Well, my trees have all been indoors for at least a month now. the bugs were feasting on the leaves and it was just too much for my poor trees. I was worried at how they would do being inside and well, they have been doing great. the occasional leaf drops, but I am sure it is due to age of leaf than much of anything else. Approaching the time where we are going to start getting frosts and such, yuck... so we'll see how my trees do then, once the heat gets turned on. I even have my humidfier ready to go... just know it can get pretty dry in the room. Since being inside, the trees have put on multiple new flushes of leaves, would they have done that outside, probably, but the bugs would have eaten them up too fast. So, they've last a month almost 2 really so far, so I think that I just might be able to keep them alive inside. they are actually doing BETTER inside than out, which I found interesting. I think I tended to OVERwater when they were outside, with all the hot hot sun and such... thinking they dried out faster than they did. So, have to see what the realy cold winter brings.... oh my!
I have not brought in my container citrus...yet. I was waiting until the temperatures hit 10 degrees C overnight. Most of my citrus are of the cold hardy varieties. my Thomasville Citrangequats, Oro Balancos, Meyer and Eureka lemons are the only ones holding onto fruit. (They get the kitchen window!) - The rest will go in the garage over the winter. I will move them in before the first frost in about a month. I am not having any bug problems as of now - though I am considering "treating" the soil before I move the plants inside.
If it hadn't been for the river moths, mine would have been outside still, but the damn things were going nuts on the leaves. Plus, I've heard its better to get them moved in sooner than later to prevent Winter Leaf Drop. Something I really really did NOT want to go through. I still may when it gets darker, cooler and gloomeir, but... thats what the heater and humidfier is for :) I keep an eye out on the soil for any ickies, hoping all is well though, I am scared at having a pest problem, that I wont be able to deal with it through the winter. Sure am hoping, the fall is off to a great start... I'm sure the rest will be ok
September is the time to bring in houseplants. You don't want to much of a differential between indoor and outdoor temperatures.
I brought mine in at the end of July. The River moths just went NUTS. I still hav a few plants outside, but nothing that couldn't survive outside through the winter. I would have loved to have left them out with more time in the amazing sun we had. but... moths vs more sun.... the moths won out and in they came. I think from now on, I will be moving my trees indoors in July if I keep them alive until next year.
