How to Transition Plants From Greenhouses to Homes

The greenhouse environment is great for getting plants to sprout quickly, but the downside is that plants acclimate to this environment. When you take them out of the greenhouse and put them into a home, they may suffer greenhouse shock. They'll wilt and eventually die if the shock is severe enough. Bringing a plant out of the greenhouse is a delicate process, and you need to gradually wean your new plants off their addiction to extreme humidity.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Potted plant
• Large, clear plastic trash bag
• Twist tie
• Water
• Four long pieces of dowel

1. Gather all of your materials before you even pick up your new plant from the greenhouse. The faster you can get the new plant's temporary greenhouse environment set up, the less likely it will suffer from any greenhouse shock symptoms.

2. Bring the plant into your home and stick four pieces of dowel down into the soil. The dowels should be placed equal lengths apart and as close as possible to the edge of the pot. The purpose of the dowels is to keep the plastic bag from touching the plant after you put the bag over it.

3. Water the plant if it needs it.

4. Open a clear plastic trash bag. Carefully slip the bag around the potted plant so that the pot is sitting on the bottom of the bag and the bag's opening is at the top.

5. Gather the opening of the bag together with your hands and blow some air into the bag. Quickly close the bag using a twist tie and make sure that the dowels are keeping the plastic away from the plant. Your plant is now in a makeshift greenhouse, and it should begin to slowly acclimate to the lower humidity levels.

6. Water the plant as usual for the first three days, but keep the bag closed the rest of the time. After the third day, remove the twist tie but leave the bag's opening twisted shut.

7. Continue watering the plant as usual, but widen the opening on the bag a little each day for the next several days. After seven to 10 days of gradually opening the bag, your plant should be acclimated to its new environment.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're picking up your plants directly from the greenhouse, be sure to ask a greenhouse employee about special care considerations for your specific type of plant.
• If you don't have wooden dowels handy, you can use just about any type of long, thin, rigid material to prop up the plastic bag.