My larger scheff goes out and jades. I have to protect the jades from wind otherwise they might tip over. No rain here from April to Oct so not a problem to put jades out.

Mike, you mean dappled light. If you dabbled your plants they would die.
Your succulents should like the sun if you can protect from rain.

Hi....
all my house plants go out, I just have to acclimate them to being outside again every spring and protect them from the wind....plants tend to get a little delicate in doors...but they toughen up outside, and get greener and stronger...thats where plants should be outside and we are forcing them into a life in side....spring, summer, and fall is their growing time and outside they get the altimate light, air and rain....
linda

Gobluedjm,

Lol...I caught that after I posted..lol.I am just glad I spelt your screen name right...:-).
Thank you for letting me know about my jades..

Linda, what plants do you summer outdoors? Is your cutting going in the sun?:-)..

I wasn't sure if some houseplants were never meant to go outdoors, such a my Boston fern..I forgot about my African violets, and my spider plants too.....

If wonder if Pug has any indoor houseplants,since everything she grows is so beautiful down there in Florida..
Pug, is there such a thing as indoor houseplants for you, and what do you keep indoors, or are they all meant to be outdoors for you?..:-)

Mike..:-)

Mike, houseplants ARE meant for outdoors. That is where they started from. lol! I know you realize that but it just sounded funny the way you said it. But yes, it does depend on their natural habitat and your outdoor weather on whether you choose to put them outside.
Even here in sunny socal sometimes it's too hot in summer and in winter I get frost.

My calamondin,sago palm,shefflera,and spineless yucca go outdoors as soon as weather permits.

I never take mine outside. They flourish without the 'in and out' stress...and I don't have to worry about what sort of critters may have taken up housekeeping over the summer.

One exception would be if I happen to be growing any seedling citrus. I grow them only to sacrifice to the Giant Swallowtail Butterflies that always seem to find them. I enjoy all of the butterfly and caterpillar activity right under my nose. So OUT they go, as soon as weather permits!

It gets super hot here in OK. in the summer, so the only thing I'll be putting outside are the Begonias. Besides, it wouldn't be pretty inside with no houseplants! lol

But I've seen the most beautiful Jades growing in pots outdoors..maybe in AZ?

Major groups of plants that go out:

Palms
Citrus trees
orleanders
tropical ferns
cycads
ficus trees
tropical fruit trees (Avocado, Mango, Pouteria (sapote), bananas, papaya, guava)

I don't put my cacti out (other than the real big one--Cereus, or the jungle cacti (too wet in summer here)

I used to only put my Citrus tree outside (it's dead now though which upsets me 'cause I started it from a seed), but now that I bought my own house with a deck I'd like to get one of those little portable greenhouses with a cover so that I can put out my cacti and succulents and not have to worry about wind, rain or animals damaging them. Ooh, and my Sansevierias too. Maybe my Orchids might appreciate it too, no?

HI....
Mike I have (and I just counted) 210 plants...
jades, hoyas, philodendrons, 50 plus cactus, 50 plus succulents, corn plant, lots of sans..., christmas, thanksgiving, and easter cactus, just to name some..
and yes all go out side...my hubby built me a cove just off my patio to put my plants and that protects them from wind and direct sun...so yes Mike the little jade cutting will be out there too...
linda

Hello Everyone!

Mike, the cactus and succulents would love to be outside! Just watch the sun they get. Some can only take part sun.

I will be gradually moving them out under a shrub I have.

Your jade has been out getting it's sun, and is starting to look like Nancy's...LOL!

rizo- I plant tomatos for a special moth/catapiller we have here. :)

Linda! 210!! Oh my! Sounds like you have a great husband and wonderful place to put everyone!

I was going to put my "elk" fern out for some fresh air today, but the wind was horrible!! couldn't. :(

I will put one hoya out to see how it does, only have a few, not gonna feed them all to the wolves! ROFL! Hubby will be putting up shelves in front of windows for the rest. :)

JoJo

I live my aralia indoors because apparently they don't like going outside once acclimated to being indoors. I also tend to leave my Norfolk Island pine indoors about half the time for similar reasons -- I can't really get it acclimated to full sun, and honestly being outside doesn't really seem to affect its growth rate at all.

Everything else goes outside, though (partially because, in the summer, I just don't have room for all of my plants indoors. My dorm has more plant space in it than my bedroom).

Hi Mike, I only have a "few" hoyas that stay indoors in my florida room, and more hoyas in my "roofed" but not covered entryway. That's really about it really. I don't grow any other plants inside other than Hoyas. I have a few larger hoyas that stay outside about 340+ days a year. It only comes in during very cold nights and hurricane threats. I grow all my Jades/Succulents, TC's, CC's, citrus,mango and few others all outside...again only coming inside during extreme weather. I do grow most everything outside, just easier for me.

Hey, Mike, and garden friends!

I start sunning my plants during the warm days in February and March...but I don't leave them outdoors until May 1st (approximately).

Succulents (and vegetable seedlings) are the first to hit the east-facing back deck:
Aloes, Christmas Cactus, Jades, Peppers, Portulacarias, and Tradescantia (Wandering Jew).

On the front deck, in a partially shaded southwestern exposure, I put more sensitive pants:
Hoyas, Pachira, Maple and Osage seedlings.

Eventually, I put my Dinner Plate Aralia outside, too, on the back deck. However, I provide it some shade throughout the day.

Josh

bunnygurl, I am sorry you lost those babies you started from seed..:-(..I myself have a pop greenhouse..Yo would be suprised at how many plants like these..Just make sure not to roast them..It can get pretty hot in there this time of year...

Linda, my goodness, you have been super busy..lol

Hi Jojo!!

You are so fortunate to have such warm weather so early..Your plants are going to thrive in your state, that is of course they are under a shade cloth when it hits 120 degrees..Ouch!
Where are you going to hang your "elk horns" by the way? lol
I am curious to see what your jades look like after a couple weeks in your sun. Please post them , I would love to see them..:-)

amccour, I bet you wished you had more room..Thanks goodness for the outdoors and warmth!

Pug,

You are SOOOOOOOOO lucky to be able to grow anywhere you want! I would probably have one or two indoors, or just one plant at each window, and a couple in dull places, then ALL the rest of my dozens would stay outside for sure, especially my citrus...34o plus days of the year.Lucky you..;-)

Hi Josh!

Sweet! You have been keeping busy for sure..Your pics are wonderful.. I was wondering what plants you leave behind indoors, if any at all? I know you have "hoyas" one of your favorites..Do you hang them all outdoors too? we will chat soon.

Take care garden friends..

Stay warm and healthy!

Mike..:-)

Well just about everything that I can find room for and proper light. I move them around everyday to get them the proper amount of sunlight too.
Oh I am so glad it is spring.....I have been cleaning like a mad women and my house reeks of soil since I have been doing so many new plants. I just love an early spring. I hear from the old farmers( and they are usually right)that it is going to be hot and dry summer this year.

Mike, I'm going to answer in reverse..'Which plants do I NOT bring outside?' lol

African Violets
Orchids 'except 1'
Dracanas
Palms,.'low light'
Aglaonemas, 'especially those from Thailand.'
Philodendrons..
Think that's it..hmm..Toni

I have been busy, Mike! Thankfully it's the weekend!

I don't put all the Hoyas outside...but I do rotate them into stronger sunlight throughout the season.

The plants that stay inside with me are African Violets, Bromeliad, certain Christmas Cactus, Monstera deliciosa, Peace Lily, Philodendron, Spider Plant, and String of Pearls.

Josh

Thanks Josh,...I don't take Spider plants out either..but if you've ever been to Great America, you've probably seen their Spiders..Oh Lord, they sit in direct sun, and foliage is huge..From mid-summer to fall, 50-75 shoots hang down from mom, and flowers galore..Beautiful.

Josh, is there a reason you don't set out Christmas Cactus?

Everything goes out.

Jane

Hi!!

Mike, we don't get that hot.. LOL!! 110-113 in summer though.. :)

The elk(statghorn)... haven't decided yet.. Still looking for the right basket. :)

The Jades(yours) are getting such beautiful color! I will get a pic soon.

I'm way off schedule these days. By the time I get used to hubby being home, it will be time for him to go back to work...ROFL!!

Hope everyone is well!
JoJo

Hi, Toni!
My local nursery has some massive Spider Plants outdoors more of the year, too. They bloom profusely, and are cascading and huge!

There are only a couple pots of Christmas Cactus I keep indoors. They have a very sunny spot, and so I don't bother to move them. The big CC goes outside, however.

Josh

I am with rhizo. I don't take anything outside. I don't want to have to deal with taking pests inside in the fall.

Seldom have I ever had a pest issue.
I find that healthy plants are less susceptible to attack and are able to better tolerate the winter.
I also find that outdoor beneficial predators control pests more efficiently than I ever could.

Josh

Hi Josh,

Well I have have had pest problems and it was a mini disaster. One that I don't want to repeat. What you say about beneficial pests is true, but if you get the right pest, such as scale, there aren't any pests that will deal with them effectively. At least I've never seen one.

Larry

I don't really get pest issues from taking plants outside (unless it's something that's REALLY pest prone. Hi, you stupid A. Squarrosa*. Fortunately, none of the aphids or whiteflies this thing got ever spread).

The high humidity outside keeps mites in check. Scale and mealies... I don't see those much around here, and bringing those in on and infested plant from the store is far more likely.

I DO tend to get a lot of spiders. I stopped caring about bringing those in with me, so a fringe benefit of growing plants has been that my arachnophobia has improved a lot.

Anyway, I'm moving to an apartment next year for gradschool. No dorm means no going home for the summer means no putting plants outside. I think I'll be okay for the most part, except for a few things:

* Delonix regia - This doesn't really make a good houseplant, and it's pretty much deciduous. It's actually stayed more-or-less in-leaf this year, but it needs to be outside to get properly leafy.

* A. Squarrosa - This doesn't seem to make a good plant indoors or out, although outside it actually grows beyond just replacing old leaves.

* Blechnum gibbum - Way too dry for these indoors. It seems perfectly capable of surviving half the year in a fairly brown-and-crispy state, but it *needs* summers outdoors. I might have to set up a humidity tent for it or something.

* Pineapples - A little too dry indoors for them, and they need full sun to really grow. Also they're sort of huge.

* Key lime - It doesn't grow well indoors. It does okay and won't die, but it just does better outside.

everything goes outside..this year however I have a cactus thats aprox 6ft tall and about 2.5-3ft wide that will probably stay in because the husband really can't stand me this time of year..me and all my plants

Slugs and ants are sometimes a problem for me. Orchids emit a honeydew which ants love and can farm aphids on the plants. I soak all orchids in fall in buckets of water to drown any ants. Slugs will eat smaller plants if I have the pots on the ground. I use an organic product (can't remember the name) and sprinkle it around the base of any pots sitting on soil. This works very well.

Most mites on Plumies disappear over the summer outdoors. There are many beneficial insects which visit plants summered outdoors. I've never had a major problem.

Jane

Jane..I have seen your Orchards and they are magnificent!

Do you put them all outside? Under a tree or shade?

Thank you...

Mike..:-)

If I buy anymore plants, hubby may put me outside..ROFL! I'm bugging him on his vacation for shelves...:)
JoJo

Thanks, Mike you have some beauties too. I put most outside. I have moved to a new house and have downsized my plants to only a few high-light plants. The rest can manage with lower light. High light plants (Catts & Dens) will go into full sun after getting acclimated. Lower light will get part shade in afternoon. Most orchids can tolerate higher light levels than recommended.

I keep the plants which want cool temps indoors. Phals will go outside in part shade.

Most orchids benefit spending the summer outdoors as do my 'dirt plants.'

Jane

I wasn't even thinking about pests when I made my post much earlier, lol! Nope, I was simply remembering all of the ants, spiders, slugs, worms, sowbugs, lizards (when I used to live in SC), and other hitchikers....most of which don't cause any problems to speak of but I don't want them INSIDE my house.

Another thing...
Since most of my plants are grown in gritty mixes, there isn't really an hospitable environment in which the critters can hang out. My Hoyas, on the other hand (which are grown in nearly pure bark), are always full of frogs when I bring them in. It takes about two months to return the frogs to the wild.

Josh

Oh Josh!
Too funny!! What a fun surprise! :)

JoJo