When to replant?

[FountainMan]

Back in October I got all of the tropical plants inside. Including the Sensitive plants and Umbrella Palm. Now the weather is leaning in my favor with warmer temperatures although this upcoming week looks to be a bit more active with cooler weather with the coldest day 36 degrees.
I'm not sure if it's ice that kills tropical plants or cold period. I usually don't grow tropicals so I don't know what they're story is. I want them to be back in the pond soon.

The grow lights don't seem to be putting out much. At least for the sensitive plants which are a bit of a lime green instead of the normal darker shades with the white stripe down the center. They don't look like they did when I bought them. They still look good but not as good and I'm worried that there's not enough light for them. And I don't have access to a south facing window.
Can someone tell me when it might be wise to replant these? So far there are no freezes in the forecast. Average highs expected to be in the 60's. Current pond water temperature 55.8.
Nice thing is even if I do replant everything it wouldn't be too hard to take them back inside if mother nature decides to be naughty again.

 

[gardengimp]

Most not a tree tropicals are affected by cold periods, especially sudden cold periods. If your daytime temps are above 50 you can probably start hardening off, take them out during the day and bring them in at night. Perhaps make a little hothouse with a translucent dome over the plant and container

 

[anitapond]

What I've learned over the years and has worked for me is not to take tropicals back outside until nighttime lows are 45 degrees F or above steadily. Also, like gardengimp says, they will need to be hardened off for at least 1 week. As far as your sensitive plant, have you fertilized your plants at all? Usually when green plants start to fade to lighter shades, they need some nitrogen in their diet.

 

[DrCase]

I leave my umbrella palm in the ground and mulch it in

 

[FountainMan]

What I've learned over the years and has worked for me is not to take tropicals back outside until nighttime lows are 45 degrees F or above steadily. Also, like gardengimp says, they will need to be hardened off for at least 1 week. As far as your sensitive plant, have you fertilized your plants at all? Usually when green plants start to fade to lighter shades, they need some nitrogen in their diet.

Thanx, I just added some fertilizer to the tub. I've got the tub circulating through an external filtration so I placed the pellets in the skimmer so the fertilizer can disperse better. Hopefully this works. Another theory I have is the plants aren't getting enough light. I know the grow light isn't producing a fraction of what the sun produces. Being a weather watcher as well as a pond fanatic I'm keeping a close eye on the temperatures of the air and the pond. So I guess I will wait a bit longer. This time of year I wish I lived in Florida but I'm just spoiled :razz:

 

[anitapond]

Oh, and one more thing, just in case. Make sure you are leaving your plant light on for 14 hours a day. Remember you are "mimicking" summer time when the days are longer.
Just be grateful you don't live by me near Cleveland, OH. I bring my tropicals in during October and cannot take them out again until late May - zone 5. Definitely not Florida or Texas! :sad:

 

[FountainMan]

Oh, and one more thing, just in case. Make sure you are leaving your plant light on for 14 hours a day. Remember you are "mimicking" summer time when the days are longer.
Just be grateful you don't live by me near Cleveland, OH. I bring my tropicals in during October and cannot take them out again until late May - zone 5. Definitely not Florida or Texas! :sad:

I know what you mean. I used to live in Washington State and things were the same. Only up there you only had one month that was warm enough for tropicals and that was August. Even in July temperatures get down to the lower 40's at night. Thank God I'm not back there. Although South Texas would be more preferable than North Texas. Down there they have the Mimosa Pudica non-aquatic Sensitive Plant growing as weeds.