How To Get Houseplants Ready For Indoor Use?

To prepare your houseplants for the transition to indoors, start by repotting them at least 3-4 weeks in advance. Soak the entire pot in mild, soapy water for about 15 minutes, especially for plants that prefer moist soil. Clean the leaves, inspect for pests, and acclimate your plants.

Starting the process during late summer or early fall is crucial, as nighttime temperatures consistently drop below 60°F (15.5°C). Exposing tender houseplants to temperatures below 50°F (10°C) can cause damage. A good rule of thumb is to bring them inside during late summer or early fall.

To help your plants adjust to the lower-light indoor environment, ensure they are not bringing any pests, diseases, dead growth, or unwanted dirt in with them. Use these tips to know which plants are good candidates for growing as houseplants, how to prepare them, and how to eliminate pests along the way.

One of the favorite plants to bring inside for winter is the coleus, which makes a marvelous houseplant. Before you bring them in, clean the plants and debug them. These 10 tips will make the transition from a summer outdoors to a winter indoors as stress-free as possible.

When bringing your plants inside, trim and clean up, check for pests, repot if necessary, refresh soil, rinse and water, consider the plant’s needs when placing them indoors, gradually acclimate your plant to its new environment, if possible, keep the plant out of reach of animals and children, if necessary. Some experts recommend bathing or soaking plants in a bucket of water with mild dishwashing soap before bringing them inside.

How long can most houseplants go without water?

Plant maintenance depends on the type of plant, light conditions, and weather. Shaded plants may last longer without water, while container and window box plants can dry out quickly. Choosing the right plants for the right conditions in your garden can make summer maintenance easier, especially while traveling. Shade-loving plants, such as the Foam Flower, Wood Aster, and Christmas Fern, can help reduce vulnerability to drought and heat stress.

Some popular shade-loving plants include ‘Brandywine’, a PHS Gold Medal Plant selection with clumping foliage and white flowers, ‘Eastern Star’, an excellent selection with tiny white flowers in early fall, and ‘Eastern Star’, adaptable to rocky, dry soils with upright evergreen fronds.

Does moving plants stress them?

Plants can be stressful when moving to a new home, leading to potential damage or wilting. To avoid this, it’s essential to gradually prepare plants by adjusting their environment, starting about a month before the move. Strengthen plants by watering and feeding them, repotting breakable containers, and choosing lightweight, recyclable or plastic planters. After the move, inspect the plants carefully, pruning weak or damaged leaves and pinching back new growth to conserve energy.

If pests are found, treat them with appropriate insecticides. Water plants 3 to 5 days before moving, and if the day is hot or summer, water them 2 days before. Moving companies are prohibited from moving plants across state lines, so plan accordingly.

Can houseplants purify the air?

The 2017 Each Breath Blog post titled “Getting into the Weeds: Do Houseplants Really Improve Air Quality?” argues that houseplants do not significantly improve indoor air quality. The belief that plants clean indoor air can be traced back to a 1989 NASA study that found that houseplants can absorb carbon dioxide and remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Since then, numerous studies have concluded that houseplants can reduce pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene, which are known to cause health problems like respiratory issues and cancer.

How do I keep my house plants dust free?

The speaker proposes a monthly watering routine, specifically following the initial watering, to guarantee sufficient irrigation and prevent excessive irrigation, as they have observed with this method.

How do you treat plants before bringing indoors?

Experts suggest bathing or soaking plants in water with mild dishwashing soap before bringing them indoors. If plants are too big, spray them with water to remove outdoor dust and insects. Wash the leaves with water and dishwashing soap, then rinse. The soapy water also kills pests in the soil. Check plants for infestations and treat them with insecticidal soap if needed. Wash the outside of pots to remove dirt and unwanted pests.

If needed, prune, separate, or repot plants if needed. Gradually reintroduce plants to indoors, as they may undergo shock if brought from outdoor conditions to indoors, resulting in yellow leaves, wilt, dieback, or even death.

How to water indoor plants while away for 2 weeks in the UK?

The long bath is a low-tech solution for plant watering while away, requiring no special equipment or assembly. It involves placing pots on a tub with drainage holes and sufficient natural light. Commercially available irrigation systems are another option. Soil-based solutions like Terra-Sorb or mulch can help extend the length of time soil stays moist by absorbing 200 times their weight in water and slowly releasing it as it dries out. These solutions can help house plants survive trips of a week or less.

Self-watering pots are planters designed to consistently deliver water to plants via their pot. There are kits available for converting normal pots to self-watering, which can help keep plants happy during vacations.

How do you disinfect house plants?

Rain is a natural cleaning method for tropical houseplants, and a gentle spray of water is the best way to clean them. Smaller plants like pothos or pilea can be placed in a sink, while larger plants can be placed in the shower. Rinse them off with lukewarm water, keeping the water pressure low and not using hot or cold water. During warmer months, move them outdoors and gently spray them with a hose.

For delicate plants like ferns, submerge them in tepid water and support the plant and soil. For larger plants with smooth leaves, dust them with a soft, damp cloth, supporting each leaf from underneath to avoid damaging them.

What to do with a plant when you bring it home?

When bringing a new plant home, it is essential to re-pot it by a few inches larger than the plastic pot, spray it with insecticide or pesticide, and quarantine it. Plant care is crucial, and there is no such thing as a green thumb or black thumb. Instead, it is about paying attention to your plant and understanding the basics of plant care. Plant scientist Christopher Satch, an instructor at the New York Botanical Garden and board member of the Manhattan Orchid Society, emphasizes that there is no such thing as a green thumb or a black thumb. Instead, it is about paying attention to your plants and understanding their needs. By following these tips, you can ensure that your new plant grows healthy and thrives in your home.

How do you water indoor plants when away?

It is recommended that a bathtub or sink be filled with a few inches of water for the cultivation of smaller plants. The plants should then be placed on a towel in order to prevent damage to the water and to prevent the plant pots from damaging the water.

Do you need to dust houseplants?

Removing dust and dirt from leaves helps houseplants grow healthier by allowing them to receive more sunlight for photosynthesis. Houseplants offer numerous benefits, including decoration and fresh soil for new growth. Repotting houseplants helps maintain their health by allowing for fresh growth. Proper plant pot sizes are crucial for maintaining plant health. Learn how to select the right pot for your indoor plants and ensure they receive the necessary amount of light.

Is it bad to move indoor plants around?

The author posits that a weekly plant rotation is an acceptable practice, and that a monthly rotation is also a viable option when employed over an extended period of time.