Moving houseplants outside and back in
Give indoor plants a summer outdoors without the shock
Wait for warm nights
Most houseplants are tropical. Move them out only after your last frost, once nights stay reliably above 50°F (10°C). Some experts wait for 60°F (16°C) to be safe.
Fuzzy-leaved plants like African violets don't gain much from a summer outside, so they can happily stay indoors.
Ease them into the light
Never move a houseplant straight into full sun. Its leaves burn, discolor and drop, and on succulents the scars are permanent. Most cacti and succulents can take full sun once they've had time to adjust to it.
Start in full shade, such as a covered porch or the north side of the house, then give plants more light over 10 to 14 days. Most houseplants are happiest all summer in full or part shade.
Summer care outdoors
Outdoors, plants grow faster and dry out faster.
- Check water often. In summer heat, pots may need water every day.
- Feed more often while they're growing, following the label.
- Keep pots out of drying winds, and don't stand them in saucers that hold water.
- Raising pots on pot feet or bricks helps them drain.
Bringing them back in
Bring plants in when nights start dipping toward 50–55°F (10–13°C), and well before the heat goes on indoors.
- Check leaves, stems and soil for insects before they come inside.
- Rinse the leaves well with the hose while the plant is still outdoors.
- Run plenty of water through the pot to flush out insects hiding in the soil.
- If you find pests, treat them outdoors with an insecticidal soap labeled for houseplants, following the label, and keep kids and pets away.
- Keep returning plants apart from your others for 3 to 4 weeks.
Expect some leaf drop
Indoor light is far dimmer than outdoor shade, so yellowing and dropping leaves are common as plants adjust. Give them your brightest windows, water less, skip feeding until spring, and avoid hard pruning while they settle.
Related plant problems
Sources
- Iowa State University Extension: Moving Indoor Plants Outside for the Summer
- Clemson HGIC: Moving Houseplants Indoors & Outdoors
- University of Maryland Extension: Moving Indoor Plants Outside
- University of Illinois Extension: Tips for moving houseplants indoors and overwinter care
General guidance, not a diagnosis. Written by PlantWiz in our own words from the sources above.