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When Can I Put My Plants Outside? [ Know Here ]

When Can I Put My Plants Outside? [ Know Here ]

Unlike outdoor plants, house plants do not get much sunlight and rain throughout the year. We know that these plants stay inside the house, hence the name “indoor,” but they also need nature’s love most of the time.

By providing enough sunlight and rain, the growth rate of such plants can increase up to a great extent. However, while keeping these plants outside, you need to be extra careful as they will have difficulty adjusting to extreme weather conditions.

There are tons of cases where indoor plants die if kept outside without any proper care. How can you move your plants outside in the sun? Read on to find out. 1. 2

When Can I Put My Plants Outside?

When winters come, it becomes difficult for plants to survive. While trees and animals find their way of getting acquainted with the changing climate, small plants most likely die due to sudden temperature changes.

That’s why most gardeners suggest keeping all plants inside the house throughout the winter.

Though you are saving your plants by keeping them inside, you are also acclimating them to the house’s atmosphere. Due to this, you cannot suddenly keep them outside when spring arrives, as they will die due to shock. Much dramatic? Well, plants are pretty dramatic.

So, when should you start moving your plants outside? When you notice that the last permanent frost is not there and there are fewer chances of snowing, you can think of moving plants to their natural habitat.

However, make sure that the temperature should not fall below 10 degrees Celsius when you move them outside.

Another thing that you should keep in mind is that, on a moving day, the temperatures inside and outside the house should be alike to prevent plants from dying. 2. 3


Related:

  1. Here’s what happens to plants when you touch them

Is It Too Early To Put My Plants Outside?

Most gardeners and plant lovers suggest that May to September is optimal for moving plants to their natural habitat. The sunlight, temperature, and other climatic conditions are perfect for plants to get acquainted with the changing atmosphere.

Moreover, you can also start moving plants early in April if there is no more frost in your area and the temperature is above 10 degrees Celsius. Make sure to keep a constant watch on the temperature while moving plants.

It is highly advisable to keep plants inside during the night as any drop in temperature could affect them badly. 3. 4

Can You Put All Plants Outside?

Yes, you can put all plants outside, but not all at once. If you immediately put your plant under direct sunlight, there are high chances to either die, shrink, or get sunburns.

You don’t want that to happen to your plant. To avoid that from happening, you need to acclimate your plant to the outside atmosphere.

How to acclimate your plants to outside temperature? For doing so, you have to slowly put the plants outside when the temperature rises in April or May.

When you notice that the snow is completely gone and the temperature is slightly rising, it’s a hint to take your plants outside. For the first two weeks, keep your plants under any tree or near the wall during the daytime.

It is essential to keep the plants in a shady area unaffected by harsh sun rays. If you do not have any shaded areas in your garden, use fleece paper or cloth as a shield against the sun’s rays.

After two weeks, you can slowly shift the potted plant to direct sunlight. However, make sure to bring the plants inside when the day’s over. 3. 4

When the rainy season arrives, take the plant outside only when it’s drizzling. Please do not keep your plants outside when it’s raining cats and dogs.

A light natural rain might do wonders to its growth rate, but thunderstorms are a big no-no! Why? Because heavy rain can damage the foliage of the plants, destroy its leaves, drown the roots, and more.


Also read:

  1. List of house plants that can repel spiders

How Do You Know If It’s Safe To Put My Plants Outside?

It is highly advisable to put plants outside when the spring season arrives. When the temperature stops falling below 10 degrees Celsius and the last frost is lifted, start taking out plants for some time every day, for at least two weeks. After that, you can permanently put them outside.

People start taking out plants in May, while in some places, spring arrives around April. Make sure to check your thermometer every day and keep a constant watch on the weather channels.

If there’s a slight chance that there would be a temperature change, do not take your plants outside. It is crucial to let the plants get acquainted with outside temperature and climatic conditions to avoid sudden shock and die.

Moreover, you need to bring the plants inside when dusk arrives to avoid freezing them. There are various cases where people left their plants in the cold night, which affected their growth rate drastically.

Whenever you bring the plants inside, could you not keep them under the AC directly? No, keep the plants in a warmer area and let them cool down naturally. 3. 5

Tips On Moving Plants Without Killing Them

Whether you are a beginner or a pro in taking care of plants, there are chances that a slight mistake could kill them. While moving plants, you need to keep certain things in mind.

You need to give them enough water, fertilizer. Check the weather, etc., to keep the plant safe. To avoid plants from dying, here are some tips that will make it easier for you to move your plants outside.

  • Water them regularly. However, your indoor plants might not need much water inside; their thirst for water increases while moving them outside. Being under the sun constantly dries their pot, due to which you need to water them regularly.
  • Regularly check for slugs and snails whenever you bring the plants inside. There are high chances that pests and insects might feed on them and kill them. Check for such pests and remove them immediately.
  • Ensure to cut off or trim the dead stems and leaves as they might consume more water and only leave a small amount for the remaining plant.
  • Feed your plant with good fertilizer and pot mix once in a few days. It is better to use a fresh fertilizer mix while repotting the plants during spring. It would help the plants in getting enough nutrients and also increase their growth rate.
  • Do not forget to report your plant to a larger area. A small pot can stunt their growth rate and won’t allow the plants to grow freely. When spring arrives, get some larger pots and start repotting your plants before you move them outside.
  • If you are not sure how much sunlight is enough for your plant, then put them in a shady area or use a piece of cloth as a shield. Please do not put them under direct sunlight as it can lead to sunburns and other serious issues. Place your hand on the pot during the afternoon to check the temperature. If it’s too hot for you to place your hand, then it must be difficult for the plants to stay under such high temperatures. 4.

Winters are more harsh and brutal on the baby plants as they usually die due to the cold. To prevent that from happening, most plant parents take them inside and provide them with enough warmth and care throughout the winter to thrive during spring.

But, when spring arrives, you need to move these plants to the garden again. While doing so, it is essential to take the process slowly. After staying for months inside the house, plants need some time to get accustomed to the external climatic conditions.

Hence, it would help if you were extra careful while moving the plants, as one wrong step can lead to the death of your beloved plants.

Most gardeners and plant lovers swear by the tips and tricks we have stated here. Follow them yourself, and see your plants thrive under the spring sun. 3. 4. 5


Resources

  1. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00015127309433491?journalCode=saga19
  2. https://academic.oup.com/plphys/article-abstract/80/4/926/6083631
  3. https://academic.oup.com/jxb/article/57/2/291/489984?login=true
  4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26448613/
  5. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11099-015-0173-7