Bringing your plants indoors for winter keeps them safe from frost. But it can also invite in a few uninvited guests. One of the most common (and sneakiest) indoor pests is the spider mite. These tiny sap-suckers thrive in dry, warm homes and can quickly turn lush leaves into speckled, webbed messes if left unchecked. Luckily, with a little care and prevention, you can keep your indoor garden healthy and mite-free all season long. 🌿 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟏: 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 Spider mites are so small they’re almost invisible, but the damage they cause gives them away. Watch for: * 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞s on leaves * 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 between stems or under leaves * 𝐃𝐫𝐲, 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞 that looks “dusty” * 𝐀 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 when you touch affected leaves If you suspect mites, hold a sheet of white paper under a leaf and gently tap it — if tiny dots fall and start crawling, you’ve found your culprits. 🪴 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟐: 𝐈𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 & 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 Before bringing any plants indoors, 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 under good light: * Check leaf undersides, stems, and near the soil surface. * If you spot signs of mites, 𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 to avoid spreading the problem. * Give it a gentle rinse with a hose or shower to wash off dust and insects. 💡 𝑃𝑟𝑜 𝑇𝑖𝑝: A few days in a shaded, sheltered area (like a porch or garage) before moving inside gives you time to monitor for hidden pests. 💧 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟑: 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐢𝐫 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐝 Spider mites thrive in dry, warm air — exactly what most homes become in winter. Combat this by: * 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 to raise local humidity. * 𝐔𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐫 nearby if your air is very dry. * 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐥𝐲 every few days (except for varieties that dislike wet leaves, like succulents). 🧴 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟒: 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 If you notice mites despite your best efforts, act fast: * 𝐑𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 thoroughly under lukewarm water to knock off adults and eggs. * 𝐖𝐢𝐩𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 of mild soap and water (1 tsp per quart). * 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐦 𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲 or insecticidal soap once a week for several weeks to interrupt their life cycle.

I have a Meyers Lemon tree that I purchased about 11/2 years ago. I keep it on the house during the winter and put on the deck late Spring to lare Fall. I brought it into the house several weeks ago when we started seeing frost. It is not happy at this time and has been dropping leaves like crazy. All the while blooming like it never has before. I've attached some pics of leaves that fell this morning. I also took it out on the deck and gave it a good spray with diluted Neem oil. I thought I saw evidence of spider mites yesterday and thought this maybe why it's dropping leaves like crazy. Last winter it did great inside. It doubled in size, so I reported it when I moved it outside. It even gad a couple of blooms and some tiny lemons that didn't last. But it tried. Anyone else here growing Meyers Lemon trees? Or have in the past? If so, have you had an issue like this with yours? If so, did you figure out what was happening? Did you find a solution? Any advice is appreciated. This is my first time growing one and I am still learning about it. Thanks for your thoughts and ideas!

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)

You’ve moved your plants inside for the season, everything looks cozy… and then you notice them. Tiny black flies hovering above the soil, darting around your houseplants as if they own the place. Meet the fungus gnat, a common (and persistent) nuisance for indoor gardeners. They’re small, sneaky, and can multiply quickly if left unchecked. The good news? Once you understand how to spot, stop, and prevent them, you’ll have your indoor garden back under control in no time. 🌱 🐛 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐬 𝐆𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐬? Fungus gnats are tiny flying insects, usually no more than an eighth of an inch long. At a glance, they look like miniature mosquitoes, but they’re more annoying than dangerous. While adult gnats don’t bite or harm plants directly, their larvae feed on organic matter and sometimes delicate plant roots in the top layer of soil. That means young seedlings, herbs, and moisture-loving houseplants are most at risk. They thrive in damp, organic-rich soil, especially when containers stay moist for too long, which makes them right at home in many indoor setups. 👀𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐨 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐬 𝐆𝐧𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 You’ll usually see the adults first. Here’s what to look for: * Tiny black flies hovering near soil surfaces, windows, or light sources. * A few gnats appearing right after watering. * Sticky residue on traps (if you’re already using yellow sticky cards). If you’re noticing several gnats daily, there’s a good chance they’ve already laid eggs in your soil. To confirm, try the “𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭.” Place a raw potato slice on top of your soil for a few hours. If tiny larvae appear on its underside, fungus gnats are definitely the culprit. 🌱 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐂𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐈𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬) Fungus gnats reproduce fast — that’s what makes them so tricky. 𝟏. 𝐄𝐠𝐠𝐬 are laid in moist soil, often near organic matter. 𝟐. 𝐋𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐞 hatch within 3–4 days and begin feeding on fungi, roots, and decomposing plant material. 𝟑. After 2 weeks, they 𝐩𝐮𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞 and emerge as flying adults. 𝟒. Each female can lay up to 200 eggs and the cycle starts again.

When the temperatures drop and most of your plants begin to fade, it’s tempting to assume your gardening chores are finished for the year. But before you tuck those pots away for winter, there’s one last and crucial task to tackle: evicting the uninvited guests living in your container soil. Many common garden pests see your cozy containers as the perfect winter getaway. Hidden beneath the surface, they curl up, wait out the cold, and then emerge in spring… hungry and ready to feast on your new seedlings. Let’s shine a light on the sneaky culprits that love overwintering in container soil and how to stop them before they get comfortable. 🌱 🐞 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐥 Your pots may look empty after harvest, but to bugs, they’re luxury lodgings. * 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐢𝐥 stays warmer than bare ground. * 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 provide food and shelter. * 𝐌𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 under mulch or plant debris protect delicate eggs and larvae from freezing. In short, your container becomes a snug, safe environment, complete with room service in the form of decomposing plant matter. 🪲 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝟏. 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐬 𝐆𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐬 These tiny black flies love moist soil rich in decaying organic matter. While adults are mostly a nuisance, their larvae chew on tender plant roots, setting back early spring growth. 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬: Little gnats hovering around your soil or emerging when you water. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Let soil dry slightly between waterings and avoid leaving dead leaves in pots. 𝟐. 𝐀𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐬 You might not see them in winter, but their eggs cling to stems, roots, and pot rims, ready to hatch the moment temperatures rise. 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬: Clusters of sticky residue (honeydew) or curled leaves late in the season. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Wash containers with warm, soapy water and prune back infested foliage before storing or bringing indoors. 𝟑. 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 These nearly invisible pests thrive in dry conditions. They overwinter as adults or eggs in the crevices of pots and under leaf litter. Once spring returns, they quickly multiply, especially on stressed indoor plants.