Putting plants outdoors

If you’re lucky enough to have a balcony or a garden, you can move your houseplants outside during the warmer months.

BENEFITS

• Plants love the light – and there’s much more light outdoors, so your plant will grow more quickly.

• Your outdoor space will be lush and green and this will free up space indoors.

• Thanks to the ideal light conditions, some plants that are normally shy to flower may put on a show when they are in peak condition.

DRAWBACKS

• The transition to outdoors can be tricky. You have to take account of wind, rain and temperature drops. Plants drink much more water outdoors, so they’ll need more frequent watering and looking after – especially if it doesn’t rain.

• Plants also need more plant food outdoors because of the improved growing conditions.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO?

• Put your plant outside when the night-time temperature doesn’t fall below 10°C (50°F). Leave it in full shade for two weeks, then take one to two weeks to gradually acclimatize it to sunlight (in half shade).

• Overcast weather is perfect as full sunlight can burn the leaves.

• If leaves become scorched (you can tell by brown and yellow patches on the leaves after one week), don’t despair. Just trim away the damaged leaves and the plant will most likely put out new leaves after a little while.

DON’T FORGET

• A houseplant needs to be robust for outdoor summer living, so check to see whether your plant can cope with the elements before putting it outside.

• Don’t use a pot outdoors without drainage holes! Rainwater will drown your plant, so make sure the pot has drainage holes.

• Plants drink more the more sunlight they get, so water more during dry periods.

• Wind dries out soil faster.

• Cacti and succulents can stand in full sunlight, but perhaps bring them under cover when there is lots of rain in order to prevent death by drowning.

• Tropical plants prefer half shade and will quickly burn in full sunlight.