How to Care for Your Houseplants During Summer Time

If you own houseplants, you know how quickly they grow during the summer! This can be challenging as your watering schedule may change, plants outgrow their pots, and maybe you’ll find a bug or two. Let’s get into how to pivot your houseplant care as the sun begins to shine a bit harder —

update your watering routine

You may be used to your typical winter/spring watering schedule—once a week or even for some plants, every two weeks! Not in the summer time though. When the sun comes out, growth is no joke and water evaporates and absorbs a lot more quickly. In just a span of one week, you can find your plants giving you some significant growth. As always, all plants require different watering routines, so make sure to do your research to find what works best for your plant. A good rule of thumb is to water when the first few inches of soil is dry, but for those that like to maintain some moisture, you’ll have to keep more of a close eye on. You’ll find your new summer rhythm in no time!

*Note: If you’re running your AC throughout the summer, keep in mind that this also can contribute to drying out the soil more quickly as well. This may require you to check in on your plants even more often.

inspect each plant carefully

As humidity and heat rises, there are new friends that like to join in on the fun. Every season, it’s important to do a thorough leaf inspection on all plants to see if any pests have found their way onto your plant babies. An effective precautionary step is spraying your plant leaves with Neem oil and wiping off the leaves weekly. This protects your plant from any potential pests and gives you the opportunity to do a weekly check-in.

repot as needed

Like we’ve mentioned, you will see abundant growth from your plants throughout this season. Yes, growth is so exciting to witness, but that also means that your plants may grow out of the pots that they currently reside in. If they are not repotted, this can result in your plant becoming root bound, which eventually affects the health of your plant growth. Water and nutrients aren’t able to transfer as effectively, so if you see new growth seeming smaller or leaves simply falling off, this may be a sign that your plant is root bound and is ready for a new home!

*If your plant lives outside, it’s best to wait on repotting until the heat passes. It can get stressed out by its move to a new pot and heat can be an extra irritant to that stress. If you’re repotting inside a cool home, you will find success with the repotting process.

too much sun can be harmful

We wish there was a plant SPF because they get sunburnt too. The best way to protect your plants from harsh sun damage is to simply keep your eye on them. If your plants are wilting, yellowing, or browning, these may be signs that you need to relocate the plant or limit its exposure to the sun.

If your plant ends up getting sunburnt, no worries, your entire plant will most likely survive. The specific sunburnt part will just turn black and crispy, but it should not affect the heath of the overall plant.

research, research, research

This is our last point because although we share general advice and knowledge, it may not work as well for all of your plants! Research as much as you need to and trust your instincts! If you feel that something may not be okay with your plant, you’re probably right. As you research, make sure to look up specific water and sun exposure needs, soil preference, when to water it, and any other details such as misting and fertilizing. You got this. Happy summer, everyone!