Bringing Indoor Plants Outside

For most of us spring is Here. Spring announces its arrival in a few ways. The weather warms up. When you look outside you see new leaves breaking out and creating a canopy of foliage. Flowers begin to pop and color abounds. Last but not least - we get the urge for some spring cleaning.

This spring cleaning takes on different forms. It may be cleaning out the garage, getting the lawn in shape, trimming some trees, or just opening up the house to let it breathe a little after a long winter.

You know what it’s like to get outside and feel the warmth of the sun, it’s invigorating. You enjoy it - why not your plants? Shouldn’t your plants feel like they’re getting a “new life”?

I hear it especially in the spring time. People get in the spring cleaning mood and take the plants outside for a little fresh air and sun. They get busy working or head off to run a few errands and forget about their plants outside. A few hours pass and then it hits them. Oh no, I left the plants outside.

They quickly go to check on the once beautiful foliage that is now just sun burned and brown. Then the questions start coming.

Is the plant dead?

Can I grow it back out?

How long will it take?

Remember when you first brought the plant home and it lost some leaves, it thinned out and became a little more open. Your plant was acclimating to its new environment. The leaves, stems and branches have developed in a lower light level.

Placing the plant outside in bright light burned the leaves just like your skin can get sunburned. You can recover but the plant will probably never regain the same form that it once had. My advice is usually to go purchase a new plant and learn from your mistake.

So if you are thinking about doing some spring cleaning. You can move your plants around - but keep indoor plants indoors out of the sun.