Bring your houseplants inside as soon as nighttime temperatures drop to 50–54 °F (10–12 °C): usually mid to late September in the northern states, and October in the South. Below that threshold, the risk of cold shock and leaf drop rises sharply, particularly for tropical species such as ficus, monstera or pothos.
The right benchmark is therefore not a date on the calendar, but the nighttime temperature — and it varies noticeably from one region to another. Here is how to know exactly when to act, in what order to bring your plants in, and how to keep the transition from proving fatal to them.
At what temperature should you bring houseplants indoors?
The general rule followed by garden centers and botanical gardens: as soon as nighttime temperatures regularly approach 50–54 °F (10–12 °C), it is time to bring in cold-sensitive plants. That covers the vast majority of classic houseplants that are put outside to enjoy the open air in summer.
A few hardier species can wait a little longer, down to about 41 °F (5 °C) at night: Christmas cactus, succulents, citrus, tropical azaleas and cyclamens. For citrus in particular, it is better to aim for a cool room (46–54 °F, or 8–12 °C) rather than going straight to the heated living room.
The calendar by region in the US
The 50 °F threshold does not arrive on the same date everywhere. Here are the usual benchmarks:
- Northern states — mid to late September, when nights drop into the low 50s °F
- The South — from October, before the first frost
- Mild-winter areas (Gulf Coast, Florida, Southern California) — no fixed date: bring them in whenever a cold snap below 50 °F is forecast
- Everywhere — before you turn the heat on: plants adjust better when indoor and outdoor temperatures are about the same
It is better to plan ahead than to wait until late fall: starting early leaves time for a gentle acclimation, without a last-minute rush at the first cold snap.
Which plants should you bring in first?
Not all plants are equal in the face of cold. Here is the order in which to act:
- Urgently, as soon as 41 °F (5 °C) is forecast: banana plant, alocasia, caladium, bird of paradise, tropical hibiscus, tuberous begonia — these tropical plants cannot tolerate any frost.
- As soon as nights near 50 °F: ficus, rubber plant, pothos, indoor palm, and the monstera if you put it outside for the summer — a sudden change of environment is precisely one of the common causes of leaf drop in this plant, as it does in the ficus, which easily drops its leaves when brought indoors. The yucca, which dislikes nights below 45 °F (7 °C), belongs to the same group: its lower leaves often turn yellow once it's back indoors.
- Can wait a little: Christmas cactus, succulents, citrus, tropical azaleas, cyclamens (down to about 41 °F, or 5 °C).
💡 Once indoors, your plants drink less: Arroseo, a free app, helps you adjust their watering. Each plant in your Arroseo garden has its own watering frequency, which you lengthen from its profile when you bring it in; the next reminder is calculated from the last watering. Download the app
How do you acclimate your plants without thermal shock?
Bringing a plant in all at once, after several months outdoors, is often harsher on it than the cold itself. The recommended method: a gradual transition over 7 to 10 days, bringing it in at night and putting it back outside during the day as long as daytime temperatures allow.
The aim is to limit the abrupt gap between outdoor air and indoor air, which is often heated. Without this step, some species lose part of their foliage when moving indoors — a stress very similar to the one caused by moving house or simply changing rooms.
Check for pests and treat them before bringing plants in
A plant that has spent the summer outdoors may have picked up unwanted guests without it showing yet. Before bringing it in:
- rinse the foliage with lukewarm water to dislodge any insects
- spray insecticidal soap on the tops and undersides of the leaves
- inspect the stems and the undersides of the leaves for mealybugs or spider mites
- if possible, keep the plant apart from your other plants for 7 to 10 days before reintroducing it
It is precisely indoors, in a more enclosed and heated atmosphere, that these pests multiply fastest in fall and winter. Our article on how to recognize an unhealthy houseplant details the signs that should raise the alarm in the weeks after you bring your plants in.
Where should you place your plants once they are indoors?
Set them in a bright spot, protecting them from direct sun behind the glass during the hottest hours (a light curtain or moving them back a foot or two is enough). Dust-free foliage also absorbs the available light better, which is scarcer than outdoors.
Gradually reduce how often you water: air circulates differently indoors, and a plant that has just spent the summer outdoors no longer has the same needs. Check the potting soil before each watering rather than keeping the summer rhythm — that is the whole subject of our article on the ideal watering frequency.
Frequently asked questions
At what temperature should you bring houseplants indoors?
As soon as nighttime temperatures regularly fall below 50–54 °F (10–12 °C) for the majority of houseplants. A few hardier species (Christmas cactus, succulents, citrus, tropical azaleas, cyclamens) can wait until about 41 °F (5 °C).
What is the right time to bring plants in depending on your region?
Mid to late September in the northern states, from October in the South (before the first frost), and whenever a cold snap below 50 °F is forecast in mild-winter areas such as Florida or Southern California — depending on when nights reach the critical threshold locally.
How do you get a plant used to its new environment without stressing it?
By bringing it in at night and putting it back outside during the day for 7 to 10 days, giving it time to gradually get used to indoor air, which is drier and often heated, before staying there for good.
Should you treat your plants before bringing them indoors?
Yes: a lukewarm-water rinse, a spray of insecticidal soap on the tops and undersides of the leaves and, if possible, a short 7-to-10-day quarantine help avoid introducing mealybugs or spider mites among your other plants.
Once indoors, water your plants at their new pace
Arroseo keeps the watering frequency of each of your plants in one place and sends you a reminder on the day watering is due. When the season changes, you adjust the rhythm from the plant's profile.
Download the app
