When is it safe to put indoor plants outside?

I am anxious to move my tropicals outside. I can find no information except the tags that came with some that will tell me the minimum temperature for these plants. For many I have no such tag. How do I find this information? When is it safe to put them out? For example, I have a "parlor palm" that did quite well last summer on my lanai. It is large and I want to move it out. When can I do that? Same with a philodendron that is now sporting a wonderful callis-like bloom. Can it go out now? The temperature tomorrow night may go down to 40. Is that too low for my Jade plants? How about spider plants in hanging baskets? Geraniums? Can I move my HUGE Bird of Paradise out now? We are nearing the average last date of frost.

I am in Zone 7b. When can I move my orchids to the lanai? The temperature this morning at 8AM was 47.

Hi Guy - I try to stick to the adage of better being safe than sorry. Typically the last day for threat of frost in Virginia is May 15. I wouldn't put any of my houseplants out before that time. Forty degrees is a little too close to freezing temperatures for my comfort.

I suppose if you have lots of time and energy you could probably safely begin hardening off the plants by bringing them outside during the day, but bringing back in each night. Too much work for me as I have a slew of plants.

Waiting is what I would do.

Ruby

Guy, Some tropicals are more tender than others. None of them can take a frost but some won't do well even in 40 degrees for more than a night. If it is below 50 I bring some of mine in. You may have to search each plant to find out what their needs are. I think our last frost date is probably May 15th but I always use Mothers Day as my safe date. I move some of my house plants outside before that but never more than I am willing to carry back inside at night if I need too. LOL
With the beautiful weather we are having I am just dying to get some of these outside. Don't forget to protect them against sunburn when they first go out.

I try to use the sunburn risk as a help--first wait for trees to leaf out well so you can put tropicals in the shade to start. As Holly said tho, some tropicals don't like to go below 60. I don't think they'll up and croak but I have just read that coleus for example will drop leaves below 60 and seems to have done so for me too.
Putting the tropicals under leafed trees will help them stay a bit warmer on a cool night too, if by just a few degrees.
Then again there is my banana tree which is so heavy I can barely carry it. I have it out under my crabapple which leafs out earliest, and if the banana gets hit by a little frost I am sure it will resprout. Sometimes you just don't care THAT much how well the plant likes it.
Geraniums (pel;argoniums) I think are hardier than some other truly tropical things. I have a geranium out already and seems happy.

I've been tempted to get a few things outside myself with this gorgeous weather but I'd have to agree with Ruby...better safe than sorry. You are in an area that's a little warmer than most of us but unless you want to drag everything back inside when we get that unexpected chilly night that always surprises us, I'd wait a few more weeks.

Brr, it was 39 here at 7 am. Such a chillyr rain yesterday.

I have now done the "in and out" dance about 3 times--NOT with any of my house plants--but with my Tomato plants and the other larger seedlings. At this time--they are back inside under my lights....
They don't fit any more--but they will have to tough it out!

I am with Holly and sally---better safe than sorry....Yes, Geranuiums can take some cold--and I bekieve the jade, being a succulent, can as well......But it is hard to just plop them outside when it is 40-something....gradual is best....

It is a bummer that for the rest of this month the night temps. are predicted to be in the mid-high 40's--breaking into the very low 50's a few times--yet the days will all be in the mid-high 60's.

NOT FAIR!!!! Gita

I'm waiting to plant also, but have my tomatoes, coneflowers & some agatashe (sp?) in my little patio greenhouse. Everything else is still in the house, under 3 48" lights, in front of 2 windows, a window seat, and oh, I still have to repot my 2 impatiens and about 50 lavender lady, and then I wanted to start some marigolds & zinnias inside so I would be able to put them right where I want them. DH told me I needed a greenhouse, I sure could use one RIGHT NOW!!!! I really overseeded stuff, and I can't seem to pitch the little darlings. Good thing I am expanding my butterfly garden, where else would I be able to put 100 coneflowers?

I do have my jade plant outside on the deck and it seems fine, since about two weeks ago with those warm nights and hot days.