With a hard freeze in the forecast, it’s time to move any remaining outdoor ornamental houseplants indoors.

K-State Research and Extension recommends all plants, even those kept in shade outdoors, should be placed in an area of the home that gets a lot of sunlight.

Just to compensate for those lower light levels, shorter intensity of duration. The goal is not really to get them to grow and thrive but the goal is keep then alive so you can boot them back out the next spring and have another season of color.

It is also recommended  keeping plants out of areas where hot air from the furnace blows directly on them. That dry air will just cook the foliage out of the plant, and then cause a lot of the margins of the leaves to turn brown. So, you also need to watch where you set the plants because winter air in a home is just dry and most plants, especially those tropical plants, really are more happy in a little bit more humid environment.

While it may be tempting to set those indoor plants outside on warm fall or winter days, it’s not recommended.

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Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash