As our minds start to shift toward sweater weather and all things pumpkin spiced (yay or nay?), it’s a good time to consider moving your tender tropical plants indoors. What’s that, you say? You thought it might just be the end for them? Heck no! Rather than letting those beautiful tropicals succumb to the cold of winter, you can totally bring them indoors and continue to enjoy them for months to come.
How to Bring Your Tropical Plants Indoors for The Winter
There are really just a few basic steps to take in order to make this transition as smooth as possible. The idea is to do so gradually, ensuring that your tropical plants are in the best shape possible when you make the transition and ensure that they do not cause stress for any existing houseplants they may end up with as neighbors.
1. Make Sure They Are Pest-Free
It’s pretty easy for plants (tropical or otherwise) to pick up some less-than-desirable passengers while living outdoors. So, before you move your tropicals indoors, be sure to do a thorough check and wipe-down for pests like spider mites or aphids. If you do find any pests, determine the extent of the problem and then remove them accordingly. This can be done by hand or by spraying the plants with water or an all-natural insecticidal soap (paying close attention to little crevices and the underside of leaves).
2. Give Them Some TLC Before The Big Move
Ever had your hair cut before a big life change? Transitional moments in life are the perfect time to take a bit of a restock, get rid of what’s not working anymore, and give yourself a bit of a facelift—and this totally applies to your plants as well. Before you move your tropical plants indoors, consider pruning and repotting them!
Pruning away dead or dying foliage will ensure that they are able to put their energy into new growth; just be sure to not cut them back by any more than one-third at a time. Repotting provides an additional opportunity to make sure they are pest-free (as they can sometimes hide in the soil). Move your tropical plants into a pot that’s roughly two inches bigger than its current container, adding some fresh soil and massaging the root ball in the process.
3. Make The Transition Gradual
Just like when you move houseplants or seedlings outdoors, it helps to do so gradually. Moving can be pretty stressful for plants, but by doing it in stages, you allow them to acclimate to their new environment slowly. Tender plants like tropicals are unlikely to survive temperatures below 45° F, so try to start this process a couple of weeks prior to an expected temperature dip. Start by bringing your tropical tender plants indoors overnight and then back outdoors during the day for a few days. Then you can slowly increase the amount of time they spend indoors (bring it in a little earlier, leave it in a little later in the morning) in increments until they are fully acclimated to their life inside.
"Learning how to move your tropical and tender plants indoors for the winter is a lovely way to be able to continue to enjoy your garden throughout those dreary, darker days."
4. Place Them In An Appropriate Environment
Each plant, tropical or otherwise, has its own unique needs for light, water, and humidity levels. But, if they have been thriving throughout the summer months, then it is easy enough to try to replicate those conditions. Remember, though, that your plants will be in a dormant state for much of the winter months, and thus they will likely need a little less water. Also, keep in mind that your furnace can dry out the air in your home more than what your tropical plants might be comfortable with, but misting them with a spray bottle or placing a pebble tray filled with water under their container can help remedy that problem.
Learning how to move your tropical and tender plants indoors for the winter is a lovely way to be able to continue to enjoy your garden throughout those dreary, darker days. If you need to stock up on pots, potting soil, or want to pick up a new friendly plant neighbor, stop by Plant Perfect to check out what we have in stock!