How to Bring Tropical Plants Indoors
As hard as it is for me to admit it, Fall has officially begun. The weather promptly responded with cooler temperatures, and caught a little off-guard I rushed to save my tropical plants and bring them indoors to save them from the incoming weather (we saw a low of 39F last night already!). A few hours later, my plants were indoors and I had completely rearranged our living room to accommodate their light needs and maximize light potential.
If only I had paid a bit more attention to the weather forecast, I could have better prepared my plants for this transition. Even though I did all that I could at that time, I’m sure they were still a little shocked by their rapid indoor relocation.
On the bright side, hopefully there’s still enough time for you to do things the right way! Here are some tips and tricks as you prepare your tropical plants for the indoors!
Prep
Contrary to what I did, you should gradually bring your plants inside. Start to bring your plants inside at night once temperatures are consistently in the 60’s. Then everyday let them stay inside a bit longer. This is to gradually expose them to a lower light setting, instead of abruptly taking away light they’re used to. Think of it like this: if you were to go on a diet you would gradually cut calories, you would not suddenly cut half your caloric intake (or if you did you’d be pretty miserable). Hence, gradual changes are ideal.
When bringing your plants inside, take note of their sunlight needs. Does this plant need full sun (a south facing window), can it survive with partial sun (east or west facing)? Once you know their needs, now figure out which windows will provide them! If you can, it is best to put your plants in similar lighting conditions to where they were placed outdoors. You could always invest in a plant light as well.
Pro tip: Clean your windows to maximize the amount of sunlight that enters!
Maintenance
So you have a spot picked out for your plants, now let’s prepare them for coming inside! The first thing you want to look for is any type of bug or pest that may be hitching a ride inside. Do a thorough inspection of your plants for aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites. You could even give them a gentle hose down. If you are concerned about pests in the soil, soak your plant in the tub in lukewarm water for approximately 15 minutes. This will force those insects out. Make sure to give your plant plenty of time to drain after.
Next, depending on summer growth, you may want to prune back your plant and/or cut off dying leaves. Do not cut back more than 1/3 of the plant. Now would also be the time to repot your plant if it has grown quite a bit over summer.
Transitioning
Your plants have finally made it indoors to their winter home! Some things to keep in mind are watering and humidity differences. You do not have to water indoor plants as frequently as outdoor ones. Be mindful not to overwater and only water when the soil is dry. For humidity, as temperatures drop and heaters come on, homes are filled with dry heat that lacks humidity. Make sure to provide your plants with humidity and keep them away from vents and drafty doors/windows.
You can do it!
After it all, I find it’s so nice to have my plants inside and I’m sure you will too!
