Moving Houseplants Outside for Summer
By Ginny Orenge, Anoka County Extension Master Gardener
The weather is warming up, the grass is turning green, and your love of plants is likely moving outside. While you might be dreaming about your outdoor plants waking up, you could also be thinking about moving your houseplants outdoors for the summer.
Some benefits of moving your indoor forest outside include allowing the rain to handle watering tasks, letting beneficial insects help control infestations, and increasing plant growth due to the warmth and sun. Most houseplants can move outside for the summer in Minnesota. Now is the perfect time to start planning which plants will move and where you will put them. If you decide to let your plants soak in the warm weather, here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind for a successful transition.
The general rule of thumb is to wait until the weather is consistently above 55 degrees at night; many of our plants are from tropical climates and cannot handle cooler nights without suffering damage.
Some plants, like cacti, can typically take any temperature above 40 degrees, and there are even a few that can handle our winters. However, if you want to move everything out at once, 55 F is the minimum.
Make sure your plants are in pots with drainage holes, and don’t allow them to sit in water. While you can control watering inside, the rain outdoors won’t follow your schedule. Without proper drainage, water could flood the soil, cause disease, and possibly kill your plants.
Ensure that cacti and succulents are in fast-draining soil. Many stores carry a mix specifically made for succulents that ensures proper drainage.
This is the perfect time to repot any plants that have outgrown their current home. If you see roots coming out of the drainage holes, it is time!
Just like humans, plants can get sunburned when exposed to the direct sun after being indoors all winter. To prevent this, the first transition point outdoors should be to deep shade. After a week of deep shade, you can start to slowly move the plants into part shade, and then move the sun lovers into full sun after another week.
Finally, make sure you have not used any systemic pesticides before moving your plants outside. When you use insecticides, you kill both the harmful pests and the beneficial insects and pollinators. Many insecticides wear off quickly, but systemic insecticides can remain in plant tissue for three months or more and can kill insects that land on it, drink its nectar, or eat the tissue. It’s best to keep your systemically-treated plants indoors this summer.
Moving your houseplants outside can add visual interest and a tropical flair to your outdoor spaces, and if you take the proper precautions, your houseplants will enjoy their summer vacation, too!
For more information about repotting your houseplants, read this article from the University of Minnesota Extension Service: Tips for Repotting Houseplants | UMN Extension
Meet with an Anoka County Extension Master Gardener volunteer about your yard and garden question! Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinics: In person at Bunker Hills Activities Center on Wednesdays, June 7 - August 16, from 6 - 8 p.m. Ask a Master Gardener Online: Zoom, first Tuesday of each month, May - December, from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Visit anokmastergardeners.org for more details.