Many of our favorite indoor plants make great outdoor garden plants in the summer time too. Now that our evening temperatures seemed to have leveled out in the upper 40s and 50s it is safe to start moving these plants outside.
One common mistake people make is moving plants outside into the hot sun too quickly. Our indoor plants have been been pretty sheltered in our homes so they need to be slowly transitioned outdoors. Plants should first be put outside on a cloudy day or placed in a shaded location for the first couple of days. After that initial period the plants can gradually be moved into more sun over the next week. Keep in mind that most indoor plants are not going to tolerate full sun, but will enjoy a shaded location. Succulents, cactus and hibiscus will tolerate full sun, but most flowering plants will prefer dappled sun outdoors and foliage plants will prefer shade. Plants with fuzzy leaves like African violets are best left indoors.
Keep in mind that the heat and wind will dry your plants out much more quickly outside than they did inside. Insects may also find your houseplants a tasty treat when outdoors during the summer so keep an eye out for them too and treat as needed. Don’t forget to fertilize since your plants will thrive outdoors and need additional food.