Bringing outdoor plants inside for the winter can help extend their life and allow you to continue enjoying them when it’s cold outside. With some preparation and care, most garden plants can successfully transition from outdoor to indoor living. Follow these tips to properly bring your outdoor plants inside and overwinter them.
Choose the Right Plants
Not all outdoor plants are suitable for bringing inside. When selecting which plants to bring in, opt for ones that:
- Are hardy enough to handle the dry air and lower light levels indoors. Good choices include succulents, cacti, citrus trees, jade plants, orchids, ferns, and palms.
- Are small enough to fit the space you have available indoors. Large outdoor shrubs and trees won’t work well.
- Are pest and disease free. Inspect all outdoor plants closely before bringing them inside.
- Have lower light and humidity requirements. Plants like tomatoes, basil, and roses need more light and humidity than most indoor environments provide.
- Are not prone to shedding leaves or going dormant in winter. Evergreen plants acclimate better.
Decide When to Bring Plants In
- Bring plants inside before your area’s first expected frost date. Tropical plants should come in when night temperatures start dipping below 50°F.
- Allow outdoor container plants to dry out slightly before bringing inside. This helps avoid transferring pests and diseases.
- Time it so plants have 4-6 weeks to acclimate to indoor conditions before the darkest winter days.
- For semi-dormant plants like citrus trees, delay bringing them in until they enter dormancy.
Prepare Outdoor Plants for Their Transition
Proper preparation is key to successfully bringing outdoor plants inside:
- Inspect for pests and diseases. Treat any issues, isolate affected plants until recovered.
- Prune back overgrown plants so they’ll fit the space. Remove dead or damaged growth.
- Repot rootbound plants into containers one size larger. Use fresh indoor potting mix.
- Water well and allow to dry out some before bringing inside. This prevents transferring pests.
- Remove fallen leaves, debris, and weeds from the potting mix surface.
Adjust Light Conditions Gradually
Perhaps the biggest change plants face when moving inside is much lower light levels. Help them adjust by:
- Initially placing plants in the sunniest indoor spot, like near south facing windows.
- Using sheer curtains or moving plants back from windows to filter light as needed.
- Keeping indoor lights on for 10-12 hours daily to supplement natural daylight.
- Slowly moving plants to their permanent indoor spots over 2-4 weeks.
- Rotating plants occasionally so all sides receive sufficient light.
Monitor Watering Carefully
Plants need much less frequent watering indoors. Allow the potting mix to dry out further between waterings.
- Use your finger to check soil moisture 1-2 inches deep before watering. Only water when the top few inches are dry.
- When you do water, thoroughly soak the entire pot until water drains from the bottom.
- Place pebbles in bottom saucers to prevent surface roots sitting in water.
- Brown leaf tips are a sign of overwatering. Allow the plant to dry out more before the next watering.
Adjust to Indoor Humidity Levels
Going from outdoor humidity to dry indoor air can shock plants. Here are some tips:
- Mist plant leaves daily for the first few weeks. This increases humidity temporarily.
- Use a humidifier to raise humidity levels around plants.
- Group plants together to create a moist microclimate.
- Put plants on pebble trays filled with water. The evaporating water increases humidity.
- Move plants away from heating vents and drafts that further dry the air.
Watch for Pests
Insects and pests can travel inside with plants and multiply rapidly in warm, dry indoor air. Stop them before they spread:
- Isolate all new indoor plants away from existing ones for a few weeks. Watch for signs of pests.
- Check leaf undersides and stems regularly. Remove any bugs you spot by hand.
- Treat infestations early with gentle, organic sprays like insecticidal soap or neem oil.
- Sticky traps near plant bases help catch adult fungus gnats and other flying pests.
- Remove badly infested plants to prevent the pests spreading. Throw out very infested ones.
Provide Gentle Air Circulation
Stagnant indoor air makes plants susceptible to fungal diseases. Prevent issues by:
- Using small fans to gently circulate air around plants. Direct harsh blasts away.
- Setting potted plants on wire plant stands or blocks. This allows air to flow under.
- Rearranging plants periodically so no groups stay stagnant for long.
- Keeping a reasonable distance between plants to allow air movement between them.
- Turning plants regularly so all sides get exposure to circulating air.
Fertilize Sparingly
Plants grow slowly indoors, so they need less fertilizer. Over-fertilizing can damage roots.
- Use a houseplant fertilizer at half the recommended strength every 4-6 weeks.
- In winter, feeding monthly or every 6-8 weeks is sufficient for most indoor plants.
- Completely avoid fertilizing dormant plants like Christmas cactus and citrus trees.
- Flush pots with clean water monthly to prevent fertilizer salt buildup. Let water run from the drainage holes.
Provide the Right Potting Mix
Outdoor potting soils are too heavy and dense for containers indoors. Repot with:
- A commercial indoor potting mix that contains peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite. Or create your own mix.
- A roughly equal parts mixture of potting soil, perlite or vermiculite, and peat moss or compost.
- Cactus and succulent mix for those species, with extra perlite or sand added.
Get Containers Ready
Outdoor containers won’t work well inside. Make sure indoor pots:
- Are about 2 inches wider than the plant’s root ball for houseplants. Larger pots for plants staying indoors short term.
- Have drainage holes to prevent root rot from excess moisture.
- Are made of porous material like terra cotta or wood. Non-porous pots like metal or glass dry out slower.
- Are light enough when filled to easily move around.
Help Plants Acclimate
The adjustments involved in moving outdoors to inside can stress plants. Reduce shock by:
- Making lighting, humidity, and temperature changes slowly over 2-4 weeks. A gradual transition is key.
- Keeping plants well watered, but allowing the soil to dry out more between waterings.
- Mist spraying leaves daily at first to boost humidity.
- Checking for pests frequently and immediately treating any found.
- Removing any leaves or stems that die back. Don’t remove healthy growth.
- Talking gently to plants and playing soft music to help them thrive!
Treat Potential Issues
Even with great care, indoor plants can develop issues. Treat them quickly by:
- Isolating affected plants until recovered to prevent spreading.
- Pruning off dead or dying leaves, stems, and flowers often.
- Applying organic antibacterial sprays if bacterial leaf spot or rot occurs.
- Repotting immediately if roots have rotted from overwatering.
- Discarding plants that decline and fail to thrive despite your best efforts. Some adapt poorly.
Know When to Bring Plants Back Outdoors
As winter ends, start thinking about when to take plants back outside. Time it for about 4-6 weeks after the last expected spring frost once night temperatures are staying above 50°F.
- Gradually introduce plants to sunnier locations over 7-10 days to adapt them to more light.
- Begin leaving plants outdoors in a shaded spot for a few hours, increasing time outside over 2 weeks.
- Repot rootbound plants into larger containers. Refresh old potting mix before moving back outside.
- Resume regular outdoor watering and fertilizing schedules.
With proper care, the majority of garden plants can spend the cold months thriving indoors and return outside again when spring arrives. Follow these tips for successfully bringing your outdoor container plants inside.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bringing Outdoor Plants Indoors
How early should I bring plants inside?
Bring plants inside at least 4-6 weeks before your area’s first expected fall frost date. This gives them time to acclimate to indoor conditions before winter. Any earlier risks bringing pests inside.
What are signs a plant isn’t doing well indoors?
Dropping leaves, yellowing or browning leaves, dried up stem tips, slowed growth, and increased pest issues can all indicate a plant is struggling with the indoor environment.
Should I cut back the plants before bringing them inside?
Pruning back overgrown plants helps them fit the indoor space better. But don’t remove more than 20% of the leaves and stems or it could shock the plant.
What temperature is best for indoor plants?
Daytime temperatures between 65-75°F and nights around 60°F work well for most indoor plants. Avoid drafty spots and placing plants near heat sources.
How do I clean the containers before bringing plants inside?
Scrub containers outdoors using a diluted bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) to kill any lingering pests or disease. Rinse well.
Should I repot the plants into new containers?
Repotting into clean containers with fresh potting mix right before moving inside is best. But it’s fine to keep existing planting containers if needed.
How often should I fertilize overwintered plants?
Fertilize lightly every 4-6 weeks at half the recommended strength. Slow growing, dormant and flowering plants don’t need fertilizer over winter.
What should I do with large outdoor plants?
Prune them back substantially and select just a few small branches to overwinter. Take cuttings or air layer the plant to propagate new small plants.
When should I move plants back outdoors in spring?
After the last spring frost when nights stay above 50°F, gradually introduce plants back outside over 2-3 weeks. Repot and fertilize if needed.
Final Thoughts on Bringing Plants Indoors
The key to successfully overwintering outdoor plants is a slow, gradual transition. Mimic light and humidity conditions they’re used to as closely as possible indoors. With attentive care, inspection for pests, proper watering, and adjustments as needed, you can enjoy many of your outdoor container plants inside through the winter months. They’ll reward you with continued beauty, greenery, and blossoms during the cold seasons.