I hope you’ve had a chance to enjoy your houseplants outside this Summer! They sure appreciate the extra sunlight and warm temperatures to help their growth.
The nights are starting to get cooler now, so it’s time to start thinking about moving your houseplants back inside for the Fall/Winter months.
Here are tips on how to acclimate your houseplants so they make the transition back indoors as easy as possible.
When To Go Back Inside
Most houseplants are tropical plants, so they require temperatures no lower than 55-degrees Fahrenheit to survive. As nighttime temperatures drop below this temperature, it’s best to bring your plants back inside when these overnight temperatures are predicted for several days (or more) in a row.
TIP: If the overnight temperature is going to be 50-degrees or lower for just one night, there really is no need to bring those plants inside right away. Instead, you can cover your sensitive plants with a bed sheet or light piece of plastic (such as a shower curtain) to help those plants get through the night unharmed. If you don’t have anything to cover your plants, move them close together as close to your house as you can. The residual warmth of your house will help your plants get through the night, especially if you move your plants to the south side of your house. A covered porch or deck near your house can also be a good place to move plants to, to keep them warmer overnight.
Learning to Adapt
Just as houseplants don’t immediately adapt to being put outside in the Spring, they also need time to get used to going back inside. Here are things you can do to help them adjust.
Inspect Plants for Pests and Critters
Plants often pick up treefrogs, toads, caterpillars, and helpful spiders while they are vacationing outside in the Summer. When you see these visitors on your plants, safely remove them and place them on the ground in the location near where your plant was positioned. This will give them time to find a place to over-Winter safely.
After you’ve inspected your plants for the critters mentioned above, you’ll also want to inspect your plants carefully for pests such as aphids, mealy bugs, spider mites, white flies, and other pests that are not healthy for your plants. I highly recommend using a magnifying glass to help with your inspection! To ensure your plants don’t bring any of these pests inside (and possibly infect your other indoor plants), use an insecticidal soap to wash off any pests and destroy their eggs. Make sure to spray the undersides of leaves, and in the crooks and crannies of where stem meets the leaves – all places pests love to hide. Checking the soil for pests is also helpful. The insecticidal soap can also be used on the soil, when needed.
TIP: Even if you don’t visually see any pests on your plants, I still recommend spraying them down with insecticidal soap. It’s better to be safe, than sorry.
Lighting
Plants that have been outside all Summer have had the luxury of all that glorious sunlight. When you bring them back inside, you’ll want to ensure they are placed in a location that is bright and sunny. South- and West-facing windows are usually best for most plants.
If you don’t have enough sunlight in your home, investing in grow lights will certainly provide the necessary light for your plants.
To help plants transition to lower light levels before moving them inside – move the plants into a shady location where they can slowly adjust to less light. After a week or so of being outside in the shade, you can move them inside and they will adjust easier. They may still drop a few leaves during this adjustment period, but the plants will bounce back.
TIP: Make sure to know the light needs of each of your plants, and place them in locations that best suit them.
Humidity
Plants that have been outside all Summer have also had the benefits of humidity in the air (unless you live in a very dry climate, that is). When you move your plants back inside, make sure to provide the same, or similar, amount of humidity during at least the first two weeks of acclimation. Misting plants, using humidity spheres, or using pebble humidity trays beneath your plants will help.
TIP: Group your plants together to raise the humidity around each plant.
Water
When plants are moved back inside, they don’t have the same drying effect that the wind provides outside. Therefore, you’ll need to water your plants much less when they’re indoors, than when they were outside in the wind. Plants are also not growing quite as fast in the Fall and Winter months as they do in the Spring and Summer, so they will require less water for their slower growing period.
TIP: Make sure you know the water needs of each of your plants, and water accordingly.
Fertilizing
For most plants, it’s best to cut back on fertilizing them during their slower growing periods in the Fall and Winter months. This gives the plant time to rest before the next burst of growing in the Spring.
Additional Tips
- Quarantine Your Plants – To be sure your plants are pest-free and healthy before you place them throughout your house, and near other plants that are still in your house, it’s best to quarantine the plants you are bringing back inside for a week or two. If you have a separate room in your house, place all your outdoor plants in that room and continue inspecting for pests or diseases during their time in quarantine. When you’re sure the plants are okay, it is safe to move them back to other locations within your house.
- Avoid Heat Registers – Plants should not be placed near heat registers in your home, as most plants don’t like that drastic change in temperature.
- Avoid Drafts – Keep your plants out of any cold and drafty areas, such as away from doors and chilly windows.
Do you have additional tips for moving houseplants inside in the Fall? Share in a comment below!
Make sure to check out my Article Index for hundreds and hundreds of fun (and interesting) articles you can use! Everything from houseplant resources, unique home decor, and creative entertaining ideas. You’re sure to find inspiration!
Save on Pinterest!
