Question
Hi Will,
Last December I emailed some questions/concerns about my schefflera.  I also sent you some pictures of the plant.  It's still hanging in there but I wanted to ask you if it's ok to put the plant outside where it will get more sunlight?  Also, back in December, you mentioned cutting back the plant and the possibility of repotting it in the warmer months.  The plant doesn't have any new growth since the winter and I think I might want to cut it down and restart but I don't know how to go about that.  Thank you for your help.  

Sue Coletto

Answer
Hi Sue,

Here's the problem with moving a plant outside for better light in the summer: if the change in light is too dramatic, the plant will not be able to adapt. In nature, plants stay in one location throughout their lives and their leaves are adapted to the light available in that particular location.

If your Schefflera has been in dim indoor light all winter, then if you move it outside, it must be in shade at all times. Exposure to direct outdoor sunlight will cause leaves to turn a pale color or even die back. The ideal situation is to keep your Schefflera inside in a sunny window year round so it is not forced to adapt.

I know conventional wisdom says repot in the spring. However, that is not a good rule for a plant that has been in low light and has shown little new growth recently. Repotting is necessary only when a plant is growing so vigorously that it requires a thorough watering every 2 - 3 days.

Pruning can be done at any time as long as the stems are healthy. Pruning is the only way to eliminate leggy stems. It is hard for me to give specific pruning advice without seeing a photo of the plant. In general, any healthy stem can be cut back as much as you want. Just keep in mind, that new growth will emerge on any stem just below where you make the pruning cut and grow upward from there. So you control the future appearance of the plant by deciding where you want new growth to come in.

I have written articles on Schefflera care, repotting and pruning that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at  www.HorticulturalHelp.com