Temperatures and tropicals....

[Rubberbandman]

Hi all,
Was wanting to see what everyone here does for their tropicals in the fall....meaning at what nightime temps do you bring indoors and do most put back out on suitable days when temps are acceptable?
Thanks!

 

[Cypress187]

If the temperatures could drop below 15 degrees C, I put them inside (or earlyier).

 

[Rubberbandman]

If the temperatures could drop below 15 degrees C, I put them inside (or earlyier).

yikes! that makes for real soon here in mid atlantic usa.

 

[Paradox]

I bring mine in if it is forecast to be below 50-55 deg F. I have ficus and Brazilian rain trees. BRT can go below 50 but 40 can be bad so I give myself a 10 deg cushion.

I had a ficus shipped cross country in December and it got down to 30. They can do that briefly and be stressed but survive.

Yes I put them back out if it is warm enough. I'll bring them in permanently for winter when I can't put them back out in the morning ( temps wont go above 60).

 

[c54fun]

Around 50 deg F I start thinking about it and mid 40's I move them.

 

[GrimLore]

My Wife has several tropicals and a lot of house plants that come inside to the plant room after a few nights of 45 ish with no sign of warmer nights. I am leaving a Serrisa out for a few nights in the 35-40F range as I have learned here they need "some" cold before coming inside.

Grimmy

 

[KingJades]

While not exactly the same thing, I'm getting ready to start bringing mine (portulacaria, schefflera, ficus) in. We have 80 degree days and 50 degree nights right now. Close to the cutoff.

 

[Cypress187]

Maybe I'm a bit cautious

(15 C = 59 F)

 

[coh]

When we start getting occasional nights in the 40s I'll bring them inside the garage at night and put them back out during the day. When I get tired of doing that I'll bring them in for good. I have a couple of really large ficuses (the "Fred ficuses") that I leave out longer, they get down to around 40 or even a bit lower.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

it depends on species. IF I had a buttonwood, I'd bring it in before it got colder than 60 F.

Ficus, if I want to keep them growing and I finished the summer clean up light garden, I bring them in around 60F.

I usually want my big beast of a ficus to go semi dormant because there is no room in ''good enough'' light area, winter growth will be weak, usually needing to be cut off in spring anyway, so I am happy having it dormant for most of the winter. In which case I leave it out to the low 40's. It will then sit with very little grow until warm returns in May.

Each plant has its own temp limit depending on whether I want to keep it actively growing or whether I want it to go dormant.

 

[Rubberbandman]

Thanks everyone!
Some great info.
Glad i found this forum(s) !

 

[DougB]

Depends on the species, but normally when the nights fall below 50f. Not just an odd night, but for the season. I also a couple of weeks ahead of the expected bring in date douse everyone real good to kill all of the critters and then again as I bring them in. Mealy bugs and other critters are great at hiding and will be out of control before you know it.

OH and I use a small sprayer with the spray nozzle removed to water everyone after they are brought in.

 

[sorce]

want it to go dormant

I think that's the most important factor.

More importantly...

Don't trick stuff into thinking it's going dormant...and then pull it back...

50F is my cut off.
Once in once out no B.S.

That's already 20-30 degrees less than it will see inside an average place with lights.

Dancing em around is a slap in the face for the tree...IMO.

Any lower than fifty could be worse than the benefits of a low sun at that point.

Sorce

 

[Rubberbandman]

I think that's the most important factor.

More importantly...

Don't trick stuff into thinking it's going dormant...and then pull it back...

50F is my cut off.
Once in once out no B.S.

That's already 20-30 degrees less than it will see inside an average place with lights.

Dancing em around is a slap in the face for the tree...IMO.

Any lower than fifty could be worse than the benefits of a low sun at that point.

Sorce

plus the ficus will drop leaves in temp swings.

 

[sorce]

plus the ficus will drop leaves in temp swings.

Yup...and since I stopped killing them I've had about 6 leaves drop on anywhere from 4 to 20 different plants in about 4 years.

I've never had a Fukien Tea..(thank God!)..
But the way I treat my tropicals came from tales of the most finicky.

Moves seem to stress ficus less, but I figure any move is at least a little stressful, even if we are not so tuned in to realize it!

Sorce

 

[aml1014]

plus the ficus will drop leaves in temp swings.

Not always. I leave my ficus outside until we are regularly hitting 45°f. Then it'll move into my greenhouse where I close the door at night and open in the day until we hit 40° then I'll kick the heat on for winter. But in that period of time where the greenhouse is unheated it can be 48° at 7am then 90° by noon.
I've never actually had a ficus drop a leaf ever

Aaron

 

[Wilson]

Just be honest with how much time you have in the morning to juggle trees outside. I just brought mine in for the year, yes I am in the great white north. It reaĺly has more to do with an early morning work schedule. In the past I got caught procrastinating, not fun.