When should I bring my houseplants indoors?

At our latitude, tropical plants benefit from spending time outdoors during the summer. Although they are perennial plants in their countries of origin, they cannot survive the cold here and must be brought inside for the winter. When nighttime temperatures drop below 12°C, you need to think about bringing your houseplants indoors.

To ensure a smooth transition, these plants need to be gradually acclimatized to their indoor environment. If possible, bring your houseplants in at night and take them out again in the daytime over a period of 7 to 10 days. Without this period of acclimatization, some plants could lose some or all of their leaves. New leaves will generally appear as soon as the plants have adapted to their new environment.

Carefully inspect the plants to avoid bringing insects into the house. As a preventive measure, spray the plants with warm water to remove any pests and prune the parts that are severely infested. If the plants contain any aphids or mites, it is recommended they be treated with insecticidal soap. Scale insects can be removed with a soft brush or cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.

For more information, see the Green Pages section on the general care of indoor plants.