Indoor Plant Outdoors

Ethan Antalosky | Editor

It’s about that time where our tan-lines start to fade, and we slowly dress in more and more layers. For a plant parent like myself, this season also means that my children must return inside for the winter months after playing out in the sun all summer long.

I move my houseplants to the outdoors during the summer for their benefit. They thrive in the natural sunlight and its warmth, and push out stronger growth from the extra rays.

However, there is a bit of a science to properly executing the move outside. Many plants cannot handle harsh, direct rays of the sun, and require part shade during the heat of the day. I’ve had a few unfortunate instances where a plant has gotten sunburned on their leaves. For that reason, I keep my plants under a covered porch where they get plenty of bright, but indirect sunlight.

However, living in a deciduous region that truly experiences all four seasons means the plants cannot stay outside forever. And moving the plants back inside is a total other ballgame.

First, I always make sure I’m not bringing any unwanted guests into my home . Being out in nature puts the plants at higher risk to pests infestations, such as parasitic insects, or harmful fungi. As a preventative measure, I throughly clean my plants with some soapy water and a bit of peppermint oil before winterizing. I also slow down on watering and fertilizing a bit for the plants to get acclimated to their new winter home.

As one part of me is upset that my plants won’t be able grow wild until next summer, another part is excited to have my bedroom jungle back!