Bringing houseplants inside for winter

It's been unseasonably warm this month, so it's been possible to leave houseplants outside longer than usual: a relief when you've got, well, quite a few plants to deal with. But the time is coming when the final coleus, snake plants and hoyas need to come inside. Here's my procedure for bringing plants inside...

1. Check for hitchhikers

This could be slugs hiding in the drainage holes, aphids on new growth  or red spider mites on the backs of the leaves, so check the whole plant as thoroughly as possible. If you see irregular notches on the edges of the leaves, it's a red flag for vine weevil larvae attacking the roots, so rinse all the soil off the roots and remove any c-shaped grubs. At the same time, you may find some worms in the soil. Earthworms aren't pests, but they will take up residence in pots kept outside, and once back inside, they will make a bit of a mess, pushing castings out of the drainage holes. 

2. Lightly prune if necessary

It may be tempting to give plants a big haircut to ensure they can fit back inside, but this will stimulate a big growth spurt, which is not ideal as the days get shorter. Do remove damaged leaves and trim anything that's really straggly. Save major pruning for spring. 

3. Expect some leaf drop

Light levels are at least 50% lower inside compared with outside: that combined with shortening days means that there is bound to be some leaf loss once plants return home. This could be minimal or non-existent for some plants, or quite considerable for others, depending on the species. Weeping figs (Ficus benjamina), for example, are particularly prone to leaf drop after being moved. Which brings us neatly on to no 4.

4. Cut back on watering

Less light means less photosynthesis - that's why plants will drop some leaves when less light is available to them. That also means that plants will need less water. So let soil dry out between waterings, checking at root level before getting going with the watering can. Plants will also need less fertiliser.

5. Be careful positioning flowering plants

Some houseplants that flower in the next few months - Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti, as well as Poinsettia, are triggered into blooming by reducing day length. It's important to make sure these plants are not shielded from the night/day cycle, so don't put them where they are behind curtains or blinds. 

This blogpost was taken from The Plant Ledger, my email newsletter about the houseplant scene. Subscribe here and get my free in-depth guide to fungus gnats.