Moving your houseplants to a porch or patio for the summer seems pretty straightforward, and it is, but you can take some steps to help ease the transition. Most houseplants can comfortably live indoors, but the extra sunlight and humidity outside better accommodate their needs. Find out what simple prep is necessary to help your houseplants settle in for a summer outside.

Inspect Your Plants

Give the plant a complete once-over before moving it outside. Look for signs of pests or any other issues. Start treating the plant if you identify pests and isolate the plant from other houseplants. Keeping an infested plant separate will reduce the risk of the pests moving on and damaging other plants. You may want to reconsider moving a pest-infested plant outside. Keeping the plant indoors provides a more controlled environment to eradicate the bugs.

Remove dead or damaged growth and rinse the foliage to remove dust buildup. Clean leaves look better and are more effective at soaking up the sun’s rays.

Prune Houseplants

Trim back leggy overgrowth to create a consistent shape. Growth will take off once the plant gets settled outside. If the plant is uneven at the start, it will become more so when it grows outdoors. For example, if you have a Pothos with a single long vine and a bunch of shorter stems, that long one will just get bigger. The short stems will grow too, but the plant will continue to have an unproportional look.

A plant that is thriving will also benefit from a trim. Cutting back growth encourages branching, depending on the plant, and new, healthy stems and leaves.

Repot Plants

Check if the plant is rootbound and if a new container and fresh potting soil are in order. Growth often slows in the winter and picks up again as the temperature rises. The outside conditions often support intense growth, so make sure the plant, including the roots, has the room to bulk up. A plant that is rootbound, or on the verge of rootbound, will not have space, and this can be detrimental. A rootbound plant may lose leaves and struggle. Upgrade to a container one to two inches larger, which provides plenty of space and fresh soil to further support new growth.

The type of container matters, so evaluate what your houseplant will need outside, because it may differ from what it needs inside. Porous terracotta may be a good choice indoors because it allows the potting mix to dry out, preventing overwatering. This feature may cause trouble outside when the hot sun beats down and wind blows, because the plant will dry out too quickly.

Always select a pot with drainage and consider using a cachepot to achieve a specific look. In addition to selecting an appropriately sized container, make sure also to upgrade the trellis if applicable.

Timing

Aim to complete these tasks about a month before you intend to move your houseplants outside. As much as pruning and repotting are beneficial and necessary, these tasks are somewhat stressful. Moving the plant outside is also somewhat stressful. Give the plant time to settle into its new container so it is acclimated and good to go before it has to manage any stress from the move. 

Set your houseplant up for success by ensuring it is happy and healthy. These tips are good general plant care, but they are even more important when preparing a houseplant for time outdoors.