As temperatures drop, the inevitable needs to happen….moving non-hardy plants inside for the winter.
Tropical plants, such as houseplants, orchids, ferns, hibiscus, or any plant you intend to keep over the winter, should be moved inside before night temperatures reach 40 degrees. The colder the temperature that plants are exposed to, the more stress they must endure when moving inside. Mid-October is a good time even if frost hasn’t occurred.
Three things can happen when moving plants inside:
1 – Leaves turn yellow and drop off
2 – Flower buds dry up before opening
3 – Insects show up days to weeks after moving inside.
The moisture needs of your plants will be different once moved inside, so watch the watering closely for a few weeks. Most likely, the plant will dry out quicker and may wilt before you notice. Or worse, you keep watering without paying attention and root rot sets in. Either way, monitor closely for any possible changes.
Though plants don’t need a lot of fertilizer from November to February, a light feeding at the time of moving in may reduce the stress.
