As the summer season winds down, it’s time to start transitioning your outdoor houseplants back inside. If your plants have enjoyed the warm months on your deck or patio, now’s the perfect moment to gradually bring them indoors. Whether it’s herbs from your garden or vibrant flowers from your window boxes, bringing these plants inside can add a fresh burst of color—and flavor—to your home as the cooler months approach.
Plants can be sensitive to sudden shifts in temperature, light, and humidity, which may cause leaf drop, wilting, or other signs of stress. To ease their transition indoors, start by moving them to a shaded spot outdoors to gradually acclimate them to lower light levels. Cleaning your windows inside and out will maximize the sunlight they’ll receive indoors. Additionally, using a humidifier can support your plants as they adjust to the drier air that often comes with cooler weather.
Before bringing your plants indoors, it’s important to address any pests that may have settled in. Start by applying a systemic insecticide about 10 days prior to moving them inside. Be sure to remove any dead leaves or spent blooms, as these can harbor insects and disease. Hosing down your plants or spraying the leaves and stems with insecticidal soap can help clear away bugs. For more severe infestations, you can submerge the entire plant—pot and all—in a large tub of soapy water. This will force any pests in the soil to float to the surface or drown. Make sure the plant drains fully before bringing it indoors.
If necessary, repot plants into larger containers at least two inches bigger than the original pot. If they have grown leggy over the summer, remove them from the container, and prune the top and roots in equal proportions. Scrub the pot, add fresh bagged potting soil and replant. Remember, use the right kind of soil for your plants like succulents and cactus, African violets and orchids have different soil needs to thrive than regular houseplants.
When choosing a spot for your plants to spend the winter, pick a well-lit area that’s free from heating vents or cold drafts. Don’t overwater as you don’t want the plants to sit in wet saucers, and for succulents, wait until the soil has been dry for several days before adding more water. If you have multiple plants that thrive in high humidity, consider grouping them together on a waterproof tray with a layer of gravel to help maintain moisture levels.
To keep your plants healthy and pest-free during the winter, give them a gentle shower with lukewarm water every six weeks or so. By the time spring rolls around, your plants will be ready to enjoy the outdoors once again.
Have you been to Down to Earth Living? This gracious outdoor living furnishings and beautiful home decor store is located at 1040 Route 45 in Pomona, New York (Rockland County), a short drive from Bergen, Orange, Westchester, and Fairfield Counties.
The garden center at Down to Earth Living is filled with perennials, flowers, shrubs, and trees, with new arrivals coming in every week. The 10,000 square foot showroom has an incredible selection of contemporary, classic, traditional, and transitional teak, aluminum and all-weather dining and deep-seated furniture, as well as home décor.
Down to Earth Living is open 9:00 am-5:00 pm daily. For more information, call 845-354-8500 or visit dtliving.com.
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