How to winterize your plants

You have potted tropical plants that have been outdoors or in a patio area and shortly you will have to protect your plants against colder temperatures coming soon

For tropical plants, "cold" starts at 55 degrees

Where folks create their own problems is when tropicals are suddenly brought indoors. The tendency is to wait until the last possible day and then bring plants in ..and that doesn't work

One important "trick" is to pre-adjust your plants for indoor conditions and the main component is light and light hours

If you simply take a plant indoors, especially from a bright exposure, there is a serious shock from change of light and change of light hours. Doing so will result in leaf yellowing and leaf loss, a little or a lot of leaf loss ...the reason is the change

Here's what you do...

At least 3 weeks before you expect to take plants indoors, start adjusting light hours and light exposure. To do so, move your outdoor potted plants to shade and thereafter to DEEP SHADE

Keep your plants in DEEP SHADE outdoors at least one week before you take plants indoors. Deep shade pushes plants to get used to much lower light conditions (like indoors in your home) and much lower light hours per day ...and OUTDOORS, your plants will handle DEEP SHADE much better than low light indoors

Also, starting at least 3 weeks before you expect to take plants indoors, back off on water a lot. Provide only the absolute minimum water each plant will tolerate. Also, in deep shade, less water is required automatically

For some reason, folks start thinking about fertilizer as fall approaches. The fact is, your LAST FEEDING of the year should be in later summer ...and then NO FOOD until late winter or early spring ...just before you will take your plants outdoors again. Feed well during warm and hot months

Avoiding fertilizer as time comes to go indoors is correct because plants slow growth way down or even stop in cooler/cold months. Fertilizer is actually a stress on plants applied at the wrong times

Indoors, a north window is almost impossible to be successful for your plants ...it's dark all the time on the north side. East window is great and all plants love the morning sun. South probably is the most bright light hours. West may be OK, but west light can be too brief ...consider commercial grow lights if you need added hours

From deep shade outdoors, your plants are now as ready as they can be to live with you in your house. Feeding is complete and water has been reduced to a minimum and will stay at a minimum all indoor months

Even with all this preparation, plants will complain about the transition to indoor living. Leaf yellowing and some leaf loss is to be expected ...but your plants will stabilize in time

Keep the water low, keep temperatures warm and provide as many bright light hours as possible with your window selection