As you may have noticed, summer has come and gone and we are now in the thick of Fall (aka ‘pumpkin spice season’). The leaves are turning colours, the sun is setting too soon, and wearing shorts starts to feel like denial. You are reacting to the changes happening all around you, and the same can be said for your plants. They may look a little different or drop leaves, and you may have patio plants you want to bring indoors. Here are 3 tips on how to make that transition a success:

Clean them!

Just like humans, plants like to be nice and clean. The change in seasons is a good reminder to clean off the dust that has accumulated on our house plants since the last time we cleaned them... As we start to turn our heating on, there is also extra dust that will settle on our plants and further decrease their ability to photosynthesize. The same tip can be applied to outdoor patio plants before bringing them inside.

To read more about the HOW and WHY behind cleaning your plants, check out our previous post Top 3 Ways to Clean Your Plants. 

Check for Pests!

In conjunction with cleaning your plants, it is also a good idea to do a routine pest check to keep those buggers at bay before they become a bigger problem. In the colder months, plants have less energy and go into a dormant growth stage. At the same time, pests begin to thrive in the dry heated indoor air. These two factors make the plant more susceptible to pests.

To check for pests, examine all surfaces of your container and plant (including the leaf undersides). Observe for any:

• Insects, eggs, webbing
• Sticky substances
• Scaly texture
• Abnormal discoloured leaves

If you suspect that your plant does indeed have pests, immediately separate that plant from the rest of your plants. To further identify the potential pest & find a recommended treatment, you can check out this post How to Identify & Control House Plant Pests. 

Extra Tip: It’s good to be proactive with pests and we have had a lot of success (and gotten good feedback from all of you that have tried it) using BIOS’ Yucca Extract foliar spray that acts as an insecticide. 

Observe & Adjust Care!

The change in season and environment affects the light and water that your plant requires. But with a few easy observations, you can make these subtle changes:

As the days get shorter and the angle of the sun gets lower, plants may need to be moved closer to the window to get sufficient light. If you notice the leaves start to burn, move the plant farther away from the window.

Due to the decrease in sunlight and the natural dormant stage, plants may not be as thirsty. To avoid overwatering, increase the time between waterings, making sure you feel the soil to determine if the soil is actually dry before giving your plant a drink.

To counteract the effects of the dry air from our heating systems, you can use a humidifier or keep water trays underneath your plants. 

If you want to read even more on simple yet effective plant care tips, check out this previous post 3 Plant Care Tips From The Experts.