New planting of raised containers.

Every fall, container gardeners face the big question: When should I start bringing my plants indoors? Wait too long, and frost damage can sneak up overnight. Move them too early, and your house becomes a jungle before it needs to. Timing and observation are everything. 🌡️ 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟏: 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 Keep an eye on your local forecast. * Tropical and houseplants (like ferns, philodendrons, and spider plants) should come inside when night temps drop below 50°F (10°C). * Tender annuals (like begonias, impatiens, and coleus) can get nipped by frost even at 40°F (4°C). * Hardier herbs and veggies (like rosemary, parsley, and kale) can tolerate cooler nights, but it’s still smart to protect them when frost warnings appear. A simple rule of thumb: if you’re grabbing a jacket at night, your plants might need one too! 🕵️ 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟐: 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 It’s not just about a single cold evening, it’s the trend. If temperatures are consistently dropping and daylight is getting shorter, that’s your cue to prepare your indoor transition plan. 🧴 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟑: 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞 Before bringing plants indoors: * 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 — Look under leaves and around the soil for hitchhikers like aphids, spider mites, or fungus gnats. * 𝐑𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐨𝐟𝐟 — A gentle shower with the garden hose removes dust and bugs. * 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞s — It encourages new growth and keeps things tidy. 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥: Give them a few days in a shaded, sheltered spot (like a porch) before moving inside — this “acclimation” helps them adjust to lower light and humidity. 🌞 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟒: 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐲 Once inside, plants still need: * 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: South- or west-facing windows are prime real estate. * 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐲: Group plants together or use a humidifier to combat dry indoor air. * 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞: Protect surfaces with saucers or trays to catch overflow. Avoid placing plants near heat vents or cold drafts — the temperature swings can stress them out. 🌿 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟓: 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐲𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠

When the days get shorter and the chill sets in, there’s nothing quite like surrounding yourself with greenery to lift your spirits. Turning your living room into a plant lover’s retreat doesn’t just make your space beautiful, it brings calm, creativity, and fresh air right into your home. Whether you’re working with a sunny window or a snug nook, your plants can thrive indoors all winter long while creating your very own cozy green sanctuary. 🌞 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟏: 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 Even the coziest corner needs some sunlight to keep plants happy. * South and west facing windows offer the best light for sun-hungry plants like succulents, rosemary, or bird of paradise. * East-facing windows are perfect for softer light lovers like ferns, pothos, and calatheas. * If your space is dim, add a small grow light tucked behind a chair or on a shelf — it blends right in with your décor while keeping your greenery glowing. 💡 𝑃𝑟𝑜 𝑇𝑖𝑝: Rotate your plants every week or two so they grow evenly toward the light. 🪴 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟐: 𝐋𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞 Just like decorating with furniture or art, your plant placement matters. * 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 (like fiddle leaf figs or dracaenas) make beautiful statement pieces for corners. * 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦-𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 (like peace lilies or snake plants) add texture around seating areas. * 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 (like pothos or ivy) soften shelves and window ledges with their graceful drape. Grouping plants together not only looks lush but also helps raise local humidity — great for both you and your plants! 🪞 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟑: 𝐀𝐝𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 Think of your plant space as a living design feature. Add cozy layers to tie it all together: * 𝐖𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 for pots * 𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 in earthy tones * 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 for displaying smaller plants * 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 for soft, evening ambiance Plants love humidity and warmth, and you’ll love how relaxing the space feels when you bring nature’s textures inside. 🌿 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟒: 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 “𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐙𝐨𝐧𝐞”

So I just had a greenhouse built and I am in love with it. Created a business - as I'm almost ready to retire! I'm thinking about doing a little business of some kind. Anyone has good ideas, I'd welcome them. Posting a couple of pics.

My Hoya plant is blooming. The flower is very wax like.