Time to bring the houseplants back inside
As fall temperatures begin to cool, it is time to consider bringing in the houseplants you kept outside this summer. I always take my houseplants outside during the summer months; after all I find that I have way too many of them, and it starts to feel a bit crowded in the house come April and May. Many houseplants thrive outdoors during Bergen County’s summers and do extremely well within porch/patio settings and add a nice touch of ambience to the atmosphere. They, however, do not perform well or may even die if exposed to chilly temperatures. Depending on the species, temperatures dipping below 45-50°F can cause damage. And then summer passes all too quickly and it’s time to move them all back inside. After spending months outdoors; if you don’t give your beloved plants the right transition, they might undergo shock if abruptly brought indoors. This may result in yellow leaves, wilt, and dieback.
Transitioning your houseplants back indoors.
When to Move Your Plants
Every species is different, but most species commonly grown as houseplants need to come inside before the air temperatures drop below 45°F. This is usually around late September thru early October in our locale. Some tropical varieties are extremely sensitive to cold and should be brought indoors before the lows reach 55°F. You can’t just grab your plants and bring them indoors. Whether you realize it or not, your home is typically much darker than even a covered patio. Unless you have a sunroom with glass walls and ceilings, you need to acclimate them to the lower light conditions. Before you do that, check, double-check, and triple-check your plants for pests.
Inspect And Treat For Pests And Prune
Aphids, mealybugs, thrips, scale, white flies and other pests aren’t usually a problem when potted indoor plants are outside. They can however, quickly turn into a major infestation during the winter if they are brought inside with the plants. So check, double-check, and triple-check your plants for pests. Some common practices for doing so are as follow:
- As a rule y0u should always bathe or soak your plants in a bucket of water with mild dishwashing soap before bringing them inside. If your plants are too big for the bucket wash, spray them with water to remove outdoor dust and any pest or soft-bodied insect. While doing so wash the top and undersides of the leaves, and then rinse with water. Also be sure to dampen the soil thoroughly as it is important that the soapy water also gets into the soil as it will help to kill any pests living there, too.
- Once inside, check them with each watering for any sign of infestation and, if spotted, treat with an insecticidal soap until the problem is resolved.
- Don’t forget to wash and wipe the outside of the pots to remove dirt and any unwanted pests that might be present.
- If your plant is in need of any pruning or touch-up trimming, this is the ideal time to do so.
Put Plants In A Sunny Location
Your houseplants may undergo shock if abruptly brought from outdoor conditions to indoors. Take it slow, and let them get acclimated to the indoors again a little at a time. Most likely your house plant was exposed to bright sunlight outdoors, so to get it used to being back inside, temporarily put it in a sunny window and after five or six days, gradually reduce its sun exposure and moving it to a less sunny location.
Be aware though that it’s possible that, despite your efforts, your plants will still drop a few leaves. Don’t fret, this is totally normal. Many species of indoor house plants respond to an environmental change by dropping their leaves. Trim off any leaves that turn brown or yellow. Most plants will aslso need significantly less moisture than they do when they are situated outside during the growing season. For most species and optimal growth, you should allow the soil surface to dry out between watering. The same applies for fertilizers. Most popular house plant species won’t need any fertilization or very little, during the winter months.
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