If you thought aphids were a spring and summer problem, surprise — these tiny sap-sucking pests have one more trick up their sleeve. Just when container gardeners are preparing for winter, 𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥. But why now? And more importantly, how do you stop them before they multiply indoors or damage overwintering plants? Let’s break down what’s really going on with late-season aphid attacks and the simple steps you can take to protect your container garden. 🐞 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐀𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥 Most gardeners assume pests disappear when temperatures drop, but aphids are surprisingly cold-tolerant. Here’s why they return in fall: 🍁 𝟏. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 As outdoor plants begin to fade, aphids migrate toward protected spaces, like the undersides of leaves, cracks in pots, or even garden benches near container plants. If you’re overwintering pots on a porch or patio, you’re creating a cozy bug hangout. 🌿 𝟐. 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 Cooler temperatures and lower light slow plant growth, making plants more vulnerable. Stressed plants send out chemical signals that actually attract sap-feeding insects like aphids. 🪴 𝟑. 𝐖𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 When we move container plants indoors to protect them from frost, we often carry aphids with us. Tiny clusters of eggs or juvenile aphids may be hiding along stems or leaf veins, waiting for indoor heating to jumpstart reproduction. 💛 𝟒. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 “𝐄𝐠𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞” In fall, many aphid species lay eggs instead of live young. These eggs are tough and survive freezing temps on plant stems and pot - ready to hatch later. 🔍 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐀𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 Keep an eye out for these symptoms if you’re overwintering plants or growing herbs indoors: * Sticky leaves or surfaces (from honeydew aphids excrete) * Curled, distorted, or yellowing leaves * Clusters of tiny green, black, or white insects * Ants crawling around soil or stems (they farm aphids for honeydew)

I'm a new gardener & I've been seeing a lot of people harvesting Cranberry Beans online! I saw them at the food store and bought a bunch to cook but I was wondering is there anything I can do with these beans in order to plant them next season as I'm sure its too cold to plant them in NY now. Any suggestions?

As summer winds down, many gardeners think their growing season is coming to a close—but that’s not true for these three hardy culinary herbs. Sage, thyme, and rosemary are cool-weather champions that thrive in containers, add rich flavor to your fall meals, and even keep your garden looking beautiful as the seasons change. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐒𝐨 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥l These Mediterranean natives share similar growing needs—full sun, well-draining soil, and moderate watering—making them easy to grow together in a single large pot or as individual container stars. They’re also evergreen in many climates, meaning they can keep producing well into late fall and, in some zones, all winter. 𝟏. 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐞 * 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞: Earthy and slightly peppery, sage is perfect for savory dishes, roasted meats, and hearty fall soups. * 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐢𝐩: Pinch off flowers as they appear to keep leaves tender and flavorful. Sage prefers soil that dries slightly between waterings. 𝟐. 𝐓𝐡𝐲𝐦𝐞 * 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞: Tiny leaves with a big punch—thyme adds depth to roasted vegetables, poultry, and even bread. * 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐢𝐩: Thyme is drought-tolerant once established. Give it plenty of sun and avoid overwatering. 𝟑. 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 * 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞: Piney and aromatic, rosemary enhances potatoes, breads, marinades, and more. * 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐢𝐩: Rosemary likes it on the dry side—make sure your container drains well and place it where it gets 6–8 hours of sun. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐨 * 𝐏𝐨𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐳𝐞: Use at least a 12–14 inch wide container with good drainage. * 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥: A gritty, well-draining potting mix works best—consider mixing in sand or perlite. * 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Water deeply, but let the top inch of soil dry before watering again. * 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠: A light feeding of balanced liquid fertilizer every 4–6 weeks keeps plants healthy without overstimulating growth. 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 * Snip stems as needed, always leaving at least ⅔ of the plant to continue growing. * Preserve by drying or freezing to enjoy your fall flavors long after the season ends.

Not every space in your home is blessed with bright sunshine—but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy gorgeous greenery. Plenty of houseplants thrive in low-light conditions, adding beauty and fresh air to dim corners, offices, and apartments. Here are some of the best low-light houseplants that still bring the “wow” factor: 🌿 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 (𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚) * Nearly indestructible and tolerant of low light. * Striking upright leaves add modern style to any room. * Needs minimal watering—perfect for busy gardeners. 🌿 𝐙𝐙 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 (𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐜𝐚𝐬 𝐳𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐢𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐚) * Glossy, deep green leaves that shine in low-light spaces. * Extremely drought-tolerant and low-maintenance. 🌿 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬 (𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐧𝐮𝐦 𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐦) * Trailing vines with heart-shaped leaves in green, gold, or variegated patterns. * Thrives in low light but can adapt to brighter conditions. 🌿 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐲 (𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐦) * Elegant white blooms and lush green foliage. * Tolerates shade and even helps purify indoor air. 🌿 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 (𝐀𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐫) * Named for its ability to survive neglect. * Handles low light, irregular watering, and less-than-ideal conditions. 𝐋𝐨𝐰-𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 * Avoid overwatering—low-light plants need less moisture. * Rotate pots occasionally to keep growth even. * Dust leaves every month so plants can absorb more light. Even the darkest corner can become a lush, green retreat with the right plants. Add a few of these low-light beauties to your home and watch them thrive—no sunny windows required! 🌱✨

[IMPORTANT READ] Wow! A huge thank you to each of you who joined The Potted Garden Society. This isn’t just a gardening group — it’s our green corner of the internet. Together, our mission is simple: 👉 Build a vibrant community of 10,000+ passionate plant lovers — from curious beginners to backyard legends — who are here to share, learn, and grow 🌼 Think of Skool as your gardening clubhouse. A space where tips bloom, ideas grow roots, and plants (and people!) thrive together. Here’s what we’ll dig into as a group: 🌱 Seasonal planting tips, tricks & troubleshooting 🌼 Celebrating plant wins (with proud pics!) 🐛 Solving pest & soil challenges 🍅 Learning how to grow food at home 🌿 Swapping advice on tools, composting & containers Our FIRST main focus as a community: 🔥 Help each other grow more confidently each season 💬 Make daily conversations about real plant wins & woes 🌍 Share eco-friendly ways to garden & give back to the earth A Few Quick Things: 1️⃣ This space is for plant newbies and seasoned growers 🌻 2️⃣ Say hello below 👋 Tell us what you grow, your zone or location, and a pic of your current favorite plant! Let’s grow something beautiful — together. Let’s grow The Potted Garden Society! 💚 – Donna