BRINGING PLANTS BACK INDOORS CAN BE TRICKY
Tropicals need to adjust to the abrupt and considerable change in light and humidity
Last week's deluge of much needed rainfall and cooler night temperatures have abruptly ended summertime patio living. As we reluctantly move indoors, so should any tropical plants that have been basking outside during the spring and summer months.
Tropicals and other warmth-loving plants have been enjoying a perfect situation — good light, high humidity and ideal temperatures have created a great growing environment. Moving them back indoors can be trickier than we realize.
Let's consider how dramatic this transition really is. The decrease in daylight hours and the increase in cloudy weather significantly reduce the quotient of good, quality light. As outside temperatures begin to drop and our heating systems activate, humidity levels plummet. The more our rooms are heated, the less humid they are. Even well-established, existing indoor plants are going to be challenged as we move further into fall and winter.
How do we mitigate these issues and help our plants survive the next six months in less than ideal conditions? We can't alter the physical layout of our homes and apartments, but there are a number of ways to help all our plants adapt. The following care tips apply to both outdoor plants moving back inside and existing indoor plants.
Light quality is the biggest issue. Where we situate our plants must be determined by the windows we have. Indirect light from east- or north-facing windows is best, but south- or west-facing locations can also work.
Using a variety of plant stands, group your plants around windows. Plants that love high levels of light, such as tender succulents, should be placed directly on window ledges, while plants like Ficus benjaminas and ferns need to be at least close to natural light. If these placement options don't work for you, purchase some plug-in grow lights (available as LED or traditional fluorescent fixtures). As we lose more light each day, leave them on for 12 to 16 hours. Grow lights make a tremendous difference in how well your indoor plants do through the darker months.
Going from very humid conditions outdoors to much drier indoor settings creates many issues. Indoor temperatures and humidity levels are critical. Cooler is always better because it results in higher levels of humidity. While 10 C is about the lowest temperature tropicals can usually tolerate, 18 to 20 C is a more realistic goal in winter — after all, we humans need to be comfortable as well. Fireplaces
are nice, but they are the enemy in terms of keeping a room humid. So, no plants around or near your fireplace.
Home humidifiers help maintain adequate humidity levels, but we all need to balance the use of power with its effect on the environment. Lowering household temperatures during the day, when no one is home, will help. On milder days, leaving your windows slightly open to allow the intake of fresh air is also beneficial. Moving the air with a summer fan set on low speed will aid in preventing fungus and disease problems.
When bringing your plants indoors, check carefully for both insects and disease. The undersides of leaves are the most likely areas to harbour insects. Pick off any leaves with eggs or ones showing signs of whitefly, aphids, mealy bug and scale. New leaves will grow once the plant is settled inside. Inspect the stems closely and examine the soil for crawling insects or tiny fungus gnats. Even if the plants look clean, a thorough spraying with organic Safer's Trounce or horticultural oil will help prevent unseen and
unwelcome passengers from causing problems.
For the first week or so after bringing your tropicals inside, misting them with a fine water spray two or three times a day will help the foliage adjust to the drier environment. On the other hand, watering the soil can often be a troublesome issue. All indoor plants — and I do mean every single one — need to be rootbound from now until midApril. So, no repotting of plants at this time.
In fall and winter, indoor plants perform better when their roots are touching the edges of the pot. When a rootbound plant is watered, the water runs through reasonably quickly and doesn't saturate the soil, causing root rot. Ideally, the soil should be evenly moist but not sopping wet. If the soil has pulled away from the edge of the pot, it is a sign that the plant is too dry. A good guide is to check your plants' moisture levels twice a week. Always use room temperature water when hydrating your plants.
Because your plants are not growing as much as they did in
summer, less feeding is required. If you feed, use soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer and feed only after you have watered.
If you find quite a few leaves turning yellow and falling off, don't worry — it's a natural process of readjustment to the indoors.
Of all the tropical plants, citrus seems to be the most challenging. Keep them well lit, as cool as you can, and don't overwater them. Regular, consistent misting with water and maintaining the soil just slightly moist is the secret for success with citrus. When it comes to cacti and succulents, it's a myth that they need watering only once or twice a month. Because they are usually growing in small pots filled with exceptionally well-draining soils, I find a weekly check is important. They require a little more moisture than you may expect, especially aloe veras.
Trust only credible websites and garden industry professionals for information. Daily observation is the best way to care for plants during any season. The few minutes you spend monitoring will be well worth the effort.