Your Houseplants Need Fresh Air, Too: Here’s How to Bring Them Outdoors This Summer

Finally, the cusp of summer: The sun is hot, the weather slightly unpredictable, and our gardens in full swing. This is the perfect time to bring your houseplants outside to promote new growth and overall health. It even helps plants bloom—I had a friend whose monstera bloomed during a summer spent outdoors. Plus, you’ll get the chance to clean the spots where your houseplants sit all year while your indoor babies enjoy fresh air.

That being said, there are many things to be conscious of when you bring your indoor friends outside to play. This is not a beginner houseplant parent move: You must pay careful attention to the weather and your plants’ conditions. The elements can wreak havoc on houseplants very quickly. Wind, rain, and heat can kill a houseplant in less than a day if you’re not careful.

Here’s what to look out for:

• Heat: If you’re an urban gardener, then you’re surrounded by concrete and asphalt, which absorb the sun’s heat at an alarming rate. The air might only be 75 degrees, but your plants feel like it’s over 100. And because your plants are closer to the ground, they catch the radiating heat much faster than you. Even if you’re not an urban gardener, the sun dries out plants much faster when they’re outside.
• Inclement weather: A good storm can tear a houseplant to pieces because their roots aren’t anchored in the ground. And if the pot has no drainage, they can be quickly over-watered.
• Wind: A nice breeze won’t hurt. But consistent, strong gusts can topple your plants and wick the moisture away from the roots before you even realize that it’s windy outside.  

Thinking about taking the plunge and moving some of your houseplants outside? These tips will help you and your plants with the transition.

Just because your local nurseries are starting to sell summer annuals doesn’t mean that it’s warm enough at night for most plants to survive—especially houseplants. To be safe, wait a month after the last frost to even consider putting houseplants outside.

Some advice says that your plants will be okay once the nighttime temperature is consistently above 55 degrees F. I say wait until it’s consistently above 60 degrees, and I personally do not bring my plants out until it has hit 65 in the evening at least once. I’m a little more of a protective plant parent, but to ensure success make sure those p.m. temps are at least 55 degrees.

It is very important that you pot your houseplant in a container with drainage before you put it outside. Not only does this help you regulate watering, it can prevent the plant from drowning if you leave it out during a downpour.

Once you bring your indoor plants outside, they become susceptible to all the creatures that also live outdoors. Give your plants a once-over every day or two just to see if anything is chowing down. Be ready with insecticidal soap in case those slugs get the best of you.

Do not place your houseplants in a spot that gets direct sun for most of the day. Even if the plant is a succulent or cacti, it’s not used to that much exposure. Your plant will get a sunburn. I always put my plants in partial shade for most of the day, just to be safe.

This is the one tip that always trips me up, even though it seems like the most basic. I have lost more houseplants to under-watering than anything else. You must make sure that your plants are watered every day, whether by rain or by hose or watering can. Outdoor plants dry out faster than you think!

I water houseplants along with my outdoors plants—either first thing in the morning or in the early evening. I want to ensure that my plants have enough moisture to get them through the stress of a hot day.