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Moving Indoor Plants Outside in Summer |
By Mary Small, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension agent Urban Integrated Pest Management
The last average frost in the metro Denver area varies from May 15 to May 25, so wait until near the end of May. When you do set out plants, begin with days only and put plants in a protected location where they are not exposed to drying winds and high sunlight. In their native settings, many of our houseplants are tropical understory plants that don't require enormous amounts of light. Colorado's intense sunlight easily can damage plants that have spent the winter indoors under lower light intensities. After about ten days of being outside during the day, and assuming your area is frost-free, plants then can be left outdoors around the clock. Avoid placing plants in open sunlight and check the soil regularly for an increased need for water. House plants that have summered outdoors will need a similar conditioning regimen when you bring them inside in the fall.
Photograph courtesy of Judy Sedbrook.
