Have you Kicked 'em out yet?

I've been gradually placing more and more plants outside for summer vacation. Our last really cold night, 38 degrees, was last week. I'm sure we're past the frost date now, so this weekend, most of my buddies will be heading outside. The sun lovers were all thanking me. I could even hear them singing my praises late at night. LOL Anyhoo, it's exciting for me to start putting my plants outside. Every year I swear that I'm not going to do it again the next, because of possible bugs and the hard work involved in getting everyone prepped to come back inside in the Fall. The benefits far outweigh the hassles. A little Neem oil as a preventative is usually all I need. (Let's not talk about aphids on my annuals, though!!!! Ugh!!!)

I've been taking mine out during the day....still getting down to the mid 30's here at night, frost night before last...they do love it though.

Only problem is, while everybody's outside, I buy new ones and put em in their spots thinking I have room, then when it's time for them all to come back in again....well.....then the scrambling begins....lol

Moved out the Amaryllis, Venus Flytraps and Sarrs. Also an elphant ears and a few caladiums that haven't popped up yet. It's about that time for my area. IF we get a frost threat I'll move them under the back porch....

YAY for warm weather!!!!!!!

Tom

Hi GH- another central MD here, so yes I have moved most outside, now that we have shade from the trees and seem to be OK temps. Actually I was thinking, it is good for me to wait for the tree leaves- since I want to avoid burning the indoor plants and that makes me wait till early May to put them out, so temp is pretty much OK. Glad we got some rain the other night.

Hi there Sally!

I'm thankful I have some trees to filter the sun too. I'd be mortified if my plants burned! I did try to gradually move them to more light over the course of a week. They seem to be faring pretty well so far. I'm anxious to see how my Anthuriums and Orchids perform being in some direct sun for a few hours each day. I'm praying for some blooms!

I took a few out on Sunday.
I wish I could just take them all out and get it over with, but I don't have a whole lot of shady spots to put them in to acclimate them.

It is SUCH a pain to bring them back indoors in the fall.
I really think I might invest in a small vinyl greenhouse this summer - (I've seen them at Tractor Supply for less than $100 - will have to save all sumer!) to have a place to group them when the first frost threatens.....it's always such a mad scramble, with the whole (reluctant) family involved to get them in...then I end up filling up the garage.....arrghh...I dread it, but the plants do so well out there during the summer, so I *have* to!!

I have that same problem, threegardeners! Always acquring just a couple more, thinking I have room - then....SURPRISE!

I move them all out this week to a deck with an overhang and then back into the GH in Oct. I think it is a big pain, but I really prune and re-pot a lot of the plants as I move them. Then I give the GH a good cleaning. We leave just a few big Jades , a Hibiscus tree and an avocado tree in for the summer. Here is the GH last year just before and then the lower left after after it is empty. The biggest problem is that I do what you all do, I continue to buy over the summer. Then I have to deal with where they will all go come fall. I was in Poughkeepsie recently and bought a mess of indoor plants at Adams Farm. Patti

One thing I do to ease the transition to full sun for susceptible house plants is to buy lots of cheesecloth, and open it up and wrap plants as a way of providing some shade. I use some twisties to hold it on, and then when I remove it, I fold away the cloth to use for next year. This is particularly helpful with orchids and a huge jade plant. I also have a picnic table with a homemade fiberglass top where I keep cacti and succulents, and when I first put them out, I put landscape fabric on top of the fiberglass for a week or so to acclimate them. Cheesecloth is available in grocery stores, hobby stores, and paint stores, sold in bags.

Susan in Minneapolis

Susan- good idea!
Actually, I almost have to take my plants out because I spend so much time with outside plants in summer, the inside few may suffer.
I have plants in schools that need homes too. Surprising how few people will accept a free plant for the summer.

I jumped the gun and took my plants out around the middle of April. The weather has been ok (knock on wood) with a few nights getting down to the 40's with a little frost one morning but they all look ok. They're on my front porch with a roof over their heads.

Susan

I kicked mine out about 3/4 weeks ago, so far so good.

Half out and the rest this week, but my porch is covered with flats of seedlings, so I have to deal with those first before I can find places for the GH gang. I would like to track the moving milage of my plants each year. Patti

Geez....they were ALL out...then came rain that we needed so badly....except the Cactus (they don't care for it much - LOL)...early Sun. I'm grabbing them and bringing them all back in on the dining room table. The kids just groaned and said...oh no....not again this year...

I had all of mine outside too and because of the rain forecast I brought most of them in. I left a few of them outside (adeniums, some hoyas, etc.). Now I'm worried sick. The pots are overflowing with water and I keep dumping the water out. I know it's good to flush your plants every now and then but this is ridiculous. I sure hope I don't lose them. It's supposed to clear up around Wednesday and I plan to dump all the water out and let them air dry. Luckily I have them in very well draining mix but I'm truly afraid they are doomed. Even with the ones I brought in, most are happier to be inside than they were outside. I now have burnt leaves, leaves that are withering and falling off etc. I will NEVER put them outside again once the ones that are out there dry out, they are coming in. This bringing them in and out is too much work and from what I can see, it's just not worth it. I can open the windows so they get air and even if they don't grow as fast inside, at least they grow healthier. Never again.

Kim

The only plants that get moved out of my GH that are still in the GH are some potted up Canna, which I will put in the ground next week. Our soil is still on the cool side. I have some failed flats of seeds from my poor winter sowing experiment that I thought I would give some extra heat to by putting them back in the GH. If that fails I will do the refrigeration trick to see if I can get a few more to germinate, before giving up on them. That leaves a big hibiscus tree, some big jades, an avocado tree and some jasmine vines and scented geraniums that can take the GH heat in the summer. I have some bedded agapanthus that are about to bloom so I may leave them for this summer. I need to move out some Gazania that I wintered over, but they are in full bloom now so I am also reluctant to move them now. Also I leave a big planting of Purple Heart Tradescantia pallida which loves the heat. Patti

hmmmm, Kim...I never thought to take my hoyas out....maybe they would grow faster for me. Poor things, I've had them for 5 years now...LOL...and just last night finally moved 3 of them into 6" pots. My favorite one that smells incredible always looks sickly - yet, I checked it last night and wouldn't you know it has 3 buds ready to bloom....yipee!! I would think as long as they didn't get cold you might be ok. Did you get my dmail that I got your goodie box?

I did Chantell and thank you for reimbursing the postage. Everything traveled OK? How is the thrift doing? I sure hope it goes on to bloom for you.
It is actually very cold and wet here and I can't tell you how worried I am about my hoyas out there. Unfortunately there isn't really much I can do as I recently repotted them and until they dry out I don't have any new mix to put them in :( I'm so worried but I will keep continuing to empty the water out and hopefully they will dry out quickly. I am never going to put them outside again.
I have a Sheperdii in full bloom in my bedroom. At night when I open the door....ohhh the perfume in my room. I LOVE it. Hubby was even like......hey, what's that smell and I showed him. I don't have many that bloom but this one does pretty faithfully. My Multiflora blooms alot too but there is no smell :( As a matter of fact, one of the ones that's outside is my Multiflora :( Maybe I will have to go out there and get them.....I think I'm going to right now as I'm sick writing about it and sick looking at them out there in this pouring, freezing rain.....I'll be back soon.

Kim

Kim, the shepherdii cuttings you sent me last Fall bloomed recently. It was only one bloom, but hey, I'll take what I can get!!! I've got them in better light now that summer is almost here, so they should take off for me.

Good luck with your plants.

GH

So what does the shepherdii smell like?
Kim - I had a thought...what about putting your pots on top of your stove and turning your oven on a lower temp but warm enough to cause the top to warm? Just do that for a little bit - watching your plants so you dont' cook them.
Do you realize out of 4 hoyas...I've only had 2 bloom....and as pretty as the Bellas are, I've never detected any scent.

I'd like to know what Shepherdii smells like too, as I didn't detect a scent on my one measly bloom. LOL One of these days........

GH

You know the Sheperdii has a distinct smell. I asked hubby what he thought they smelled like lavender. It can be a little strong (I have about 7 umbels in bloom right now and about 20 to follow) *lol* so I hope he really likes the smell of it. They don't smell so much during the day.....watch out at night!

GH I am SO SO SO happy to hear your cuttings are blooming and thriving for you! I love to hear that the plants I share are making it in their new homes.

Chantell, how is everything settling in at your home?

I tipped all the pots on their side last night and left them outside as tomorrow (not today) things are supposed to start to dry out. As soon as they dry out a little they are all coming in. I honestly have made myself ill with worry.

Kim

Lavender? OMG....ok...now going ISO of that one...I swore I was only sticking to the 4 I have...but if it smells like lavender...ahhhhhhh!!! You do so well with all of them Kim....why are the Bellas so tempermental for you!?! Do you want me to start another for you?

Bella is so tempermental for me. I have almost gotten to the point where I'm just going to give up on it. Some I can grow, some I can't. I just need to accept that *lol*. The Sheperdii I have is forever old and how it blooms is beyond me as it is a mass of roots but I am so afraid of taking it out to re-pot *lol*. I will probably attempt to re-pot it this fall and would be happy to share it with you if you'd like.

Kim

We've had some cool rainy days, too, but IMHO, the plants are loving every minute of it.
They're getting all showered off, and a soak for a couple/few days isn't going to hurt them...in fact I think it's good for them after the long dry winter indoors.

Mine all hang in my apple trees in a southern exposure, so they don't get any direct sun at all, but lots of fresh air.

The hoyas that I take outdoors during the summer are the most reliable bloomers....(some indoors didn't bloom for years and finally did after the first year I took them out) and they really grow like crazy outdoors during the summer.
That being said, though....I don't take them *all* outdoors.

I guess what I'm saying is don't fret about them, Kim...they're tougher than you might think.

I know that several of the plants I have would never survive at all if they weren't able to be summered outdoors....indoor light year 'round simply isn't enough to sustain them.

Now I'm anxious to see my Shepherdii bloom, too!!
I've had this one a long time, and it really took it's sweet time doing any growing....I had kept it indoors for 2-3 years, and only took it outdoors last summer for the first time, where it really did some growing. If I were you, though, with one blooming indoors.....I'd never take it outdoors, either!

My bella is in full bloom right now, and like you, Kim, I haven't detected much of a scent. Seems that most hoyas don't have much if any scent during the day (much like Brugmansias, I've noted) but at night or early morning.....very potent!
H. lacunosa, for example...perfumes the entire house at night.

Nan,

Lacunosa and Bella have always given me such a hard time. I can't count all the ones that have died at my hands. I'm desperately trying to hold on to my last few Bella cuttings but I'm afraid they won't last through the summer. Not sure what I do wrong with them. Others, like Multiflora, Heuschkeliana (sp?), and Sheperdii seem to do wonderful for me. I think some of them are easier than others in my opinion. I love my Heuschkeliana and recently took 6 cuttings of her. I'm hoping that I can get them to root (another area I seem to have difficulties *lol*).

I have been going back and forth with the outside thing trying to decide if it really is worth it. I took my epis out thinking it would be good for them and now have mushy leaves and burned leaves. They looked better before I brought them outside. I also found a couple ticks in my plants and they are covered with tree pollen. They almost looked relieved when I brought them back inside.

Our weather here is so unpredictable that I think I have decided that leaving them inside year round is a better option for me. Maybe when they get bigger and stronger I will try again but for now I worry too much the whole time they are outside.

Kim

That's the one!! It's the H. lacunosa that almost always looks 1/2 dead but still blooms...that scent is a kicker...I adore that fragrance!! Bless her heart, she's still in the 4" pot...I did replace all the soil (ya think is was time after 5 years...my bad) so hopefully she'll be happier and perk up a bit. My Bella has not bloomed for me this year...I noticed that when I finally moved her up to a 6" pot...no buds any where...hmmmm...she looks good other wise.
I took all my epis outside - hung 3 of them in my dwarf tree in the front...they only geting morning sun for a bit then they're in the shade...I didn't notice any burning...I'll have to check them. The big un's are on the back deck...I combined 3 pots into one huge one...they're all forms of the night blooming epis. What I would give to have any of my epis give me a flower....ho hum....
Kim - if you're able to send some of the Sheperdii this fall or able to root some now to send in the fall - I'll work on a surpise for you, that I think you will like - a lot...no, it's not a Bella...
Nan - how are YOU?!?? How's that baby and DD?

Someone has a birthday coming up...hmmm...wonder who that could be?

Now Chantell, you can't do that to me *lol*......a surprise......tell me tell me tell me *lol*

Did you ever let me know how things are settling in for you from the last box I sent? I'm dying to know if the thrift is faring well and also how the sedum is settling.

I will be more than happy to send you some rooted Sheperdii this fall.....remind me remind me remind me K?

How about some rooted cuttings from my Pagoda Lipstick plant? I'll post a picture of it for you either later when I get home from work or tomorrow morning before I leave for work. If you don't already have one, I think you are really going to LOVE it. The leaves are beautiful even when not in bloom. They are speckled and purple underneath. I love the foliage on this one!

Kim