What part of the world do you live in? Also, what sort of rodents do you have in your area? In Colorado, my houseplants don't go outside until June, due to wild swings in the weather and freezing temps at night. The rodents we have are field mice, voles, fox squirrels, and a single wayward chipmunk; the only issues we tend to have with them are in the vegetable garden and around the bird feeder (where the offerings are more tasty than, say, a dieffenbachia.)

Full sun is inadvisable for most house plants, at least where I live. It's just too intense! ☀️

--L

I live in Arkansas 7B and i think we have milder weather than up in Colorado.

We have the same rodents you have. And also rabbits. something chewed up the bark around 2 new trees that i planted!

I do put most outside for the season, but not the cacti or some others that just would not handle the wind (Diffenbachia for example).

You will need to acclimate them to outside conditions though. But them into deeper, shaded areas outside for a week or so, then you can move into their summer position. But be careful, most tropicals will burn in full, midday sun if your summers are hot. Early morning or late afternoon sun is different.

I don't really have rodents (due to feral cats) but do see rabbits and deer. They tend to leave most of the tropicals alone, but have had munching on Hibiscus, Fatsia, Citrus fruit, and bananas. What kinds of plants are we talking about.

we are talking about croton, rubber tree, ardisia, bird of paradise, and some other ones.

i don't recommend placing plants outside , especially mite prone plants like croton. often they attract pests outside which can turn into a infestation once the plant is inside. i never use pots , earth or anything that has been outside for my indoor plants.

I live in [slightly north of] central Arkansas, and I always put my plants outside once it warms up enough to do so. I never had to deal with any rodents or bug infestations. I don't even use any insecticides or fungicides, etc. Not that I have any qualms with using them when needed. I do have a slug problem. I cannot stand them at all. Fortunately, they don't bother the types of pots that I use for almost all of my plants. I also have a medium-sized wooden table, which the slugs ignore as well, with one of those four-tiered greenhouses mounted securely on top of it (for when there's severe weather). It's right up next to my bedroom window, underneath the overhang. This allows the top shelves to stay pretty much shaded, while the lower two shelves get access to direct Southern sunlight.

I do have rabbits that live in a field nearby, but they don't bother coming over into my yard. As for the slug problem, whenever it rains, they like to crawl up the sides of my house to try and get to higher ground. So I'll go out and do any that I find a favor by using a shovel to send them on to their next life, haha. I can't eliminate them completely, but this helps to keep them in check. I do grow some strawberries, which slugs would LOVE to get their slimy trails all over. But I grow them in a 'Topsy Turvy' planter that hangs from my porch, far out of their reach. :)

I put mine outside, but I still have at least a month before I can even think about it. What I do is leave them in our attached garage for a week or so with the big door open during the day. Then they go out on my covered south-east facing porch. This porch is also shaded by a huge maple tree. It gets direct sun for a couple of hours in the morning and then just bright light the rest of the day. The overhand helps keep smaller plants from blowing around, and it protects them from any bad weather.

I don't have a lot of pest issues at all. The only thing I've had trouble with is earwigs.

I would put them on a table in the shade and gradually introduce them to full sun. Crotons need to be outside. I used to have a nursery in Central Florida and mine never had mites. I guess it depends on where you live and growing conditions.

yes im with all who are of the opinion that plants need a summer outdoors! there are a few exceptions. i do not put my african violets or episcia or other delicate plants outdoors. i also have not put my small parlor palm out, simply because i have lost two to spider mites in previous outdoor summers... and i got paranoid.

i do have a large tropical hibiscus that was gifted to me... and im anxious about perhaps that one hauling bugs inside. im not sure yet whats the best thing to do this fall when i bring it in. im not too keen on individually washing ALL the leaves.... maybe a warmish shower?

I figured this thread was recent enough to not start a new one So,

I'm very confused on the acclimatization of house plants to outside.... I put my plants outside last year even after I attempted to ease into the sun, my schefflera and Pony palm still managed to get burnt. Then destroyed by hail.

Now comes the time again where I can safely (hopefully) put some of my plants outside, this time My schefflera and pineapple. I'm not too worried about my schefflera as I'm going to put it in a spot that gets morning sun, and some dappled afternoon sun, but I'm worried and confused about my Pineapple. I plan to put it in full sun as it needs all the sun it can get in 4ish months before its stuck inside again. Though, I don't want to burn it!

When I put it outside I put it in full shade for 2 days, then moved it a bit over into some dappled sunlight for 2 days, then a little bit more over where it got a little bit of direct sun, then moved it over again, and again untill where it is now. Which is a spot it gets shaded from morning sun, dappled afternoon sun, and some direct evening sun.

It's been out there for 2, almost 3, weeks now, with me moving it over a couple inches every other day.

Is this enough acclimatization? Can I move it to it's summer spot now? That being full sun. It's my first bromeliad and I don't want to lose it before a pup develops!