Preparing Houseplants: The Move Back Outdoors in Springtime

Okay, it's a little early, but with the wacky weather we're having all across the country nowadays with 50 degree highs in December and parts of January, who's to say that spring won't come a month in advance? Expecting summer-like weather in March, this is for the few who are ready to give their houseplants the boot back outdoors for springtime.

Your houseplants have spent the long (or short) winter in your home, acclimating to your dry, heated air. Now they really want to go back outdoors where the natural sunlight plays, the breeze blows the dust off their leaves, and the open skies bring bugs clinging to the undersides of their green bellies.

If your plant needs repotting, now is a good time to do it. Don't repot if you don't have to, however. If your plant has adequate soil (the roots are not busting out of the bottom of the pot or smashed into a tangled pot-shape mess), then preparing your houseplant for the springtime move back outdoors should be relatively simple. Cut leaves back closer to the main stem. Tropical plants like to be pruned and pruning always (as with humans) encourages new growth. They also love humidity, so choose a spot with lots of sunshine, but not a scorcher. Place them on a saucer so that water can evaporate and create more humidity around them.

Preparation also means introducing them back out into the natural springtime environment relatively slowly. Let them go out during the day and bring them back in at nighttime until the temperature stays above 50 degrees. In order to not forget to bring them back in, think of letting them out to play and enjoy the sunshine like you would with cabin-fevered kids. After a long run in the sun, go out and call them in, rounding up all the arms of stems, leaves, pots and saucers. Consider leaving watering cans or buckets outside full of water that will be ready for the next day.

Continue to check for bugs, as you should have done when preparing your houseplant for the big autumnal move indoors. Check periodically on top and under the leaves. Bugs are okay because other insects eat them off of your plant, but occasional checking for any out of the ordinary bug activity will ensure your houseplant's life for the maximum.

After your houseplant has adjusted to its natural outdoor lighting environment, water it according to its individual needs, not just because your annuals or perennials need to be watered that morning. Check the soil with your finger. If it feels damp up to the second knuckle of Mr. Pointer, then your plant does not need to be watered. Check again after its exposure to full sunlight. Remember that houseplants need more water when they are outdoors than when they are brought inside. Direct sunlight dries the soil and helps your plant to grow faster during the springtime and summer months.

Once outside, prepare your houseplants for some springtime fertilizing. Their metabolism will speed up (just like ours), so more food is necessary. Use a basic or organic fertilizer according to the directions. If it hasn't rained much in your area due to drought, it is a good idea to give your houseplant a good spray bath to wash away dust that can clog pores and block sunlight. Reach the underside of the leaves, too, and knock away any bothersome spider webs.

Preparation is easy as long as you remember the priorities of sunlight and the right balance of water. Don't overwater, thinking the sun's direct light and heat will dry up any excess wetness. The plant can still wilt and die, especially if the drainage holes become blocked by roots. Check this periodically.

Enjoy the life of your plant-the thing living and green. Keep it healthy until the move back indoors in autumn when the temperature drops below 50 degrees.