This is the time of year to bring in some of the plants you have enjoyed all summer and fall to protect them from cooler nights. Many of them may have been sheltered a bit on your deck or porch, but the nights are beginning to edge toward frost very soon.

Some of my friends tell me that they can kill a houseplant faster than a speeding bullet, yet their roses outside are gorgeous. And others may have African violets blooming indoors all year long. Then we have the plants that like a summer vacation, and must come inside to keep warm and healthy during the cooler months.

When bringing plants inside for the winter, you are wise to assess the health of the plant first. Those that are not doing well outside are probably not worth the time and effort to bring indoors. But, if you have that green plant that a dear friend gave you in 2010 and it means a lot to you, I would make an extra effort to save it.

First of all, thoroughly examine each plant you wish to bring in to check for damage from disease or pests. I learned this suggestion the hard way. One year, after we brought in a lovely green fern, we suddenly noticed many tiny (about 1/2 inch long) praying-mantises on the plant surface. Further examination revealed their house, with the door open, where the little ones had hatched out. Since then, we do a much better job of carefully examining each and every plant before we welcome it into our house for the winter. No hitch-hikers allowed!

Your outside plants that need to come inside may be in pots or in the ground. While it may seem easier to just pick them up and bring them in, some gardeners make the change gradually and may leave their incoming plants in the garage for a few days. One source suggests a gradual change in the light available over a period of 5 days. This can be done by moving the plant to more shaded areas every day or so, since there will always be more light outside than indoors.

Other gardeners just bring their over-wintering plants straight into the house. Either way you will want to see if any need re-potted. If a plant seems quite crowded in the pot, you may decide to divide it. This is easily done. Dividing your overgrown plants gives you the opportunity to have some extras to give away. Having a plant exchange is a lot of fun since most of us gardeners have friends who enjoy plants, too. I recently received a lovely pink African violet as a gift. It is now thriving in my south window, and I am willing to keep my shades at a level where it gets lots of light, but not direct sunlight.

When you repot a plant, it is recommended that you use potting soil and not just soil

from the garden. Potting soil usually contains fertilizer, so if this is the case you will not need to fertilize again for about 3 months. Plants will grow more slowly indoors in the winter, so if your potting soil does not containing fertilizer, one source suggests that you fertilize with 10-10-10 and that will be adequate for the winter season. I have not tried this, but you should go by whether the plants appear to be thriving or not. Cuttings from geraniums, begonias or coleus root very readily in water or directly in soil. Cuttings should be three to five inches in length, with leaves removed from the lower half. They can be dipped in rooting hormone before being placed in soil.

For plants we bring inside in the fall, as well as other house plants, we need to consider their needs: Light, temperature, water, and nutrients. One very important thing to remember is not to overwater. This is a common mistake. The University of Vermont counsels – "If in doubt, don’t water". Allow the surface of the soil to feel dry to the touch before watering.

Nothing is more cheery than a bright and colorful plant during the dull times of year. There are many plants to consider for brightening your home in winter and for making your surroundings healthier. A plant from the pothos family can act as an air cleaner. Indoor air will be healthier with a few of these plants around. The philodendron has dozens of cultivars, and keeps your indoor living area more attractive as well, with their green or green variegated foliage. One note of caution - this plant should be placed where it can’t be eaten by your pets.

Another very easy plant to grow indoors is Sansevieria, commonly called snake plant or mother-in-law’s tongue. This is a straight green plant that is extremely easy to grow. I once had one bloom. Getting a snake plant to bloom is very rare, but this bloom had a pleasant but very strong odor. Many people choose spider plant if they have little time to care for plants. They do especially well in hanging baskets.

Many garden plants will do well when brought inside. Hot pepper plants with their tiny green, yellow and red fruit make a very showy display. You can also bring in many of the herb plants that you enjoyed fresh in the summer, to be used in preparing tasty winter meals.

Remember - whatever plants you choose to invite indoors will make a dull season brighter!

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