You aren’t the only one that likes to spend time outdoors, your plants do too! Summer is one of the best times to take your plants out to let them get some fresh air and sunshine. If you’ve checked out our outdoor ready Porch Perfect Collection but have some indoor plants you’d also like to add to your outdoor space, here are a few tips to consider to help ensure your plants have a healthy transition from inside to your patio.

Tip 1 - Slowly Introduce Your Indoor Plants to Your Outside Space

Even though a plant's natural environment is outdoors, it is important to reintroduce an indoor plant to the conditions outside. You want to make sure the temperature is warm enough, ideally above 50°F, if the temperature is falling below that at night you may want to bring your plants inside. The change in temperature and sunlight could harm and stress your plant if it's done too quickly.

To help your plant adjust to its new environment, start by placing it outside in a shady spot for 1-2 hours the first day and gradually increasing the amount of time and amount of sunlight it’s getting for the next 1 - 2 weeks. Even plants that love the sun have to adjust to direct outdoor sunlight if they have been growing inside. Be sure to check daily to look for any signs of sun damage during this transition period.

Tip 2 - You’ll Probably Need to Water Your Plants More

Moving your plants outside in the warmer temperatures also means that water is going to evaporate and dry out their soil much faster, but there’s also the chance of rainfall. All these new variables mean you’ll have to closely watch your plants' soil dryness to determine how often they need water on a day by day basis. You may even need to water your plants everyday depending on the temperature and humidity levels around you. You can use tools like our Digital Plant Thermometer to measure the soil moisture level.

Tip 3 - Keep an Eye Out for Strong Winds and Rain Storms

Your plant will love getting watered by the rain, be mindful of a light showering turning into a windy thunderstorm. Strong winds can tip plants over, break stems, and pull leaves off if it is not properly sheltered from the weather. Large amounts of rain can also over saturate the soil, so be sure the pots are draining properly so that the plants don’t get root rot.

Tip 4 - Extra TLC

While being outside is great for your plants and encourages extra growth, new blooms, and more vivid coloration there is some additional care that comes along with it.

Pest Control: While it’s not uncommon for insects to take a couple bites out of your plants you want to make sure nothing is making your plant its new home. This is especially when it comes time to bring them back inside. Inspect your plants throughout the summer to look for any pests like mites, fungus or soil gnats. To help prevent any pest problems or to help treat an infected plant, use Arber Organic Bio Insecticide, just mix the indicated amount with water and give it to your plants every 10 - 14 days.

Sunburn: If you notice foliage on your plants start to look bleached or develop brown spots, your plant is getting sun damage from too much direct sunlight. Scorched leaves are rarely lethal to a plant though, you will just need to remove the damaged leaves and relocate the plant to a shady area.

If you follow these tips and take the time to acclimate your indoor plants to being outdoors you’ll have your porch perfect personal jungle ready in no time!