Location: southeast US
One of the bonuses of living in the Deep South is the ability to keep houseplants outside for six months of the year. After winter months spent sweeping up dropped leaves and misting and watering indoor plants and then a cold snap in the early spring, I’m ready for a break. More importantly, it’s good for the plants, too. They thrive in the humidity of our hot summers and by the time they are brought back into the house they have substantial new growth and lovely glossy foliage.
To prepare the houseplants for their summer vacation, I start by giving them a good grooming. I trim off any torn leaves or bare branches and prune to shape them a bit if they need it. I put the plants in the bathtub and give them a gentle shower to wash off the leaves and the pots. I leave them there over night with the shower enclosure closed. As I remove them I add potting soil if needed, repot plants that appear pot bound and they are ready for a summer vacation in the great outdoors.
Several large pots that lived in my home are now relocated to a corner of the front porch where they receive good Southern exposure but are protected from wind and direct sun and can be watered all at once with the wand sprayer of a nearby hose. I apply the same Safer Oxygen Plus Plant Food used on the plants while indoors which eliminates the worry of over-watering.
Any plants that are not doing well are taken out to the plant hospital in the back yard. I don’t know exactly why one area beneath a large oak tree is the perfect healing place for ailing plants – but I’ve found it works every time. The combination of dappled shade and proximity to the shelter of the house itself has turned many sad and straggling house plants into perfect specimens within a few weeks. The old metal patio table under the tree is home to the smaller potted houseplants throughout the summer months.
