If you love houseplants, why not grow some that can do double duty? Many houseplants are tropical natives, which means they thrive outdoors once the weather is warm and steamy. I don’t know about you, but I think houseplant care feels easier when it’s done outdoors! A quick spritz with the hose to water them and they thrive in the warm, breezy air through the summer. My plants always look fuller and healthier after their annual summer vacation to the porch. Then bring them indoors to brighten your home as the weather cools. Let’s dig in and explore which houseplants will make your porch pop this summer!
Why Use Houseplants on Your Porch for a Seasonal Cycle?
Moving your indoor plants outside for the warmer months offers several benefits that go beyond simple aesthetics. The increased light, natural humidity, and gentle breezes stimulate vigorous growth. Plants that may have struggled inside often rebound with lush foliage and even flowers. This practice, sometimes called a “summer vacation” for plants, can rejuvenate your collection and save you money on new seasonal decor. When you bring them back inside for winter, you get to enjoy their improved health and size all season long. This cycle is especially rewarding for the houseplants winter porch strategy, where you maximize your investment in greenery year-round.
1. Pothos: The Indestructible Trailing Vine
When it comes to houseplant care, few are easier than pothos (Epipremnum aureum), a forgiving plant that even beginners will find hard to kill. Pothos is a tropical vine that you can train to climb a vertical surface or allow to spill from a hanging pot. It grows fast and comes in several varieties, with foliage in all shades of green, yellow, white, and variegation. Outside on your porch, pothos is an ideal choice for a hanging basket. The vines will grow vigorously in the summer heat and humidity, and with bright, indirect light.
Transitioning Pothos Back Indoors
Pothos is also easy to transition back inside. Just be sure to trim it back a little if it grows too large over the summer. Before bringing it indoors, inspect the leaves and stems for pests like aphids or spider mites. A gentle rinse with the hose can dislodge any unwanted visitors. Once inside, place it in a spot with similar indirect light to avoid shock. Water only when the top inch of soil feels dry, as indoor conditions are less humid and the plant will need less frequent watering.
2. Snake Plant: The Tall, Architectural Statement
Snake plant is another example of an easy, popular houseplant that tolerates neglect, poor light conditions, and even dry, poor soil. Dracaena trifasciata is a tropical native with spiky leaves that grow up to five feet (1.5 m) tall when container-grown. Snake plants make striking porch plants with their tall, lance-shaped leaves. They are also ideal for the porch because they grow best in indirect light. Pair them with some trailing plants or bright flowers for contrast.
Bringing Snake Plant Inside for Winter
Like pothos, snake plant tolerates change well and will transition easily back inside for winter. Before moving it indoors, check the soil for any signs of overwatering, as outdoor rain can leave it soggy. Allow the soil to dry out completely before bringing it into your home. Snake plants prefer temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so avoid placing them near drafty windows or heating vents. With its striking vertical lines, it can serve as a living sculpture in a living room or hallway.
3. Spider Plant: The Prolific Propagator
Spider plant is a classic, popular houseplant known for its graceful, arching leaves and “babies” that make propagating so easy. Spider plant is Chlorophytum comosum, a tropical native that prefers warmth, humidity, and indirect light but that will tolerate poor conditions and even some neglect. While very popular indoors, spider plants thrive and brighten up porches in summer. They can be placed on tables or used in hanging pots. They’ll appreciate the fresh air and summer weather and reward you with quick growth and plenty of baby plantlets that you can snip off and repot.
Winter Care for Spider Plants
They’ll readily transition back inside once temperatures drop again. Before moving them, cut back any brown tips or damaged leaves. Spider plants are sensitive to fluoride in tap water, which can cause leaf tip burn. Use distilled or rainwater for watering once they are indoors. Place them in bright, indirect light near a window. The baby plantlets you propagated over summer can be potted up and given as gifts or used to fill other areas of your home.
4. Anthurium: The Year-Round Bloomer
Many porch plants are flowering annuals that don’t transition well indoors. Anthurium is an example of a flowering houseplant that can be put outside for summer and successfully brought back in for winter. Anthurium spp. are also known as flamingo flowers for their unique, large, and bright spathes that surround the flower spikes. Anthurium can be coaxed into blooming year-round, so you can enjoy its colorful blooms inside and out. In summer, it will thrive in a shady spot when the air is warm and humid. Place a striking anthurium on a side table or patio dining table, either alone or with smaller foliage plants.
Bringing Anthurium Indoors
When moving anthurium back inside, be mindful of its need for consistent humidity. Group it with other plants or place a humidifier nearby to prevent the leaf edges from browning. It prefers bright, indirect light but can tolerate lower light levels, though flowering may slow down. Water it when the top inch of soil feels dry, and avoid letting it sit in standing water. With proper care, you may see new blooms appear even in the dead of winter, adding a tropical splash of color to your home.
You may also enjoy reading: Reasons to Snag ALDI’s $15 Rave Raised Planter Back.
5. Peace Lily: The Elegant Moisture Lover
Another flowering houseplant you can put outside in summer is the popular peace lily. Spathiphyllum is a tropical plant that thrives with indirect light, warmth, and moist soil. Peace lilies can grow very large, so they make striking porch plants. In summer, they will produce more flowers and larger leaves thanks to the increased humidity and warmth. Place them in a shady corner of your porch where they won’t get direct afternoon sun, which can scorch their leaves.
Winter Transition for Peace Lilies
Before bringing peace lilies indoors, trim away any spent flowers or yellowing leaves. They are sensitive to cold drafts, so avoid placing them near doors or windows that are frequently opened. Inside, they will continue to bloom if given enough indirect light and consistent moisture. Water them when the soil feels slightly dry to the touch, and mist the leaves occasionally to maintain humidity. Their graceful white spathes can brighten up any room during the darker months.
6. New Guinea Impatiens: The Colorful Annual That Can Be Perennial
Often grown as summer annuals outside, you can transition these impatiens indoors. Impatiens hawkeri blooms reliably outside in humid, warm conditions from spring all the way through fall’s first frost. Unlike common impatiens, New Guinea impatiens have larger, more vivid flowers and attractive variegated foliage. They thrive in bright, indirect light and prefer consistently moist soil. On your porch, they can fill containers with vibrant pinks, purples, oranges, and whites.
Overwintering New Guinea Impatiens
To bring them indoors, take cuttings in late summer before the first frost. Root these cuttings in water or moist potting mix. Alternatively, you can dig up the entire plant and pot it up, but it may struggle to adjust to lower light levels. Place the cuttings or potted plants in a bright window with indirect light. Keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. With proper care, they will continue to bloom indoors through winter, providing a cheerful reminder of summer.
7. Chinese Evergreen: The Low-Light Champion
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema) is a popular houseplant that thrives in low light and tolerates dry air, making it an excellent candidate for the houseplants winter porch strategy. Its colorful, patterned leaves come in shades of green, silver, red, and pink. In summer, it enjoys the warmth and humidity of a shaded porch. It will grow faster and produce more vibrant foliage when exposed to the gentle breezes and consistent moisture outdoors.
Bringing Chinese Evergreen Inside
When transitioning Chinese evergreen indoors, be careful not to expose it to temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. It is sensitive to cold and can suffer leaf damage. Once inside, place it in a spot with low to medium indirect light. Water it sparingly, allowing the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings. Its tolerance for low light makes it ideal for rooms with north-facing windows or darker corners. The striking foliage adds a tropical touch without demanding constant attention.
Why Your Porch Plants Will Look Fuller and Healthier
After a summer spent outdoors, your houseplants winter porch collection will likely look fuller and healthier than it did in spring. The combination of natural light, rainfall, and fresh air stimulates robust growth. Plants that were leggy or pale indoors often develop denser foliage and richer colors. This improved health carries over into winter, making them more resilient to indoor conditions. You’ll notice fewer pest problems and stronger root systems. The annual cycle of moving plants outside and back in is a simple yet effective way to rejuvenate your indoor garden.
