Preparing for wintering plants indoors -

[GrimLore]

I have spent a few days disinfecting and cleaning the plant room for use in a few weeks. Right now testing and retesting Humidity and light levels in a couple of areas for a week to set the humidifier correctly. Will proceed and balance it out the following week after setting up the left side of the room and that rear Cacti corner. Interested in seeing what others are doing





Grimmy

 

[Vin]

Now that's what I call being prepared!

I'll be asking my wife in a couple months if she can leave me a one foot square space in the greenhouse for the one Ficus I have. Next year I'll be selling it and then I won't have any tropicals.

 

[GrimLore]

Now that's what I call being prepared!

I'll be asking my wife in a couple months if she can leave me a one foot square space in the greenhouse for the one Ficus I have. Next year I'll be selling it and then I won't have any tropicals.

I made use of the required Thomas the tortoise room. She was gifted him as a rescue 10 years ago or so. It was the size of a silver dollar and in superior health as he has constant temperature, humidity, proper light variety on timers, and constant circulating air! I removed the closet doors, sealed and painted it all snow white with a mold and mildew resistant finish.
I also put in a cabinet that houses all the little dog supplies and acts as a grooming table
And, for the record, most of the plants that will go in there are hers
Now that the Wife is happy we all are!
It also gave me the room for 25 foot plus of shelf and plant space. Since I moved the tortoise pen central in the room I can actually add over forty feet of shelf and lighting! So if need be should be good for a long time AND accommodate me too!

Grimmy

 

[Vin]

I feel ya. I built our greenhouse for my wife's Orchids and I have to ask for space to put the Ficus. But, she's happy and doesn't complain (too much) about all the trees I have. She wants a Kiln and Potter's Wheel - you see where this is going I'm sure...

 

[GrimLore]

I feel ya. I built our greenhouse for my wife's Orchids and I have to ask for space to put the Ficus. But, she's happy and doesn't complain (too much) about all the trees I have. She want a Kiln and Potter's Wheel - you see where this is going I'm sure...

Not that way here honest. We bought a much smaller place in late 2013 so we had everything on one floor except a guest room and attic upstairs. The whole plant, tortoise, dog grooming area was my thought after a year here and she loves it. Kind of neat that the second year of having that room set up I have the ability to expand it plant wise to possibly expand my knowledge base with her blessings.
Also because I am retired I have the time to think about and utilize space efficiently while she is at her office and 9 1/2 times out of 10 she agrees totally

Grimmy

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I need to disinfect my grow room, badly. I'm sure there are mites everywhere just waiting. What did you use to clean?

 

[sorce]

you see where this is going I'm sure...

Sorce

 

[GrimLore]

I need to disinfect my grow room, badly. I'm sure there are mites everywhere just waiting. What did you use to clean?

Clorox Cleanup in the spray bottle first for all the heavier grime. Second wipe down was with Vinegar water solution 1/4 to 1. After all that and drape washing I opened the window for the afternoon after spraying a light Malathion solution on all the seams and crevices. Nothing crawled out after it was all dried so I just wiped it all down and mopped the floor with another round of vinegar.

All plants going in will get a systemic soil treatment and healthy spraying beforehand. Pain in the ass but it worked out very good last year so I am sticking with my system.

Grimmy

 

[LanceMac10]

I won't have any tropicals.

In Florida?!?! Color me confused. If I lived down there, that's all I would grow!!

 

[Paradox]

Yea, I have to clean out and organize the garage space and cold frame to make sure those area are ready. I'm also setting up a second cold frame space outside. Over the winter while it's cool, I will be digging a new 8x8 space for a more permanent cold frame. Just couldn't do it in the summer heat.

Tonight will be the first time I move my tropicals inside for the night....its coming

 

[quietobserver]

In Florida?!?! Color me confused. If I lived down there, that's all I would grow!!

Panama City, that's "L.A." to someone in Miami. (Lower Alabama). Vin can elaborate,but the panhandle actually has some nice seasonal weather changes.

 

[Vin]

In Florida?!?! Color me confused. If I lived down there, that's all I would grow!!

Panama City, that's "L.A." to someone in Miami. (Lower Alabama). Vin can elaborate,but the panhandle actually has some nice seasonal weather changes.

By no means do we have harsh winters. However, in the panhandle we do get freezing temperatures many times throughout the winter and even more days that stay below 45 degrees. I still have some trees that I bring into the garage on the colder days but nothing as sensitive as a full blown tropical Ficus. Many people don't realize just how different the temperatures are throughout the state and even more don't realize we're one of the few states with two time zones. We have six plant hardiness zones in Florida.

 

[Wilson]

I have an ever expanding cold frame construction zone around my house. I have already brought in all my tropicals, and have a few trees I am not sure how to place yet.

 

[Vin]

View attachment 117908

Sorce

I wasn't exactly thinking about this scenario but it works for me

 

[BrianBay9]

My tropicals are coming in this weekend. Next week we're expected to drop into the 40's at night regularly.

I have a 6x6 ft grow tent in my basement with 4 banks of t-5 lights. The inside surface is easy to clean, so I scrub down with diluted bleach. I also aerosol the bleach solution and close the fog up in the tent for a day, then vent it all and dry it before the plants come in. Plants get a systemic. I use adhesive bug strips to trap the flying insects. Despite all that I'm sure I'll get bugs on stuff in there eventually. I usually find that sometime in late winter I need to take each plant to the shower and give them a good cleaning for scale and aphids.

 

[Paradox]

Yeah just looked at the weather for the week.
Tonight low of 42
Tomorrow highs in the mid 60s
Tomorrow night low of 39 (kinda not believing this but will see)
All next week lows in the mid 50s and highs in the low 70s (71 each day forecast)

Thinking it might be time to move the trops into the basement for the winter instead of just to the garage at night

 

[GrimLore]

Thinking it might be time to move the trops into the basement for the winter instead of just to the garage at night

We have had a couple of nights 40F but they are almost all 50 or more so far. Previous years have proven to me here that an occasional cold night does not seem to bother them. When they are 45 or so steadily most come in except the stuff like Serrisa which needs to get a little pissed at me but needs to see a few nights of 35ish and droop in order to Winter good for me inside. General rule of thumb on bougainvillea is 60F but that is having a nice second flush anyways and will not come in until it is colder. Works different for everyone as you mentioned in another thread

Grimmy

 

[Paradox]

We have had a couple of nights 40F but they are almost all 50 or more so far. Previous years have proven to me here that an occasional cold night does not seem to bother them. When they are 45 or so steadily most come in except the stuff like Serrisa which needs to get a little pissed at me but needs to see a few nights of 35ish and droop in order to Winter good for me inside. General rule of thumb on bougainvillea is 60F but that is having a nice second flush anyways and will not come in until it is colder. Works different for everyone as you mentioned in another thread

Grimmy

Yeah I am just not sure if Im going to be able to get them out in the AMs for a few days because I have to leave for work. Id rather they were down stairs under their lights instead of in the dark garage for 3-4 days. Ill bring them in tonight out tomorrow then in tomorrow night and see what Monday morning is like.

 

[AlainK]

Can't help you, but:

I've always thought that bonsai sould be kept in a natural environment, or at best, protected in a cold frame/greenhouse.

I can undesrtand that some people would like to have tropicals in a USDA zone 7, or 6, or 7, but if I invested in such a paraphenelia ($$$), I would grow something else in my basement.

There are so many things that you can grow without depleting the earth's ressources, living in harmony with the living things that grow where you live.

Frankly, is it worth wasting so much money and energy for what kind of result?...

I think I'm not the only one interested in viewing the kind of things you intend to grow in that lab...

 

[BrianBay9]

Can't help you, but:

I've always thought that bonsai sould be kept in a natural environment, or at best, protected in a cold frame/greenhouse.

I can undesrtand that some people would like to have tropicals in a USDA zone 7, or 6, or 7, but if I invested in such a paraphenelia ($$$), I would grow something else in my basement.

There are so many things that you can grow without depleting the earth's ressources, living in harmony with the living things that grow where you live.

Frankly, is it worth wasting so much money and energy for what kind of result?...

I think I'm not the only one interested in viewing the kind of things you intend to grow in that lab...

Everyone sets their own priorities. I appreciate your position, but if I didn't spend the money on a home for plants I can play with in the dead of winter I'd be spending it on (more) alcohol and therapy.