plant room full of houseplants

Things I Will Do Different Next Year – Houseplants Will Stay In The House!

As most of you know, I have a LOT of houseplants. I knew I had a lot but it didn’t seem to much when they were spread out at our previous home. But now that I have moved into a smaller home, I will freely admit that I have too many.

If you watched any of my videos when we moved here to the new house in August, we had to rent a truck specifically to get them all to the new destination. We filled a 16 foot cube truck until it was ready to pop!

Blooming Hoya Plant in Window in Winter
My Hoya is still blooming. She has been inside all year.

And that doesn’t even count the ones that were moved in the back seats and front seats of our passenger sedans.

Most all of the plants came to my house except for the few that fit into my son’s bay window. He took some large ones there and kept them in the north-facing window and they did so well! The Swedish Ivy is even blooming now since it was so happy!

Houseplants in my son's bay window
Some of the larger houseplants.

Why Do Different This Next Year?

Basically, it is just too much work for me. When it comes time to put my summered-outside plants back inside in the fall, it involves so much work searching for insects, replanting to prevent introducing insects into the house and just the physical effort needed to carry them all back inside. I have to admit that I am just not capable of doing it anymore.

As I have written about on other posts, I like to replant or top off my plants with a systemic insecticide before I bring them inside to prevent an invasion of Fungus Gnats. This has worked for me and I am continuing doing it.

Succulents in a Head Vase

But this fall, I have found mealybugs on a few of my plants that have been outside, and I just don’t have the energy to go through all that again. I successfully treated for mealybugs in previous years, but with the moving this summer, I just don’t have the motivation as I did before.

What Are My Underlying Reasons?

I guess it boils down to having too many plants and I just don’t have the room for them anymore. Nor do I have the capability of handling that many anymore.

Houseplants filling my front window sill

I really feel like my blog has suffered because I just don’t have the time to write as much anymore as I take care of my plants. And we haven’t even discussed all the outside work I am doing just to prep the beds for next year.

I plan to write about that in another post. But I “seem” to be winning against the poison ivy and wintercreeper. Here’s hoping there isn’t a new surge next spring.

Borders filled with weeds took all my time.

New Rules Next Spring

Any new plants will be decided in advance whether inside or outside. No Change.

All plants now inside and HEALTHY will remain inside.

String of Pearls Makes the Cut

Houseplants that grow too big for my house will be re-homed.

Try to cut down on current houseplants & find new homes. Still too many to take care of!

Good luck with sticking to these new rules.

8 Comments

  1. Marsha Parker says:

    Come spring – You could have a “Yard sale” for the plants you don’t want to care for anymore. Post on Craigslist and local “Facebook” With all your readers, you should have a great turn out – that is weather permitting.

    1. I do try and pass on some plants via local FB groups. And I think I will have to continue. It might be fun to have a plant yard sale next spring. Especially if I feel the need to buy more! It is such an addiction.

  2. Elly Nikoden says:

    I enjoy reading all things you post. I have never tried the Hypertufa, but I like all you write about your plants. I understand completely, what you are saying about they take up a lot of your time, lol. I have been trying to downsize them myself. It isn’t easy. I make new plants for quite a few people, and sometimes it doesn’t even make a dent. I stopped taking plants in and out a few years ago. It really is toooo much work. Well, I hope you stick to your new rules! Have a safe and Happy Christmas!

    1. Thank you so much. It is not easy to downsize but sometimes it becomes necessary. And I can’t help but take cuttings still. Happy Christmas to you too!

  3. This resonates so completely with me. I have many many plants that I summer outdoors here in the mild Zone 6 Oregon climate and attempt to bring in for winter but must fit in my house. This year I found scale on my beloved staghorn ferns, so they will overwinter in my large cold frame, and may survive or not. Getting to the “sink or swim” stage with plants recently. Too much to do, too much fun too.

    1. So much fun but so much work. And now what do I do when I get the urge to plant shop? Oh my! I did find some scale on some of my snake plants and I just threw them out. To hard to battle and too easy to spread. Oh, I would to lose a staghorn fern. Good luck!

  4. Anonymous says:

    I totally agree inside plants stay inside
    I had some on my screened porch and still treated them
    I get so upset when I replant and the gnats come out
    I gave my daughter one for her new apartment and I treated it and she still had bugs
    Have now got a sticky tape to put on the edge of the pots – hope that works
    Love your big window
    Merry Christmas

    1. I sure have learned my lesson. Thanks so much and Merry Christmas to you all.

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