Why They ’ re Coming Inside
All of the things that make your home comfortable in the winter for you and your family also make it the perfect place for insect invaders . The temperature is warm and mild , especially in comparison to the cold outside . There are also good sources of food and moisture inside your house that pests can use to sustain themselves . Plus , these little invaders don ’ t have to deal with the predators that they would normally have to deal with outside . Thanks to these divine conditions , pests can multiply rapidly within your home without your intervention .
First Defenses
The first defense against a pest home invasion is knowing what you ’ re dealing with . So , one of the first things that you should do is check to see if there are any pests already in your home . You should look under and among the leaves in your garden for eggs , larva , and adult bugs . If you ’ ve brought in any potted plants , check in and around the soil . Bags of potting soil stored in the house can harbor pests as well . Also , watch out for other clues like spider webs , plant damage , dead bugs , and droppings in your growroom that indicate you may have a pest problem .
Removing Winter Invaders
If you realize that pests have invaded your home , now you ’ ve got to figure out the best way to remove them without damaging your plants or the health of you and your family . Some people use the old-fashioned method of manually plucking bugs off the leaves , but this is not for everyone . For small potted plants that you brought in for the winter , you can use the dunking method . In this method , you fill up a five-gallon bucket about three-quarters of the way up and then dunk the plant , pot and all , into the water for about 15 minutes . You can even add a few drops of dish soap to the bucket before dunking . This method , however , shouldn ’ t be used with any plants that go dormant during the winter or that must stay relatively dry , such as succulents .
Another option is to create a spray using water , a few drops of dish soap , and a few drops of canola oil . This works well on soft-bodied insects as it smothers them . Another variation of this spray that can be effective on mites and other insects involves adding a small amount of hot sauce or some cayenne pepper instead canola oil . You can also seek out a pesticide that will eradicate your winter invaders . However , follow the instructions closely to prevent any issues in your indoor ecosystem or your own health .
Prevention is the Best Medicine
Once you ’ ve gotten rid of all your winter invaders , it ’ s time to ensure that no other pests will be able to make it into your home . Use a bit of caulk or another sealant to seal up any holes and cracks in the foundation and walls . Even the smallest gap can be used as an ingress point . Not only will this prevent pests from getting inside , but it may help your heating bills as well . It can also be a good idea to clean up any shrubs , bushes , and trees located right against your home as they can be potential places for these invaders to harbor before getting into your home .
Many of us are guilty in thinking that we ’ re in the clear when it comes to pests during winter , but the comforts that make our homes snug are just as inviting to bugs . We need to continue to be vigilant even when it is cold outside to prevent these invaders from coming inside .
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Many of us are guilty in thinking that we ’ re in the clear when it comes to pests during winter , but the comforts that make our homes snug are just as inviting to bugs .”
Maximum Yield USA | February 2017 91