A: As a tropical plant gardener, it's important to assess the temperatures outside before moving your plants outdoors. Most tropical plants thrive in sustained temperatures above 60F.
Moving your plants outside during the summer creates optimal growing conditions for sun-loving plants, providing them with more light and warmth than they can ever get inside. This active time of growth, along with the outdoor conditions of humidity, heat, sunlight, and natural day length, gives the plant a chance to experience growth in an outdoor environment, making for a much stronger plant.
However, be aware of sun burn. Direct sunlight can burn patches of white or brown on the surface of the tender leaves, so it's best to move your plants outside by hardening them off first. Gradually increase the amount of direct sunlight they receive over several days before moving them into full sun.
It's also a good time to prune your plants and repot them if needed, providing better aeration to the root system. But avoid root pruning as it can make your plant susceptible to disease and shock.
Overall, moving your tropical plants outside encourages their natural bloom cycle and provides extra vigor for the upcoming indoor season. However, be aware that you may have to deal with insects when you bring your plants back inside in the fall, so use preventive sprays like Sunshine NoBug before bringing them back inside. Leaf drop is also common when plants come back inside, so make sure to provide a well-lit location.
When moving plants outside, it's important to provide them with proper nutrients through fertilization. Outdoor conditions can deplete the soil of essential nutrients, so giving your plants a boost of fertilizer before moving them outside can help them acclimate to their new environment. Apply Sunshine Boosters with every watering, include micro-elements and bio stimulants to boost their immune system.