Hey Friends, here is your PSA, it’s time to bring those plants indoors!

Last week in Ottawa was simply tropical, but now with the nights getting cooler, it is time to transition your outdoor plants to indoor plants!

Our indoor plants love being outside in the summer, soaking up the sunshine and the humidity. You may have noticed how they have doubled in size. I usually bring out my agave, ficus lyrata, monstera, spider plants, and sansevieria.

You don’t have to try to save every plant that you have put in your planters, but it’s nice to save some and have those beautiful full plants indoors for the cold, winter months.

Simple steps to transition outdoor plants to indoor plants:

1. Decide what plants you want to keep.

2. Soak your plants in a big bucket of water for about 15 minutes or so. Make sure the water comes up over the sides of your growers pot. This will help anything (little creatures) float to the surface. Scoop out anything that floats to the top of your soil. You may need to add more soil to your pot after you have done this.  If you see that there are little critters in your soil that just don’t seem to be going away, it may be a good time to change the soil. A good potting mix for tropical plants will ensure proper drainage and nutrients.

3. Might be time for a repot. If you are finding that the roots are growing out of your pot, your plants can’t seem to soak up enough water or your leaves are yellowing, it may be time to repot those plant babies. It’s best to use a growers pot with good drainage to ensure your plants don’t sit in excess water.

4. Change the soil. If you see that there are little critters in your soil that just don’t seem to be going away, it may be a good time to change the soil. A good potting mix for tropical plants will ensure proper drainage and nutrients.

4. Spray your leaves with an insecticide or a mild detergent to clean off the leaves.

5. Trim any leaves back that doesn’t look nice. A general rule of thumb is to not trim back any more than 1/3 of your plant.

It is normal for your plants to drop some leaves or go through a bit of a transition after bringing them in. We don’t have the same amount of humidity or sunlight in our homes. It may take a month or so for your plants to acclimate to their new environment.

Don’t forget, our winter workshops are coming up! Sign up today to reserve your spot.

Looking for more? Check out our full selection of workshops.