On today’s Plant Tip Tuesday we are talking about whether houseplants can go outside for the summer here in Saskatchewan?

Here at Bill’s we specializes in indoor tropical plants and don’t carry a many outdoor varieties, but we get asked all the time if “this plant” can go outside?

To which we respond “YES but please know they are more tender” than plants specifically bread for outdoors.

Temperatures need to be consistently above 10 degrees, or they can suffer cold stress.

Varieties that greenhouse grown specifically for houseplants are often tropical plants that naturally grow in the under story or forest floor. This means that they are protected from direct sunlight.

Tropicals would also prefer to be protected from the harsh weather like heavy rain or winds….again because their tenderness.

They also need to be watered and fertilized more frequently than they would indoors

If you want to bring them in at the end of summer, you want to be sure that there are no insects coming in with the plant by using a mild insect spray.  As well, replace as much soil as possible along with adding diatomaceous earth to the new soil is recommended.

Enjoy the sunshine!