& just like that the spring/summer szn is over 😿 it also means that it’s time to bring the plants back inside for winter. i wasn’t looking forward to it this year – there were about 15 plants to repot and a lot to wash before bringing them inside. it’s so important to make time to prep your outdoor plants so that a) they don’t bring in any unwanted pests & b) they are placed somewhere that’s cool with them. today i’m gonna go through my process of bringing plants in and winterization.
bringing the plants back inside
🌡when the temperature reaches 10 c or 50 f overnight i know it’s time to bring my green fam in
🔍 inspect your plants thoroughly for pests before bringing them in – these guys can infest your houseplants if you don’t (side note: i check on my plants at least once a week as a preventative measure)
🚿 i wash/shower all the plants before bringing them back inside just to be sure that all the pests are gone & to keep the leaves dust free
😷 if a plant is infested quarantine it so that the infestation doesn’t spread & then treat them accordingly based on the type of pest
🌿some of your plants may have grown substantially & you may need to repot them. check what’s happening underneath the surface – if it’s root bound (lots of root, barely any soil) it’s time to repot it. when doing so, select a pot that is about two inches bigger than the current pot. gently loosen the roots when repotting for the long-term health of your plant.
🌱 if your plant isn’t root bound, but taking up a lot of space, you can prune it & propagate the cuttings to give away
😔 don’t worry if your plants start to look a little sad, they may wilt or drop leaves – this is typical considering the szn change & adjusting to a new environment
winterization
💦remember that when it comes to watering your plants over winter, less is more – water only when the soil is dry & do not let any of your plants sit in water. be especially careful with succulents + cacti as they go dormant over winter!
🌬keep your houseplants away from cold drafts, heaters, windows that aren’t double glazed. this is a hard one, but try to keep up the temperature inside at about 20 c or 68 f & the humidity as high as you can (a humidifier works wonders for your plants + skin)
☀️try to place your plants as close to the light as possible, but accept that this may not always be possible. your plants may suffer a bit, but they’ll be back in the s/s.
plants need to rest, too!
on average, plants need 12 to 16 hours of light a day to maintain active growth. a plant receiving less hours of light will grow slowly or stop growing. sometimes this is okay! most healthy plants need a rest period in order to remain healthy. periods of less light are not issues if the plant is given time & space to rest by being given less water & no extra food, i.e., fertilizers. after the rest period aka spring, take caution when moving plants outside as you will need to acclimatize them over a week or two by slowing exposing them to brighter light.
lostinplantopia 