Your process for bringing orchids indoors?

[Kim in CT]

Here in Connecticut we have had our first taste of autumnal weather, and I was interested in hearing YOUR Best Practices for moving orchids from an outdoor to an indoor grow space. How do you minimize bringing pests and fungi in with the plants?

Most of my orchids move from my dining room to the front porch during warmer weather, and now it's time to think about the reverse the process. I'd love to hear your recommendations!

Thanks, Kim

[Subrosa]

I'm not particularly worried about fungi, but to deal with bugs I use Bayer 3 in 1 twice, once 2 weeks before the plants come in and once a day or 2 before they come in.

[tmoney]

we keep them in a separate room and use soap and water in a spray bottle for a couple weeks. that's gonna have to change when we move apartments and no longer have a spare room for quarantine and winter quarters for the outside plants . but we also don't have that many plants that we grow outside...fewer this year even than normal

[Leafmite]

I just brought all my plants inside except for the cherry tomato plant, the strawberries, a few Carnivorous plants and the saffron crocuses. The tomato plant will probably come inside next week and the others will stay outside until night temperatures hit the thirties. I will be treating all my plants for pill bugs as I saw some when watering. They look clean otherwise except for the lady bug larvae....

I give my orchids extra calcium during the summer to prevent fungus issues. I inspect my plants and only treat if I see an insect problem. I find that if I get rid of lady bug larvae that come in with the plants, I have more problems later.

[Dimples]

I’m planning on spraying all the currently outdoor plants with horticultural oil, once right before I bring them in and again a week later. We have warm days well into December so I take them back out to spray. Horticultural oil helps control pests and a lot of fungal diseases, so it’s a good catch-all product.

[Dalachin]

Just brought’em in. Didn’t do anything special and I hope I don’t regret it. But I only have three monster plants outside on a 2nd floor porch, and they don’t go into the grow area tent (too big!)