from your kitchen windowsill, a splash of hibiscus blooms in December, or just the comfort of greenery when it’s gray outside.

Aphids may be tiny, but their impact on container plants can be anything but small. These sap-sucking insects are notorious for multiplying quickly and damaging tender leaves, buds, and stems. Fortunately, with a few proactive steps, you can stop aphids in their tracks and protect your plants. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐬? Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects—usually green, black, white, or red—that cluster on new growth. They feed by piercing plant tissue and sucking out the juices, leaving behind distorted leaves and sticky honeydew that can attract ants and encourage sooty mold. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐀𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞 * Curled, twisted, or yellowing leaves * Sticky residue (honeydew) on leaves or nearby surfaces * Presence of ants climbing on plants * Stunted growth or distorted buds * Visible clusters of tiny insects on stems, undersides of leaves, or new growth 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐀𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬 * Containers often have lush, well-fed plants—perfect for aphids * Limited airflow in tight spaces makes it easier for pests to spread * Aphids often arrive on new nursery plants or via wind 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐀𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝟏. 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 * Use a strong stream of water to knock aphids off leaves. * Repeat every few days to keep populations down. 𝟐. 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐚𝐩𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 * Mix a few drops of dish soap with water in a spray bottle. * Spray directly onto aphids—this suffocates them. * Test on a small leaf first to make sure the plant doesn’t react. 𝟑. 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐦 𝐎𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐚𝐩 * Safe for most edible and ornamental plants. * Effective for controlling aphids and their eggs. * Reapply every 7–10 days as needed. 𝟒. 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 * Ladybugs, lacewings, and hoverflies all eat aphids. * Attract them with flowering herbs like dill, fennel, and alyssum. 𝟓. 𝐏𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬 * If a branch or stem is covered, snip it off and dispose of it away from your garden. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 * Inspect new plants before bringing them home. * Don’t over-fertilize—aphids love lush, nitrogen-rich growth.

This is my first year trying to grow anything, so of course I couldn't just try two or three plants, I had to try seven different things and try to keep up with how to take care of each one. I have three raised garden beds with legs. The one I'm posting is the 40 inch bed. For some reason, I thought it would be wise to plant 2 bell pepper plants, 3 eggplants, lavender, yellow Spanish onion, and oregano. Marigolds go without saying, right? Then as if that wasn't enough I added radish seeds. In case you were keeping count the 7th item is cilantro which is in another bed with more bell peppers. About 2 weeks ago, I moved one of the eggplants to another bed, but as you can see from the video this bed is still densely packed. Oops