Bringing Houseplants Outdoors this Summer : Helpful Tips
Summertime is the perfect time to bring your houseplants outdoors! Not only will they get some much-needed fresh air, but they will also benefit from the extra sunlight. Here are a few tips on how to safely transition your plants from indoors to outdoors:
ENVIRONMENT
The environment where you live is a huge factor in determining which plants will thrive. For example, most houseplants are tropical plants that cannot grow well if there's not enough humidity to support them - they need between 30% and 50%. They must always stay at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 Celsius) with at least 30+ percent relative humidity throughout spring/summertime.
As a general rule, you need to make sure that your garden's temperature consistently exceeds 55 degrees Fahrenheit before moving any plants outside. You can check on The Farmer’s Almanac website for the latest freeze date and avoid getting caught with frost at night!
PLANTS
Now that you’ve determined if you have the right environment, let’s discuss what type of plants to move outside. In our experience, most houseplants do really well outdoors.
Some of the best houseplants to transition outdoors include: Monsteras, Philodendrons, Ferns, Ficus, Rhipsalis, Hoya, Snake plants, even Calatheas.
These plants grow like crazy outdoors and they all end up doubling in size by the end of summer. If you're hesitant, try moving one or two to see how they do before spreading out more throughout your garden!
SUNLIGHT
We all know how important sunlight is for our plants. But, just remember, light they receive outside will always be stronger than any light they receive indoors.
Houseplants that have been indoors all winter long will need to be slowly introduced to sunlight so they don't get sunburned.
A great way to do this is by placing them outside in a shady spot for the first week or two. After that, you can start moving them into areas with more light until they are acclimated to more brighter light. If you burn a portion of the leaf, don’t worry too much because new growth will come in stronger and less likely to burn.
WATERING
This is one of my favorite parts about having houseplants outside. Watering is so much easier.
Obviously, you'll need to water your plants more often since they will be in higher light and the warmer weather will make them dry out quicker. In the thick of summer, you might find yourself watering your plants even twice a day.
Watering is so much easier outside. You can, easily, grab a hose and spray them all down. Or even, grab a watering can and not have to worry about making a mess with water.
As long as your pot has a drainage hole, you won’t have to worry about overwatering. Make sure to put away the drip trays that you use indoors. You won’t need them outside.
Rainwater is the purest form of water and plants really thrive off it. You might even notice your plant’s leaves becoming more green because rain doesn't have all those minerals from tap sources that can harm them over time (think: chlorides).
PESTS
Pests like aphids, thrips and spider mites were my biggest fear when it came to having my plants outside.
A stressed plant is more prone to pest attacks than one that's receiving all its needs. And outside, these plants get all they need and more. That, mixed with wind and rain, helped all my pest worries go away.
I had a slight battle with slugs. I just sprayed the plants down with some Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew and I didn’t see them anymore.
The classic wooden Treleaf trellises are designed for indoor use only. But if you're planning on moving your favorite green babies outside, be sure to take their supports off for the season. If you want to keep those supports place them in a covered patio area that protects them from the rain and the wind.
Give your plants the outdoor treatment and get real jungle vibes in no time! Moving them outside will make it happen for you.
I'm ready to move my houseplants from inside to outdoors so they can grow big, beautiful leaves on an awesome plant stand - what are YOU waiting for?!
