Can You Bring Your Houseplant Outside?(Complete Guide)
If you bring your houseplant outside, it will definitely thrive. But you have to maintain some criteria to make your houseplant happier and healthier outside.
In this article, I will break down almost everything about bringing your plant outside. So let’s start.
Table of Contents
Which Plants Will Do The Best Outside?
As a general rule of thumb, plants that have thicker, more succulent leaves will do better outside. They are typically more drought-tolerant and resilient, able to handle the elements well. If a plant is hardy inside, it will likely be hardy outside too.
PLANTS THAT WILL DEFINITELY DO WELL OUTSIDE:
Top Picks for Outdoor Success
- Ficus
- Hoya
- Jungle Cactus
- Pothos
- Monstera Deliciosa
- Syngonium
- Holiday Cactus
- Bird of Paradise
& More! Be Experimental!
The Ficus Advantage
If you have a Ficus, please do yourself and that plant a favor and put it outside because it will be a lot happier.
Year-Round Outdoor Residents
I have certain plants that live outside year-round, including all my cacti, euphorbias, and succulents. These plants can handle very low temperatures, though I bring them inside if it drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Handling Cold Weather
In regions where daytime temperatures are consistently below freezing, it’s best to bring cacti, succulents, and euphorbias indoors for the winter. When it does freeze, I group them together and cover them, or bring them inside if necessary. A covered patio can also provide sufficient protection.
When Can I Bring Plants Outside?
You want to make sure that your nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If temperatures fluctuate, start acclimating your plants by putting them outside during the day and bringing them in at night. This helps them adjust to the increased sunlight gradually. Personally, I wait until it is consistently around 50 degrees, then leave them outside until November when temperatures drop below 50 degrees again.
How Do You Avoid Sunburn?
Sunlight is a critical factor when bringing houseplants outside, as they receive significantly more light than indoors. This can lead to sunburn if plants are not acclimated.
Gradual Acclimation
Gradually introduce plants to direct sunlight to prevent sunburn. New leaves will better adapt to the environment.
Sun-Loving Plants
Plants like Bird of Paradise and most Ficus varieties thrive in direct sun and will grow faster.
Full Shade vs. Indoor Light
Even full shade outside provides more light than the brightest window inside, benefiting plant growth.
How Does Watering Change?
With more light exposure, plants use more resources, leading to faster growth and increased water needs.
Increased Water Requirements
I water my outdoor plants one to two times a week, depending on their location. Hanging plants might need watering twice a week, while those under cover get watered once a week. They dry out faster due to heat, so monitor their moisture levels closely.
Managing Rainwater
Decide whether to rely on rainwater or maintain a regular watering schedule to avoid overwatering.
What To Do When It’s Really Windy?
Wind can be beneficial for plants, encouraging deeper root growth and stronger trunks, especially for Ficus trees. However, plants in plastic pots may topple over.
Securing Plants
Use heavier pots or secure plants to prevent tipping. If wind is consistently high and damaging, consider bringing plants inside or using a wind barrier like a shade cloth.
What Happens When You Bring Them Back In?
Gradually acclimate plants back indoors by increasing their time inside slowly. However, I have successfully moved plants inside immediately without issues.
Pest Management
Expect some pests, so give plants a power wash and apply insecticidal soap and neem oil before bringing them inside.
 *(Include an image of droopy leaves)* Some plants, such as calatheas, prefer moist soil at all times; otherwise, they develop that signature brown tissue damage on the leaves. The annoying thing here is that the damage cannot be reversed and can only be cut away, leaving you with a damaged plant. If the soil of your plant is bone dry, you'll notice that it's pulling away from the sides of the pot. This is because the soil has shrunk due to a lack of moisture, so make sure you are not letting this happen by watering a little more frequently. #### Signs Your Plant is Overwatered (darkgreen) Overwatering plants is a really common way that people kill their plants. Beginner plant enthusiasts often have a common misconception that houseplants need lots of water, but the reality is that these plants are native to hot climates where they may get periods of drought followed by large rain which rehydrates them. **Yellowing leaves** (red) can indicate an overwatering problem as well as an underwatering problem. If you are watering your plant too often and the soil is always wet, this can lead to root rot, which will begin to affect the leaves of your plant. **Limp and mushy leaves** (red) also indicate that you are overwatering your plant. This is particularly true with succulents such as Echeverias. Echeverias store water in their thick leaves and have difficulty storing excess water if you are watering your plant too often. This leads to mushy plants that eventually fall off.  *(Include an image of yellowing leaves)* Philodendron and Pothos plants tend to get mushy leaves that fall off if the soil is consistently soggy. My Philodendron Birkin recently developed some new brown leaves that fell off because I was overwatering it. Whereas crispy brown edges on leaves indicate an underwatering problem, if the whole leaves are turning brown, this tends to mean that the plant tissue is rotting due to too much water. You may also notice some water droplets on the ends of the leaves of some of your plants. This is the plant perspiring excess water through its leaves and can indicate that you are giving the plant too much water. Now, this tends to happen on plants that prefer drier soil, and I notice it quite often on my Philodendron Birkin and my Tradescantia Nanook. **Increased presence of fungus gnats** (red) can also be a sign that your plant is too moist. Fungus gnats like a moist top two inches of soil to breed and lay their eggs, so if your soil is wet, it creates a breeding ground for gnats. If you see lots of flea-like flies jumping around the top of your soil, I would just dial back on the watering and let the top two inches of the soil dry out before watering again. #### Watering Tips (darkgreen) It is important to allow the soil of your houseplant to dry out between waterings. This prevents the possibility of over-watering, which is one of the most common reasons people kill their plants. **Check the soil moisture** (red) before watering your plant by sticking your finger two inches into the soil. If it feels wet, leave it a few days and then check again. An even better way to check the soil moisture is to invest in a moisture meter. This device needs no batteries and tells you exactly how much moisture is in the soil, giving you control over watering your plants.  *(Include an image of a moisture meter)* When you identify that your plant needs water, make sure you give it a thorough soaking. Take your plant to a sink area and soak the soil four or five times until water drains out of the bottom each time. This ensures that all the soil in the pot gets moistened and there are no dry patches. **Bottom watering** (teal) is a method that has changed the health of my plants since I implemented it a couple of years ago. Place your plant in a container of water and let it absorb moisture from the bottom up. This method prevents water from getting on the leaves, which can cause leaf tissue damage. I hope this article was helpful. Now you know when to water your plants and when not to. Apply this knowledge to your plants and see the growth. Happy gardening! --- Incorporating these visual and formatting enhancements will make your article more attractive and engaging for your readers.](https://growinggaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/pexels-artempodrez-7242495-scaled.jpg)
