Hi Joy,

This is my first year taking plants outside too. What I've done is use Bonide(granular systemic), Neem oil and good ole washings with Ivory soap. In the sink, I washed the leaves and the pots. I tried to keep as much water as possible out of the soil(b/c I'd recently watered most of them) by placing aluminum foil over the top of the pot. If there's anything lurking after these treatments, I'll be surprised. I think we may need to bring them in within a week or two. The temps in MD are in the high 50's, low 60s this week. I still have some outside that are doing wonderfully in these nightime temps, though. What part of MD are you in?

GH-

I wouldn't apply anything to your plants that should not be used in the home. That includes Sevin. If you use any kind of systemic, make absolutely sure that it is labeled for INDOOR use.

Insecticidal soaps, horticultural oil, rubbing alcohol sprays can all be useful, as well as neem and other such products. Pick one...don't apply them all, lol. You could also place the pots in a tub or bucket and soak the heck out of them to make sure that you aren't bringing in any centipedes, millipedes, slugs, ants, and other critters that may lurk in the soil. A soaking will flush those things to the surface. You wouldn't like to hear about all of the things people in this forum have reported over the years.....how about earthwooms all over the carpet???

I don't envy you this job....it's just one of the reasons why I've learned to allow my plants to thrive inside all year round.

Hi GH, I'm in PG county. Rhizo, the very thought of bringing something in has kept me from doing this in the past. This year I just don't know what got in me; one day I just up and put them all outside. Now I'm worried about bringing them back in. If anything makes it into the house this will be the last year I do this. I have a big enough problem with spiders.

Anyway, I really like the washing and soaking ideas. GH are you using the dishwashing liquid and where did you get the Neem oil? I have 3 DS (9,4 and 2) and the thought of any unnecessary chemicals just doesn't appeal to me.

Joy, zillions of people move their plants back and forth and forth and back every year and some of them actually say that they have no problems with critters! I honestly feel that the plants are far better off when not put through the acclimation process over and over again. Plus, I value the beauty of what these plants offer to my indoor environment.

Though some people use dish soaps, these detergents aren't as effective against insects as true soaps. Insecticidal soaps, manufactured for this purpose, are the most efficient as well as the safest to use on your plants. Neem oil can be purchased at most decent gardening supply outlets. Old fashioned horticultural oils can be used safely, as well.

You've gotten good advice already. I'd add that you should look your plants over carefully to see whether you see any signs of pests. You might miss the earthworms (lol), but foliage pests you should be able to spot. Then you can decide whether it's worth treating the plant with insecticide, miticide, fungicide, or whether to just leave well enough alone.

Rhizo 1 has a good point that not all plants are better off brought outside.
I have a lot of C&S, and they are more apt to thrive and bloom with the extra sunshine. If I had a secure spot for them, protected from wind and rain, I'd have all of them outside in summer.
With some plants, like several of my Hoyas, I sacrifice cultural perfection of the leaves to get heavier bloom. I wouldn't go so far as to make them look bad (most are out of bloom longer than they're in bloom, after all) but I get a little spotting on the leaves when they're out.
There's another category of plants that are outside more for my convenience than their good-- a lot of hanging plants that are much easier for me to water when I can just haul the hose over and spray them with abandon. They aren't hurt any by being out, but for a few of them it makes little difference either way.
...and then, there are indeed some "softie" plants that just seem to do better if they stay indoors. For me, Rex Begonias, most non-vine Gesneriads, and most ferns come to mind (though my big staghorn is out because of that ease-of-watering thing I already mentioned.) The ferns do well out in a gentle rain now and then, but the fronds are so easily damaged that I don't leave most out full time. (For someone who prefers to do things the efficient way, I admit I spend way too much time hauling succulents under shelter and ferns out when it rains!)
After you've watched your plants' reactions to summering outside, and to making the transition, you can make an informed decision on what works best for you and your plants in your climate.
Best of luck with the transition!

I have found my house plants thrive outside. They sulk when brought inside, however. The solution is obviously to move to someplace where they can stay out all year.

Brenda

I agree---how sad I am to bring my plants back in. I feel like they just recovered from their last season indoors and started looking really good again! Now I have to watch them slowly struggle through the winter. Maybe moving isn't such a bad idea for me too.

-Kate

Ditto on moving to another region, like Florida. I would love to be able to move back to Florida or maybe to Tejas!!!

GH

I do move a certain portion of my plants outdoors.My cacti and succulents go outside. I also have certain plants like coleus and abutilon that I consider to be more like outdoor plants that I bring indoors over the winter rather than houseplants that I put outside. And I may put a plant or two outside to decorate my front porch. But the majority stay indoors. I haven't had to bring out any big guns for pest control: I've yet to see foliar pests after a summer out, and if I suspect something sinister is lurking in the pot, I unpot the plant and change the soil.

In my opinion, if your houseplants truly struggle over the winter, then you have the wrong houseplants for your indoor conditions.

Having just brought plants inside for the winter a few weeks ago, and having a question on my abutilon, I found this old post and thought I might just resurrect it.

I went without houseplants for a long time but started having them again about 3 years ago. It has been trial and error but I really do enjoy having them in the house and really want to get them out in the summer.

This year, when they came back in the house, they all looked terrific! I put a Boston Fern out that really was barely growing and placed it in a corner under a tree, backed by a 6ft fence. It did fine there and about 3 weeks before bringing it in, I repotted it into a larger pot. Last year it sat in a West window and did fine, which surprised me. I had tried it in an East, which I thought it would prefer, but my East window is too shaded. I put it right back in the same place and it is looking lush with tons of new fronds coming up. So having it outside in the summer was a very good thing for it.

I have a tropical hibiscus that I have had for 3 years and it has had good and bad times. Right now it is looking the best it ever looked. I repotted it about a month before bringing it in the house in new soil with an organic fertilizer added. It is green green and still has buds on it. Unfortunately, I don't have a South window for it, so it manages in a West, but doesn't bloom much.

Asparagus fern is having some yellowing of leaves and dropping and I wonder if I should have cut that one back.

The hoya as someone else mentioned, grew larger outdoors over the summer, but some of the leaves have marks on them now from something, but I just took those off and it looks fine.

All of them look very good. I never know whether to prune them back a little before they come in. One thing I did differently this year, was I brought them in sooner. While the temps outside were still warm. So they didn't have a set back from lower temps before bringing them inside. I keep waiting to see some leaf drop or something, but so far, they still look good. A few yellowing leaves and dropped leaves but nothing major.

All I have done for the past 3 years is to spray them very well with a strong stream of water with the hose. Making sure to get the undersides of the leaves. I haven't seen any insects on them outside or in anyway. I am organic and if I had concerns, I would use a spray of garlic/red pepper flakes/a couple of drops of dishwashing soap/a drop or two of oil mixed with water in a sprayer and spray them all good a few days before I wanted to bring them in and then rinse them all off as usual.

I hose off the plant with water and dry the leaves. I then marathon the plant before it comes indoors. Love the stuff and it kills everything. You cannot buy it in every state but I'll tell you, it's the best (but if you have an issue over the toxic part or need something organic, then disregard this post)

Most of my plants do not show signs of suffering when I bring them in. Maybe because I do not have a very sunny garden. I have seen the benefit of giving them their summer vacation of fresh air and rain water. They just seem to stop growing until they go out again in the summer.

That said. I just hose everything down good before I bring them in and put them in the sunny windows for the winter. The ones that love humidity are placed in the bathrooms.

I find the best way to rid any outside bugs is first use the hose outside..I set the plant away from others and hose thoroughly..then after it dries, I bring indoors and again spray plant w/indoor hose. Any spiders or earwigs go down the drain..I'm sure many of you think I'm terrible but I really fear spiders and I'm sure even though I do all the hosing some hitch a ride inside..the spiders kill whatever bugs are still hiding on the plants..
Some plants have huge webbs, (not mites) so what I do is springkle regular dish soap over the plant and continue hosing. I'll sometimes grab a paper towel and wipe away those awful webbs. After plants are all dried, I use Fish Emulsion by spraying foliage via a mister. (this prevents plant bugs) And it really works fantastic. Toni

Does anyone have any good ideas on what to put under large plants to protect the floor when you bring them inside?
We just had new wood floors put in and am worried about water on them. DH sugested a kiddy pool. He would die if I followed his suggestion! I would love to get some decorative pots without holes to set the pots down inside...........If they made them that big it would cost me a fortune. How do you protect your floors?
Thanks,
Joy

I was just wondering if I could wait until next week to bring my plants back in and low and behold my post from last year is back. I don't have time to clean them up before we leave and it will dip to about 56 while we are gone. Will they survive until I can attend to them next week?

Also Joy, I use those clear plastic liners that you find at target, home depot, lowes etc. They come in many sizes and does the job with out looking to unsightly. As far as protection from scratches on the new floor those places also sell cork disks that are smooth on the bottom to allow for sliding with out scratching and cork on top to keep the pot steady and in place.

Thanks
Joy

There are very few houseplants that wouldn't survive a dip down to about 56. Unless you have something very rare and unusual, you're pretty safe, especially if that's the low point and it warms up from there! Much of our house gets at least that cool in winter, and stays that way. Episcias don't like it much, most houseplants are just fine. Even the Episcias don't die; they just stall.
Just make sure your plants aren't overly wet, or they'll be more vulnerable to rot.

Ooojen, was it you who said you keep your home in the 50's in winter? brrrr..LOL

Joy, I was going to suggest the cork disks, too..they won't scratch your floor if the plant has to be moved. Or, you can purchase the clear, plastic saucers to set under the pot. They're inexpensive and will collect water if any is to drip. Just be sure to buy the right size..someting on the larger side..Toni

Thanks, I leave tonight and won't worry about what I will come home to. I don't have anything unusual although I would love to someday (when I have more room)have a host of tropicals.

Ooojen, ditto on the 50's, brrrr.