Great Tropical Plant Migration is Over

[penumbra]

Well its been a solid two weeks, but other than a few cactus and some begonias, all my tropicals are in now. This is the earliest I have ever managed to accomplish this. My goal was primarily to get all my ficus in before nighttime temperatures drop below 50 per Jerry Meislik, Ficus Bonsai Guru. They hit 48 twice and it will be in the lower 40s later in the week. I know my larger ficus and such can handle this, as they have in prior years, but I have so many wonderful healthy plants from cuttings this year that I wanted to keep them actively growing, whereas a drop into the 40s will cause the smaller plants to stall.
Now its time to prep the remainder of my outdoors plants.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Shoot, you're out in the land of Rural King and you've already brought yours in?? I've been considering moving mine, but they all need to be sprayed for mites and whatnot first...

 

[penumbra]

I've been considering moving mine, but they all need to be sprayed for mites and whatnot first...

I sprayed miticide two weeks ago and systemic two weeks prior to that. I used Bonide granular on most of the plants I brought in. I will still end up using a bug bomb twice this winter. 99% of my plants are in the basement so it is not a big chore.

 

[DonovanC]

I was late! The temperature apparently dropped one night and I didn’t see it coming. I got some leave damage but other than that all my trees are fine.
I’m building a new tropical enclosure for when I bring them in, but I didn’t get it finished in time. So until I finish it this weekend my kitchen is filled with ficus.

 

[Carol 83]

Geez, it was 90 here today, but we did have a couple nights last week that got into the 40's. I just hate to think about bringing them in, bougies are blooming. I also need to get another set of lights and a few more Bootstrap Farmer trays, and set up a shelving unit in the garage for the azaleas and crapes, ugh...

 

[penumbra]

It was 79 here yesterday. Long range for a couple weeks its showing 60s and 70s, though nights are now raised a bit to 50s. I am just glad its done because you never know what is on your doorstep. It is a process but I love it. It gives me a chance to reintroduce myself to every single plant from cutting to bonsai. Lots of cutting back, removing damaged leaves, checking soil and so forth.
I am lucky that about 30 or so of my larger plants, bonsai and otherwise, get to winter in the greenhouse at my wife's work. Otherwise I would have to part with some of the plants that can otherwise grow wildly all winter.
There is a possibility I may have a small greenhouse some day, but in the real world of what we have and what we have not, I have learned so much on what I can do without one. There is much I personally have learned from not having a greenhouse that I otherwise may never have learned.
One step before the next ................ starts a journey of a thousand miles.

 

[Flowerhouse]

I planned to bring my Bougies indoors last week because we had a forecast low in the mid 30s. We ended up getting a frost that night, so it was good that they were snug in the house. My ficus and F-tea live indoors and go out on nice days. I don't have so many plants that it's a problem, and they don't seem to mind moving around.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I don't bring tropicals in until the first freeze, lol Last year they were out in my yard until late December.

 

[Cajunrider]

Do I really have to bring my tropicals in at 50 deg F nights?
I usually only bring them in when I have freezing temperature. Otherwise, they stay outside.

 

[Forsoothe!]

I have 5 lbs of shit to go into a 4 lbs bag, so if I don't start early I have to panic fill the garage which only makes things more congested.

 

[Cajunrider]

I have 5 lbs of shit to go into a 4 lbs bag, so if I don't start early I have to panic fill the garage which only makes things more congested.

I know the feeling all too well. I just moved from a big house with 6 acre to a house 1/4 the size and a tiny tiny yard. I am going to have to stack my woodworking tools on top of one another to bring my tropicals into the garage.

Did I say my new yard is tiny. It is so tiny that Covid social distancing is near impossible in the yard. My vegetables will have to wear masks

 

[Pitoon]

Well its been a solid two weeks, but other than a few cactus and some begonias, all my tropicals are in now. This is the earliest I have ever managed to accomplish this. My goal was primarily to get all my ficus in before nighttime temperatures drop below 50 per Jerry Meislik, Ficus Bonsai Guru. They hit 48 twice and it will be in the lower 40s later in the week. I know my larger ficus and such can handle this, as they have in prior years, but I have so many wonderful healthy plants from cuttings this year that I wanted to keep them actively growing, whereas a drop into the 40s will cause the smaller plants to stall.
Now its time to prep the remainder of my outdoors plants.

Good job being ahead of the power curve! The moving in and out is the biggest reason I stay away from the tropicals.

 

[hinmo24t]

as someone mentioned, i have a bunch of smaller trops and didnt want to risk them, and time is of the essence in general; haste makes waste

 

[penumbra]

Do I really have to bring my tropicals in at 50 deg F nights?
I usually only bring them in when I have freezing temperature. Otherwise, they stay outside.

We live in vastly different climates.

 

[Flowerhouse]

I don't bring tropicals in until the first freeze

We got our freeze warning the next morning, when it would have been too late for some of them.

The moving in and out is the biggest reason I stay away from the tropicals.

Our winter here is too long to not have some indoor garden action

 

[Underdog]

I know it's time and I need to get my room ready. Already had some upper 40s but they are on a sunny concrete porch which holds some heat over night. By 9am sun is on them. Only my mame willow leaf looks to be shivering this morning at 49*

Powerwashing the 3 shelves I will be bringing in today as a low of 44 is 2 days away. I need to clean up the room and the large window they sit in front of yet. Thanks for the nudge @penumbra

As an aside, I have a crassula ovata gollum which has never flowered and read where some cold will promote this. Google says they are okay at 45 and can handle 40* I have a pot full off cuttings I'll test on but plan to let this tree feel the 44* night coming up. What do you folks think?

 

[Pitoon]

Our winter here is too long to not have some indoor garden action

You ever thought about setting up a greenhouse?

 

[penumbra]

Only my mame willow leaf looks to be shivering this morning at 49*

I am hoping that mine will not defoliate this year because I didn't let them get below the mid 50s. So far they look great under strong grow lights. We'll see.

 

[penumbra]

I have a crassula ovata gollum which has never flowered and read where some cold will promote this.

Mine are still out, and several cactus and succulents. I think its what they want.

 

[Forsoothe!]

I think the number of years untrimmed is pivotal in Jade flowering. Many years. And ~potbound~.