Been exploring the threads a bit and I came across a tidbit that got me thinking about the difference between indoor and outdoor living arrangements.
The particular post was about exchanging of gasses overnight- which is a thought I'd never come across concerning houseplants.

So anyway, I'm just curious if anyone knows the science behind the outdoor / indoor question. Is it really absolutely beneficial to houseplants to put them outside if you can, assuming a perfect world that you get the light/water correct, for reasons other than that? Being from outside, I assume yes, but you know...how is it a different environment, what sorts of wonderful things are going on inside that happy outdoor plant?

I don't have the ability myself to put any plants truly outdoors - no balcony etc - but I don't use A/C, so the windows are 100% always open (70°F+) - no issue of rain entering due to placement in the building and prevailing wind patterns, so they're even open in a storm.

So let's say that I have a happy infant jade plant in an always open/exposed southern window - is that plant soaking up more outdoorsy goodness than if I closed that window? Being that light and water are the constants with a variable window condition?


I'm just speculating here if anyone can humor me with some science!

Hi jsherlock, you may want to read this article about Crassulacean Acid Metabolism: https://askabiologist.asu.edu/...

Don't house plants absorb CO2 and given off oxygen? Any of that in your place? All my house plants summer outdoors. I do have many plants that do better during the Winter under lights inside. Wait until you run across some articles about how house plants clean the air. Was a hot topic not too long ago. If you cannot put our plants outside why worry about it? If someone told you they would do better outdoors would you get rid of yours? Gene

gasrocks - I'm not concerned at all and definitely not getting rid of them! haha
I was just curious about the biology of it all. Obviously plenty of species are well adapted to living indoors!

tarev - thanks for the link, I'll give it a read!

Be friendly and tell us where you live.

Ah - Milwaukee, actually - so minus lake effects you understand my climate, gasrocks.

It appears you are referring to the balance of nature, which is impossible to achieve indoors. We can try to simulate it, but it's not the same. Just from a basic point of view, plants do better outside because of more light, air flow, pests are generally controlled, and it is their natural environment. All plants are native to the outdoors, somewhere.

We can take a croton, for example, and plant it in Florida and it'll grow into a bush. But we want them indoors, so we have to try to simulate the outdoors for them, in our house. So if you want to keep one indoors in Wisconsin, you have more work to do! The right water, the right light.....and if you do not, it stresses the plant. The plant will then show signs of the stress, be it cosmetic and all the way down to root rot.

If you notice when you enter a greenhouse, there is usually a fan running. That is to control pests and also the air movement keeps disease to a minimum. But it also helps the roots of the plants grow because the plant has to stabilize itself.

I also don't think plants do anything special overnight that they don't do during the day, other than slow down processes. Unless you leave the light on....

And....forgot to answer your question about the jade. Yes. Windows open are better. The more you can do to simulate the outdoors the better.

I mean, I realize this is a somewhat silly inquiry - plants are going to do plant things regardless given that their basic needs are met.

The bit about air flow is interesting, AlyssaBlue - I just recently ran into the fact that air flow matters, but I didn't consider it where pests and root strength are concerned.

It's funny that croton is your example - I picked a very sad one up in January and it is a little bit more work than the others, but it's slowly recovering even here.

I suppose what that little niggling curiosity is actually a question about what can be done - other than proper light and water - to provide the best environment possible.

With that jade in particular - it's counterparts from the parent plant (taken at the same time) are about 1/2 it's size. I don't own that plant or the others, it was a gift, so they're getting different care, but I assume they're being watered correctly and I know they get sunlight. So it's growth must be attributed to something and I thought maybe it could be the semi-outdoors v indoors, cooled setting - I suppose I'll never quite know. But it's good to know that an open window helps.

I don't think it's a silly inquiry. I think you're asking good questions. Before I got into houseplants I didn't think twice about it- if it was sold in a store and they said it's a houseplant...it's for inside and somehow was different than other plants. Lol.

There are so many things that can go into plants doing well/not well indoors. And I totally think we should have them indoors because they are beautiful additions!

I found jade specifically challenging until I stuck mine in the brightest spot in the house, and in an unglazed clay pot with well draining soil. That worked in my scenario. Yours is different but I'm betting you'll experiment and find a best way for your plants.

"Houseplants". "Bringing the outdoors in!". And I think that is exactly what we try to achieve when we garden indoors. We mist, we bringing light, open windows and do everything we can to keep them happy indoors. Do the plants love it? I think some do. Some show off and grow almost as lovely as their outdoor counterparts.

With a little winter protections I have many houseplants that grow outside 365 days a year. I would love to think my indoor plants are just as happy as my outdoor plants. I often bring my indoor plants grown outdoors indoors for the winter. Most are not happy? Why? IDK??? It takes me a long time to acclimate my indoor plants that are grown outdoors to come back indoors again. After 2 years of nearly killing a Fiddle Leaf Fig tree, I finally took it outside where it flourishes once again. No doubt, she told me what she really likes!

Indeed, one variable that I find most growers of indoor house plants do not recognize is wind. I do have a fan in my largest room of plants during the Winter.

All of this is relative to ones' goals, and the conditions one has available to offer. If one wants to see a particular plant growing at its' full potential, that may not be possible if always inside, without the conditions under which the plant can do that. If one does not want to lug plants around and/or deal with acclimation issues, taking them out does not make sense. If one does not have that option, avoiding plants that can't perform well in the conditions available makes sense. There are plenty that can, and when plants grow really fast, they require a lot more care. Not everyone is interested in that, wanting to focus mostly on just the visual enjoyment. One size does not fit all, and it gives us interesting things to discuss, like this post!

I am probably the all time King of moving plants in and out. Maybe Fool would be a better word? Been doing it a long time. No acclimation issues here. But outside they are put in conditions similar to what they see during the winter perhaps. Gene

On the other hand, with the subject of wind, I've been told my fans are terrorizing my tropical plants. To be honest, the fans are for me, haha, so the plants don't have a choice. Luckily, I think that person is misinformed (perhaps being next to an air conditioner would be the real harm, not a fan that simply moves the same temperature air around) - but the most difficult thing for me in keeping plants has been trying to sort all the contrary information out there. And all you can really do is experiment, which unfortunately for me, has caused some tough losses.

Most plant species have a range of adaptability, meaning that they can adapt quite well to a range of light intensity, soil dryness, temperature, humidity and air flow. In other words, there is no one set of conditions that they require. Thus, many plants can be kept indoors where they do just fine. Typically, those are tropical and semi-tropical species that do not require cold winter temps. For example, oak trees will not survive indoors.

Light intensity is the most important consideration of how well a plant does. That is why plants are usually categorized by their minimum and preferred light requirements. Plants can adapt to varying amounts of light intensity, but big changes in light are stressful for plants. Individual leaves tend to be adapted to the light they receive at the time they emerge. Subsequent changes can cause those leaves to discolor. That is why it is recommended that plants moved outside in warmer months are not suddenly exposed to direct outdoor sun.

That said, plants do not have to be moved outside periodically to thrive. In fact, many prefer to the consistency of the indoor environment year-round.

Indoor light is generally less intense, even on a sunny windowsill, because the light comes from only one direction. Outside and in greenhouses, the light comes from all directions and is more intense.

Good air movement can be somewhat of a pest deterrent but is also strengthens stem growth.

I think we often fail to appreciate how dim our indoors are, in plant's opinions. So moving them to even a shaded outdoor place is probably an improvement for many plants.
The air movement - another effect, maybe even helping mitigate the way most people overwater.
I like putting plants out for summer. But with Will's advice, am observing how well a few indoor-only plants are doing in the library. When I do put plants outside, most seem very happy. Even this year's soaking rain hasn't seemed harmful- of course I tip those dishes and saucers. Air movement and the fact these plants are always draining through, not sitting in puddles, maybe explains why it seems to be working well.

I think everyone appreciates some fresh air.

OK, I have to correct an earlier post. I stated that I didn't think plants did anything special at night. Well don't you know my hoya started blooming and the scent was so very strong last night! Enough for me to make a post, and others confirmed that hoyas' scents can be stronger at night. So I've come back here to make that correction because of jsherlock's original question. Hahaha....timing is everything!