University of Illinois Extension
Sending your houseplants on a summer vacation
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[June 29, 2021]
Plants can be found in nearly every house,
apartment, or really any dwelling we call home. It may be that
spider plant in your home office, or the avocado seed rooted in
water on the kitchen windowsill, or even an entire collection of
African violets (or another favorite family of plants). |
As the weather has finally decided to get warm,
and stay warm, it is time to get those houseplants outdoors for the
summer to recharge and to let the summer rains rinse off the dirt,
dust, and grime from being inside for months. But, before you set
them outdoors in the full sun, there are a couple of things to
consider:
Light and placement
Right now, they have their “indoor leaves,” so to speak. Put them
out in direct light, and they will sunburn just like us. There was
no need to have a protective layer from the sun while inside, but
for sure they will need that now. Setting the houseplants out with
indirect sun for a little bit of time for several days will trigger
that waxy cuticle to show up. Eastern or northern exposures work
well, as well as under the shade of shrubs or trees. Setting them
out on cloudy days helps too. At some point, you have to be brave
and set some out into stronger light and hopefully nothing burns.
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Container
You may want to or need to move the houseplant up a pot size. Get
them growing again, and then do your repotting so the new,
developing roots will grow into the new soil in the larger pot and
be established by fall.
Insects
Outdoor insects are normally not a problem, as there are plenty of
natural enemies and rain to control them. You also may have placed
the plants outside with insects already there, and these will
naturally be taken care of as well. It is common to find “critters”
in the pot come fall and will be taken care of at that time. [to top of second
column] |
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Watering
Natural rains will likely keep your houseplants happy for much of
the summer, but you do need to keep tabs on them. Dry periods will
require some watering on your part.
More than a vacation? Moving with houseplants
We all have that favorite houseplant that has sentimental value or
is many years old. Every year we field questions like, “Can we take
it along when we move?”
In many cases, you bet you can. Moving companies may have their own
necessary rules, and remember, moving trucks may be on the highway
for several days and plants would not survive. Additionally, there
are some specific states that prohibit the movement of some kinds of
plants (citrus, for example) into states that have substantial
industries. National moving companies have this information and can
be very helpful. You also can address this question with the
National Plant Board or the state you are moving to via its
department of agriculture. The concern also may be those states
being traveled through to get to your new home.
Please note: this also applies if you plan on taking them along
yourself. With the exception of your favorites, and depending on
where you are moving to, it may be easier to rebuild your houseplant
collections once you have settled into your new home with locally
available plants. If you do move your plants, expect an adjustment
period. [Richard Hentschel,
University of Illinois Extension, Horticulture Educator] |