Spring Has Sprung! Prepping Your Houseplants for Spring/Summer
Spring is finally here, which means more sunlight during the day, the weather is warmer, bulbs are emerging out of the soil. My houseplants and I will be back to thriving in no time. PLUS it's a prime season to propagate and pot up into bigger planters.
There are a few things to prep for, mainly storing all the winter care as we dive into the growing season (bye bye humidifier). Some of these are counter prep tasks from my winter prep guide.
Prepping
Remove window coverings
Clean and store humidifier
To clean: I soak and clean my humidifier using a 3:1 water to vinegar mix. Wipe down and let it completely dry before storing.
Re-arrange if needed! I sometimes will group my plants close to a window that gets a lot of sun exposure in the winter, my south or west-facing windows, to make up for the loss of sunlight during the day. Now with spring's normal sun exposure, my plants can get the normal amount of sun in other areas of the house.
Store away supplementary light if your plant is getting enough window exposure.
Watering
Water more! Now that plants are exposed to more sun and heat during the growing season, you'll notice that soil dries out quicker than usual compared to winter. I find myself watering tropical plants twice a week, my cactus/succulents twice a month. This also depends on the plant. Always make sure to check the soil is dry first before watering. I use the finger method to make sure the top 2" of soil is dry for my tropicals, for larger pots, gauge top 20-30%. If it doesn't stick and dry to the touch - water, if it's moist and the soil sticks to your finger - check in a few days. For cactus/succulents - I use a wooden dowel to check that the whole pot is dry.
Fertilizing
Fertilize your houseplants throughout the growing season, I start around April until early October - this all depends on how your microclimate is!
Learn more on fertilizing houseplants.
Light, Temperature, Humidity
I usually don't worry about supplemental light, heat, or humidity during the growing season. If it drops to 50°F, you may want to turn on a supplementary heater. I have a hygrometer to check on the humidity levels, if it drops below 20% humidity, you'll want to look into providing a humidifier for tropical plants.
Prepping for the Outdoors
If you decide to place your plants outside - acclimate your sun-loving plants before exposing them to full-sun!
This is very important especially if your plants aren't used to the bright sun. Over the course of a few weeks, you'll want to slowly introduce your plant to a shaded spot and then bright direct light. On the first day, place your plants in a shaded spot for a few hours, then bring them back in. Continue adding a few hours each day. After a week, expose it to a sunny spot for a few hours, then bring it back under a shaded spot. Continue adding a few hours of sun exposure each day. After a week, your plant should have fully acclimated to the sun.
Keep in mind - right plants, right place. Not all plants love full sun exposure or may not be compatible with your city's temperature, where you place them outside is important.
