AVON, Ohio (WJW) — Many of us brought our houseplants outside this past summer to give them fresh air and sunlight, but according to AJ Petitti, now is the time to start transitioning those plants back indoors. Fox 8’s Stefani Schaefer is particularly interested in this topic and she made special note of the tips AJ shared to help us make successful houseplant transitions. AJ recommends starting the transition now because cooler weather is right around the corner.
- Trim the plant back to a manageable size (re-pot if the plant has become rootbound or has grown too big for the pot).
- Allow exposure to 1-2 light frosts to trigger dormancy and reduce any shock to the plant caused by the transition.
- Apply systemic insecticide granules to the soil to get rid of pests present in the soil and prevent new pests from developing long-term.
- Spray the foliage with insecticidal soap, Neem Oil, or any houseplant bug spray to get rid of pests currently living on the plant’s leaves.
- Bring in, remembering to water less during winter (get a moisture meter), do not fertilize until next spring, and expose plants to as much sunlight as possible.