houseplants are outside- request tips on bringing them back

I'm new to the group, but I have gotten into other forums for other interests just since retiring and found them helpful and fun . I got a link to this one and it looked like just what I am looking for!
Here's my questions. I have put out my amaryllis the past 2 years and know a little about bringing them in, but this year I moved all of my plants outside because of a 2 week vacation so they would get watered. They looked great when I got back. I know to spray them for insects, and there are a few I need to re-pot, so I figured good time to do it - yes/ no? Any others tips? I have these plants: oxalis, christmas cactus, nephthytis, pink and white polka dot plant, kalanchoe [ getting very leggy], some kind of pothos [ also very leggy] Several of these are old inherited plants, and I am still figuring out what to do with them...TIA

This message was edited Sep 7, 2011 4:41 PM

I have always transplanted my houseplants in the spring just as they are beginning to wake up from their long winters nap. As for the ones that are getting leggy I would trim them back. Good Luck

Thanks for the information. Did you mean that now wouldn't be a good time to re-pot? I find it hard to prune my plants, but am learning that it's good to do it. And they grew so much when outside, that they are really too big now- I guess I need to check to see if this was just top growth or if they really are too big for pot now...

Marty---

I would NOT replant your X-mas cactus this time of year. They will be blooming by Th-Giving.
Do not mess with them now! When in bloom, water them well....
In spring--after they have bloomed--is a good time to cut them back and refresh their soil if needed.
"Refresh" does not mean to re-pot them. Just scratch off some of the old soil and top-dress with some new soil.
If you have to re-pot--be careful--as their roots are quite shallow.

Your Oxalis will be going dormant soon. You have the green or the purple???
In October--sometime--it will stop producing leaves. It wants to have a LONG nap!!!
Stop watering the plant and give it a long winter's rest. Keep it near a light sorce when it starts growing again.
A trickle of water now and then is OK.
Oxalis grows from these tiny. peanut-like corms. These get bigger with time and can multiply easily.
By February--you will see new little leaves growing. It is "waking up".....
You can now start giving it a bit more water and, maybe, a weak fertilizer. Liquid MG is great for Houseplants.
Put your Oxalis outside for the growing season--somewhere in bright shade. It can grow quite large!

Your Polka Dot plants will need the best sun you can give them indoors. They can grow quite straggly--but you can
cut them back for bushier growth. Again--in spring is best. Most plants are in some sort of a "dormancy"
while in the house for the winter. Cutting plants back then would force them to put out new growth--when they
do not want to. Gotta know the life patterns of plants....
In summer--take them outside and plant them in a bed or a container. Adds pretty color....Cut back as needed.

Your kalanchoe is getting leggy, most likely, b/c it is not getting enough sun. It is a succulent--and needs sun and dry.
You can cut the leggy stems back in late spring and put it outside in part shade to start with. Easy on the sun!
It can sun-burn! It will do well in your garden and can, eventually, tolerate full sun.

Your Nephtytis is a low light House Plant. Even in the house! I would not put it outside except in total shade.
Remember--even the fullest shade outside is brighter than shade indoors.

Same goes for Pothos. A definite low light plant-and NO sun at all outside! It will get all pale and anemic...
You can cut it back, severely, and it will re-grow in the spring. Feed with liquid MG as needed.
The cuttings CAN be rooted--but it is not worth the effort.

If most of these are inherited plants--I betcha they need a good rejuvenation or re-potting.
BUT--In late spring. You can mix in some of these fertilizer granules, like Osmacote< in the
soil. it feeds your plants for 3-4 months. So--you do not need to be concerned.

NO biggie! Knowledge is all you need!!! Now you have some!

As away! Most people here are extremely helpful! You can find ME on the Mid Atlantic Forum!

Enjoy your gardening! Don't fret or worry too much. They are ONLY plants and all the ones you named
can, easily be replaced at a HD or other stores. I do not put up with sick or struggling plants.
NOT worth it! If you really love it--maybe--but, otherwise--you can buy a new one. $10-$12 will get you anything
you want...a full, 10" new HB of Pothos...so common!!!!

Gita

What about pests? I am bringing my houseplants back inside too.

I have spider plans, Peace lillies, Diffenbachia and a type of potos.
What do i do to make sure I am not bringing bugs inside?

Vinnie--

Do you actually have insect pests on your plants? You can spray them with a Houseplant Insect control spray.

Fot pests that have set up housekeeping in the soil--
If you can find some "Systemic Granules" somewhere--apply them to the surface of the soil on all the plants
you are bringing in about 2 weeks before they come in. Scratch into the top of the soil a bit and water in.
It will kill everything that has crawled into the pot during the summer season.
Then--the plant will also absorb the toxins and have them in it's "system".
Any sucking insects that may get on the plants will be killed by sucking on the plant juices.

"Bonide" make these. It is good for 8 weeks.I says it is for "outdoor use only".
There may be other SYSTEMIC type of products available as well. Check a HD or Lowes.

I found the Bonide Granules in a large, independent Nursery. Our HD stopped carrying it about 6-7 years ago.
They are very safety conscious....

Gita

Thanks for all the great information. Haven't been on the forum for awhile due to family/health problems. Also since don't get any email reminders...I forget. As far as getting rid of pests, I have sprayed with a dilute dish soap solution with good results both indoor and outdoor plants [1tsp soap to about 1 quart of water.] I'll let you know how my plants fare. Gitagal has a good point, if it doesn't work you can get new. I'm trying to reduce some of my plants- indoor and out, because there are too many- many of which I have divided and replanted because I couldn't give them away and hated to trash them! It's too much work and I need to focus on the ones I want/need. I do enjoy them so much more now that I am retired. I try to make the rounds and look at them, sometimes talk to them each day. It has helped me to play attention to how they are doing and to enjoy them as they change.

I use 1–2 tablespoons of dish liquid and 1–2 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol to one gallon of water as a dunk/drench for the houseplants coming inside. Sometimes I remove the plant from its summer soil, wash the plant, roots and all with the above solution, then repot in new soil, taking care to keep the plant in indirect window light and to keep it warm to ease its transition.

I'm paranoid about bringing in critters, spiders, and such, so after the above treatment, I watch those plants like a hawk to intervene with something stronger if the homemade solution didn't work. I would move up to Safer's insecidal soap or Neem oil.

~TJ