DECIDE WHAT COMES IN Start with a walk through the garden. Your home offers limited light, warmth, and humidity, so be selective; the bigger your summer garden, the more decisions ahead. Consider houseplants that summered outdoors, along with perennials, succulents, and herbs. Healthy plants only. Anything that struggled outside all summer is unlikely to fare better indoors, and a plant with known pests or disease should stay out entirely. Beyond that, choose the ones you would miss: plants you have invested real time in, plants that have grown well under your care, and plants that bring you joy. Begonias and geraniums both take to houseplant life gracefully. A few vegetables are worth saving too. Smaller tomato plants, especially cherry tomatoes, and pepper plants are tropical perennials that will keep producing fruit indoors as long as they get enough sun. You will need to hand-pollinate them, since there are no insects or breezes inside to do the job.
Whatever comes inside needs a pot. Some plants can stay in the containers they spent the summer in; others will need something new, and anything you dig straight from the garden bed will need a home of its own. Sort this out early so you can gather the right supplies in one trip. Set up a dedicated transplant station in one spot outdoors. Keeping everything in a single area puts every tool at hand and keeps the mess out of the house. Alongside containers in a few sizes, you may want a shovel, a trowel, pruners, snips, gloves, and the right soil for each plant making the trip. CONTAINERS AND SUPPLIES
CHECK FOR PESTS
Stowaway insects are the classic rookie mistake of the outdoor-to-indoor move. Aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites are the most common offenders, and they spread quickly from plant to plant once inside. Inspect each plant thoroughly: the surface of the soil, the tops of the leaves, and their undersides. Remove every trace you find. Sanitize containers as well, using a solution of one part bleach to 10 parts water, so nothing hiding in the pot rides in with the plant.
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