Bringing outdoor plants indoors?

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Bringing outdoor plants indoors? As summer temperatures rise, plant owners often place their outdoor plants in the sun and fresh air. But, when is the right time to bring them back inside? Similar to pet owners letting their pets enjoy the outdoors, houseplant enthusiasts need to decide when to transition their plants indoors.

The transition between outdoor and indoor environments can be challenging for plants, especially as temperatures drop. However, successfully bringing plants indoors requires careful consideration.

To maintain thriving indoor plants, it’s essential to replicate their ideal growing conditions. Prior to transitioning from outdoors to indoors, ensure your home has suitable well-lit areas.

Maintaining healthy outdoor plants indoors is a task that requires effort. For them to thrive, you need to ensure they get the ideal growing conditions. Thus, before transitioning from outdoor to indoor, ensure there are good light spots in your house.

Choosing Plants For Indoor Survival

Selecting the right plants is crucial for successful indoor overwintering. It’s important to acknowledge that not all plants will thrive indoors, as their growth depends on factors such as light, warmth, and humidity.

For example, your house inside must have lesser sunlight spots as opposed to your yard. Thus, you will have to make some tough choices regarding what’s worth keeping in and what’s not. Don’t keep a plant if you won’t be able to give it the care it requires. Thus, before transitioning from outdoor to indoor, ensure there are good light spots in your house.

Even though you might want to move every single plant you own indoors during winters and protect them through the harsh weather, it might be impractical. So instead, you will be much better off if you keep the plants that satisfy the indoor survivor checklist to keep yourself away from the hurt of losing a dear plant.

You can compare the conditions your outdoor plants are in now with the USDA Hardiness Grow Zone Map and make any adjustments needed to successfully bring your outdoor plants indoors.

Bringing outdoor plants indoors reality check

Always keep healthy plants indoors. If you realize your little fellow has been struggling all summer despite the best conditions, chances are its condition will not improve indoors. It may be tough, but it’s time to face the compost.

Hear are the Six Top Tips to keep in mind when bringing your outdoor plants indoors.

Video: Bringing Your Outdoor Plants Indoors

Dealing With Pests And diseases:

Avoid bringing plants that are infected with pests or diseases, as you can’t isolate and treat them indoors as easily as a sick individual.

Problems like these spread far more quickly amongst indoor plants than in big gardens. Natural insect predators keep your plant safe when in the garden, but unfortunately, that’s not the case indoors.

Indoors can be ideal for a disease to spread. Thus, before bringing a plant in, check it thoroughly for any signs of pests and diseases.

The Mealy bug.

One common threat is the mealybug. These scale insects belong to the Pseudococcidae family and are notorious for infesting plants, particularly in moist and warm environments.

Females emerge as nymphs, with diminished morphology and wings, but unlike many female scale insects, they often maintain legs and are able to move. Gnat-like in appearance, males have wings and are smaller.

Eventually, their damage causes the plant’s leaves to turn yellow and fall off. Additionally, they have been known to trigger the premature demise of fruit, vegetable, and flower buds.

Getting Rid Of Mealy Bugs

When dealing with mealy bugs on your indoor plants, there are several effective methods you can try:

Rinsing with Water:
- Water can be used to expel mealybugs.
- Light infestations are best treated with this method.
- Be cautious with aggressive rinsing, as some plants may not tolerate it.
Isopropyl Alcohol:
- Isopropyl alcohol can be used to destroy and eliminate mealybugs.
- Wet a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and wipe it on the infested areas.
- Use isopropyl alcohol that’s no more than 70 percent in a solution.
- Test on a leaf before applying to the entire plant to avoid damaging it.
Insecticidal Soap:
- Insecticidal soap (such as Safer’s Insecticidal Soap) can be effective.
- You can also make your own by mixing dish detergent with liquid insecticide.
- Choose a product without harmful ingredients that could damage plants.
- Mix the soap with water and spray the solution onto the plants.
Neem Oil:
- Neem oil, a natural product, acts as an insect repellent.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using neem oil.
- It’s safe for use on food and decorative plants, including vegetables.
- Apply as directed to help control mealybug infestations.

Watering Wisely: Avoid overwatering

One common mistake among indoor plant owners is over-watering This is the most common cause of death for indoor plants. During wintertime, plants don’t need much water. A good rule of thumb is letting the top ½ inch dry to the touch before watering the plant again. Suppose you are in doubt; it’s best to avoid watering completely. Instead, try watering the soil when it has been dry for several days. Also, avoid watering the plants during cloudy or rainy weather, as the plants won’t get enough sunlight indoors for that water to dry out.

Strategic Fertilization:
When bringing outdoor plants indoors, remember that they need minimal fertilizer during the winter due to reduced light exposure. Thus, fertilize your plants all you want in the spring, just before the budding season. This way, you will save yourself a bundle by overwintering some of your costly tropical plants.

Adjustment Period

When bringing outdoor plants indoors, remember that they need minimal fertilizer during the winter due to reduced light exposure. Regardless of how hard you try to acclimate the change, once you move your outdoor plants indoors, they will experience some leaf drop. However, the key here is not to freak out. They will eventually adjust to the new light conditions and stand upright in front of you, just like they did before.

All being done, make peace with the fact that some plants just aren’t cut out for an indoor setting. There is no point in prolonging the life of plants like marigolds, zinnias, and nicotiana inside as they just won’t survive, period. Thus, this realization is fundamental. Yet, one should try their best to give their plants the best environment, just like they would want for themselves.

Plants in, Snowflakes Out: The Epic Saga of Bringing Outdoor Plants Indoors

In the journey of cultivating a thriving indoor garden, understanding the art of bringing outdoor plants indoors is pivotal. As temperatures shift and seasons change, transitioning our cherished outdoor companions into the cozy confines of our homes requires thoughtful consideration. From selecting the right plants to battling unwelcome pests, each step demands our attention. While some plants might not fare well indoors, others can flourish with the right care and conditions. So, as you embark on this green adventure, remember that nurturing your plants during this transition is akin to welcoming old friends into a new, albeit snug, abode

People Also Questioned

Should I move my plants inside for the winter?

Many outside plants need to be brought inside when frost is in the forecast. Many annuals, herbs, and tropical plants cannot survive the winter outside, and will need to be brought inside instead.

What is the minimum temperature at which indoor plants should be brought back inside?

Before the weather gets too cold, bring any houseplants you moved outdoors over the summer back inside. When the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night, it is time to bring plants back inside.

Do the pots hold up for the plants?

Avoid this problem by giving your houseplants at least one year in their original plastic nursery pots. Keep on using that lovely pot, Drop the entire plant and its plastic container into the larger pot, then cover the top with Spanish moss or rocks to hide any holes.

Is it okay to bring in plants from outside?

Losing your tender outdoor garden plants every winter is a bummer. Many can be kept alive and flourishing all winter if brought indoors, as they are warm-season perennials. Because of the lower levels of light found indoors, plants that can thrive in the shade are ideal housemates.