Houseplants, topicals, and other ‘sensitive’ plants overwintering indoors for the past several months have most likely received limited sunlight. Before returning plants outdoors, select a location which will provide partial shade and a few hours of morning sunlight but have protection from full sunlight, especially afternoon sun (courtesy: Southernliving.com).
By John Green, Texas Certified Expert Gardener, Bridge City, TX
Spring has finally arrived in SETX, well not officially but that’s between us! According to a few 30-day weather prediction sites, our local temperatures will moderate. Anticipated nighttime temperatures to be in in the mid-50’s with daytime temperatures around the mid-70’s…which is the perfect time for gardeners to begin acclimating house plants and other sensitive plants by relocating them from protected indoor locations to the outdoors.
It is important to note houseplants and sensitive plants which have been indoors for the past several months receiving limited sunlight, require protection from full sunlight, especially the afternoon sun. Select optimal locations (sites that receive morning sun only) with dapple or partial shade the remainder of the day for 2 to 3 weeks or until plants are ‘hardened’ off to the outdoor environment. Many tropical plants will need to be relocated several times until they are capable of handling intense afternoon sunlight and heat.
Gardeners, if you have an extensive plant collection (as most of us do) returning plants outdoors is going to take more than a moment…in fact it’s going to take quite a bit of consideration and time to ensure site selection is right. Often plants cannot be returned to previous outdoor locations due to winter kill. Winter kill affects all plants differently, often changing our landscape, unfortunately, not for the better! If trees or large shrubs are damaged, the canopy is affected which in turn impacts sunlight quality or the amount of sunlight allowed beneath the canopy, most often with increased light intensity. If winter kill isn’t an issue, trees and shrubs continue growing with canopy’s becoming larger which also affects quality of sunlight provided often decreasing the sunlight intensity which may no longer be adequate for tropical plants and some houseplants.
Before moving houseplants outdoors, inspect each plant closely searching for powdery mildew, mites, white flies, or other pests which enjoy overwintering on plants while indoors. If ‘intruders’ are noted on plants, a quick spray of a diluted insecticidal soap solution should remove them (it could take a couple of spray applications). Please follow the manufacturer’s directions printed on the label of the insecticidal soap.
The next step is to remove diseased stems, yellow or brown leaves, and water thoroughly. Plants which are top-heavy, no longer fill the container, or are unappealing require increased attention. It’s time to “Spring” into action gardeners (yes, I went there…pun intended), meaning the plant requires fresh potting soil and another container before relocating them outdoors.
Select a new container which is a size larger than the current pot unless the plan is to divide the plant. Next, water the plant thoroughly (before attempting to remove a plant from the container), otherwise likelihood is that the plant will be damaged: roots, stems and foliage will suffer damage from the increased force required to extract the plant from the container (speaking from my past experiences- short-cutting the process by not watering the plant thoroughly beforehand has severely damaged too many plants…needlessly). The amount of force necessary to remove root-bound plants from pots can destroy plants where roots are separated from stems, trunks, and leaves…not a good thing!
Tap the containers sides, then gently grasp the entire plant just above the soil line and remove the root ball from the container by rolling and tapping the container. Once removed, inspect the root ball for damaged roots, then using a sharp knife or pruners that are disinfected with isopropyl alcohol and remove damaged roots. If roots are severely tangled, gently ‘tease’ apart sections using fingers as claws, untangling the roots slowly. Repot the untangled root ball into fresh houseplant potting soil and water the plant thoroughly.
Unfortunately, too many houseplants and tropical plants will suffer reaction (sometimes with dire consequences) due to excessive sunlight and intense heat. Transitioning houseplants from dimly lit areas within our homes to intense, extremely bright sunlight causes sunscald, and severe leaf burn. The direct sunlight overwhelms chlorophyll in plant leaves causing the leaf temperature to rapidly increase and overheat (a plants version of sun burn-ouch!) One hour of direct sunlight can cause extreme leaf damage that could take a plant many months to recover. Use these tips to allow houseplants to survive the great migration:
Tree Canopy Protection- many indoor plants require bright light (not direct sunlight) so it’s in the best interest of plants when moving them outdoors to position them underneath the canopy of a tree or large shrub. Place them in a shady area until fall, as they most often will perform well. Sun-loving plants such as cacti, Bird-of-Paradise, Fiddle-leaf fig, and countless others need to be moved to shady spots initially, then slowly transitioned to more brightly lit areas over time. Remember the most intense sunlight level occurs between the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gardeners must limit houseplants’ exposure to midday sunlight to protect plants from sunburn.
Porch & Patio Protection- several County Extension horticulturists endorse placing houseplants on porches and patios during the summer months, as these areas can provide bright light, though care must be taken not to place plants with exposure to direct sunlight. Gardeners should note that each time any plant is moved an acclimatization period is necessary and often changes may become evident. While plants adjust to a new location leaves might slightly yellow and partially fold. Typically, once adjusted to their new environment, leaves return to normal green hues. After houseplants have adjusted to their new ‘home’ environment provide them with additional food starting a nourishment program using organic or water soluble fertilizers of choice following manufactures guidelines and labeling instructions. Less is more when it comes to fertilizing plants. Remember that overfertilizing is detrimental to the plant and our environment!
Hydration- plants require water often and container grown plants do best if the containers’ soil is allowed to become slightly dry before watering, then water thoroughly until water runs from the pots drain holes. Once summer arrives most container plants require daily watering or at least every other day, as this will minimize plants becoming stressed or wilted.
Until next time fellow gardeners, let’s go out and grow ourselves a greener and more sustainable world, one plant at a time! Please continue sending gardening questions to: jongreene57@gmail.com.
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