Do you bring your houseplants outdoors for summer? Sending a houseplant to summer camp on your patio, deck or even tucked into a garden bed can produce tons of growth and blooms on slow-to-bloom plants before the plants go back inside for another long winter.

While many houseplants can be grown outside in summer, some of the best options are those with succulent leaves, such as snake plant, hoya, aloe or sedum. Others that do well outside include dieffenbachia, schefflera and spider plant. Big tropical plants, such as bird of paradise or monstera, also do well outside in more muted light.

Here are a few tips for success in growing your houseplants outdoors.

Harden off carefully. We’re well into summer now, so night temperatures are not likely to go below 50 degrees F anytime soon. Still, plants need time to adjust to the brighter light, wind, rain and other outdoor elements. Take plants out for an hour at first, and then longer periods for a few days, just as you would harden off vegetable seedlings. After a week or so, plants can remain outdoors.

Don’t overdo the sun. Even the brightest room in your house is like deep shade outdoors, so lean toward lower light areas for your houseplants outdoors. Porches, covered patios and pergolas are great locations and you’ll be amazed by how much growth your houseplants can put on in a summer. Many foliage plants, such as hoya (see photo), will bloom after a summer outdoors.

Water frequently. Wind is very drying, and your houseplants are likely to be in smaller containers, so they will need to be watered frequently. You may want to do it daily during hot periods, unless there is rain. Another tip: Be sure your houseplants are in containers with a drainage hole. If they are set in a decorative pot without drainage, be sure to empty it after watering to prevent root rot.

Place tall plants carefully. Citrus trees and other taller houseplants can tip over easily in a storm or high wind. (Ask me how I know this!) Consider more protected areas for any plants that are tall. My neighbors have a striking, 5-foot-tall bird of paradise that comes out for summer, but is positioned near the house on the patio. It would take quite a breeze to blow it over.

Prepare to deal with bugs in fall. When you bring your houseplants back from the outdoors in fall, they will have bugs. Repeat: They will have bugs. Or, at least bug eggs. You can clean pots before you bring the plants in and there are several options for dealing with insects before and after the plants come indoors. Dealing with insect problems is a tradeoff for the incredible growth experienced by houseplants outdoors.

Mary Lahr Schier is a longtime Minnesota garden writer.