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How to take care of succulents in the winter


How to care for succulents in winter |

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Knowing how to care for succulents in winter will help these eye-catching plants survive changes in temperature and humidity. 

These plants can of course grow all year round, but knowing how to care for succulents differs wildly from season to season. Here, we are dealing with winter succulents. Some succulents can tolerate very cold weather, making them great winter garden ideas. However, others are tender and need more careful treatment.

Whether you're winterizing succulents usually kept outdoors in a dry garden or want to find out how to care for house plants in winter to help succulents cope with the dry atmosphere caused by home heating, these expert tips will allow you to take good care of yours. 

How to care for succulents in winter

Succulents are known for being drought-tolerant – and for hating being over-watered – but it isn't widely known that some succulents – often called 'hard succulents' can tolerate – and, in fact, thrive in very cold weather, making them some of the best winter plants for pots and borders. Other succulents, called 'soft succulents' will not survive temperatures below freezing and must be brought indoors. 

Winter is perhaps the most common season to ask yourself, 'why is my succulent dying?' and all for a good reason. In these months, it is important to change your plant-care routine to avoid overwatering. Here's what you need to know about caring for succulents over winter, and how it changes, depending on their type.

Which succulents can stay outside in winter?

Hardy succulents, such as sedum, euphorbias, sempervivum, can tolerate temperatures as low as -20ºF. Always check the label when buying a plant to ensure it will suit temperatures in your zone.

Tender succulents, such as aloe, prefer clement weather, so either need to live indoors, where they prefer a room temperature of around 50ºF, or outdoors if the temperature never reaches freezing – even a light frost can damage tender leaves. If left outdoors, they will need frost protection.

Why can't some succulents tolerate freezing temperatures? The answer down to the amount of water they store in their leaves and stems (hence their drought-tolerance). This will freeze in cold weather, expand and damage the plant. The best route to success? Choose hard succulents over tender ones for outdoors if the zone you live in is subject to severe frosts, or be prepared to bring them in or protect them.

1. Winterize succulents by moving them

The best way to winterize succulents is by protecting them from freezing temperatures. You can do this by bringing them indoors, moving them to a covered porch, into a sunny spot – they love light – next to a sheltered wall, into a greenhouse or conservatory. Do this in fall or before temperatures get below 5ºF. For those succulents that have to remain outside, you can protect them in various ways.

2. Raise succulents off the ground in winter

If your succulents are in containers, and whether you've moved them to a sheltered spot or not, if they are still outside, raising off the freezing ground will help to protect  their roots and leaves from ground frost. 

3. Remove dead leaves

Before take any more steps to care for your winter succulents, do some pruning. An important way to care for succulents in winter is to remove dead or dying/damaged leaves. Leaving them on can cause rot to spread.

4. Protect succulents outdoors with fleece

Caring for succulents in winter does require some work. One way to protect them from freezing weather is with a heavy horticultural fleece. Wrap your succulents in fleece in late fall/early winter and you will protect them not just from cold but from really wet weather, which can lead the leaves to rot, especially if any have existing damage. The upside of horticultural fleece over other materials is that it will allow air to circulate around the succulents and light to filter through, helping to keep the plants happy. 

5. Add a layer of gravel around the succulents' roots

While you might protect other winter plants with mulch, succulents planted in a border or in containers will benefit from a good thick layer of gravel or pebbles. These will, of course, provide some protection from frost, but will also stop your succulents' leaves from drooping into wet soil, which will increase the chance of rot infecting the plant.  

6. Ensure succulent drainage is efficient

Succulents do not like to sit in water – after all, they are drought-tolerant. For this reason, it's important to ensure that succulent containers drain efficiently – especially in winter when any water left in the bottom of the container is likely to freeze. 

Should I feed succulents in winter?

No, you should not feed succulents in winter. Feeding them will encourage growth when what you want them to do is to concentrate their energies on becoming hardier. Begin feeding again in warmer weather.

Should I water succulents in winter?

Knowing when to water succulents can make or break your success with these plants. Outdoors, succulents will be unlikely to need watering in winter. Indoors, limit watering to once a month, max. When watering succulents, always ensure the roots are soaked, but that the water in the plant's pot is able to immediately drain out. Succulents do not like their roots sitting in water.  

Does leaf loss mean my succulents are dying in winter?

Leaf loss does not mean your succulent is necessarily dying – outer leaves often fall off in winter and this is not something to worry about. If, however, new growth is dying, you should be worried. It's likely this is being caused – as it often is with plants – by over-watering or over-feeding; if you catch it early enough, you will be able to save the plant.

Do succulents survive winter indoors? 

Yes, succulents can survive indoors in winter but there are some steps you should take to guarantee plant health – with many of these succulent care tips worth doing anyway in winter. 

Check your succulent is pest-free: you don't want to bring pests indoors, so check your plant's health and treat accordingly.

Tidy the plant: remove dead, dying or damaged leaves, weed around the succulent's roots. This isn't just about aesthetics – just as you don't want pests to spread to other house plants, you don't want weeds to either.

Provide drainage: just because it is warmer and drier indoors that out, it's still important to ensure that the succulents roots aren't sat in water, so ensure the containers have good drainage. 

Stop watering succulents indoors in winter: you can allow the soil to dry out, then water very sparingly – they can be kept just on the wet side of dehydration.

Put succulents in a bright spot: succulents like sunlight so put them in a bright spot away from drafts. 

Get the room temperature right: succulents like room temperatures of around 50ºF and 60ºF.

Lucy Searle has written about interiors, property and gardens since 1990, working her way around the interiors departments of women's magazines before switching to interiors-only titles in the mid-nineties. She was Associate Editor on Ideal Home, and Launch Editor of 4Homes magazine, before moving into digital in 2007, launching Channel 4's flagship website, Channel4. com/4homes. In 2018, Lucy took on the role of Global Editor in Chief for Realhomes.com, taking the site from a small magazine add-on to a global success. She was asked to repeat that success at Homes & Gardens, where she has also taken on the editorship of the magazine. 

Caring for Succulents in Winter

Caring for succulents in winter doesn't have to keep you guessing! In this post you'll learn how to properly care for your succulents indoors over the winter, along with some tips for your outdoor succulent garden.

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Based on where you live and the types of succulents you are growing, your succulents may not be able to stay outside year round.

If you do have tender succulents (those that can't handle freezing climates) and live in a climate with snow or many nights of freezing temperatures, you'll need to bring your succulents inside in order for them to survive.

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When should I bring my succulents inside for winter?

This is largely determined, again, by where you live and what you're growing. As a general rule, you'll want to bring your succulents in before the first frost. For many people in the US this is at the end of September.

Of course, if you are growing cold hardy succulents, they can stay outside all winter.

PinSempervivum variety

It's important to know what growing zone you live in. At the least you should know the average low temperature for your area. For example: when I lived in Utah we were a Zone 5. Most of the succulents I owned at the time were for Zone 9.

All succulents rated higher than Zone 5 can't survive the cold, and need to be indoors for the winter.

Since I currently live in the Phoenix area, a Zone 9, most of my succulents are fine outdoors year round. There are only a few succulents rated to a Zone 10 or 11 that will need to spend the winter inside.

PinGraptoveria ‘Fred Ives', Aloe variety

So, start by identifying your succulents. Then determine what growing zone you are in. See how the two compare! Bring in any plants that are rated higher than where you live.

This video will also help you determine if your succulents need to be brought indoors for the winter:

Moving Outdoor Succulents Inside

While you may be growing succulents inside all year round, succulents will benefit from being outside for at least part of the summer. Here's a check list to make sure the move from outside to inside goes as smoothly as possible:

Water Outside

Since it can be a hassle to water succulents indoors (bringing them all to the sink, waiting for them to stop dripping, etc.) water them one last time outside.

Try watering them 2-3 days before bringing them inside. This allows them to soak up the water they need and start to dry out. Then your shelf or table stays nice and dry once the succulents are inside.

Well Draining Soil

You'll also want to make sure (if they aren't already) that your succulents are in a well draining soil in a pot with a drainage hole. Succulents grown indoors will do much better if they have the right soil and container.

If you don't want to mix your own succulent soil, I've been using this succulent soil mix from Bonsai Jack and love it! It's the same recipe I used to make myself, but now I don't have to slave away for hours making it. Your succulents will definitely thank you for putting them in the right soil.

Prep the Pot for Inside

When you are finally ready to bring your succulents inside, you'll want to make sure the pot is ready. It's a good idea to wipe off the outside of the pot to remove any dirt, leaves or cobwebs that have become attached to the pot.

Also be sure to remove any debris, such as dead leaves, from around or between your succulents. Dead organic material can easily cause your succulents to rot or become infected.

I love my mini tool kit to help with this process! Once you've removed anything that doesn't belong, you can also add in or replace the top dressing to help the arrangement look extra cleaned up.

Check for Bugs

You don't want any visitors when you move your succulents inside. Inspect your succulents closely for signs of mealybugs, the most common succulent pest.

Also look for any other little bugs around your plants. I know at my house ants and potato bugs love to hang out in my pots. I see spiders frequently as well.

Try to remove these little guys as much as possible to keep your succulents healthier indoors.

Refresh the arrangement

As your succulent grows it's going to start shedding leaves. It's always a good idea to keep your succulents well pruned and maintained. This is especially important before bringing succulents in for the winter.

Use your fingers or the tweezers from the mini garden tool kit to remove as many of the dead leaves as possible. This will help prevent your succulent from rotting indoors.

PinCrested Echeveria ‘Topsy Turvy'

If any of your succulents have died over the summer, now is a great time to fill in the holes. The arrangement below stayed looking great over the summer, except for one monocarpic succulent. After it bloomed, it left a big hole.

I filled in the hole with a few succulent cuttings and it looks complete again! I also added some top dressing since it didn't have any.

Aloe variety, Cotyledon tomentosa, Crassula perforata, Sempervivum ‘Green Wheel', Sedum nussbaumerianum, Echeveria ‘Blue Rose'. Graptosedum ‘Alpenglow' | Purchase Options

Winter Watering for Succulents

Now that your succulents are inside, it's time to start taking care of them!

Many succulents are dormant in the winter so they won't need as much water. However, some are actively growing and will need more attention.

I have an entire post on dormancy that includes a list of which succulents are winter growers and which are summer growers. Click here to read it and determine if your succulents are actively growing or dormant in winter.

You can also check out this post if you need help identifying your succulents.

If your succulents are winter growers they will likely need more frequent watering. My Aeonium ‘Zwartkop' (a winter grower) always seems to be a water hog over the winter.

PinAeonium ‘Zwartkop', Portulacaria afra variegata

As a general rule though, you'll only want to water your plants when the soil is completely dry. Let them go several days, even a week or two between watering.

Your succulent will tell you when it needs water. If you're not sure what that looks like, be sure to click here and grab our free cheat sheet, Signs Your Succulents Need Water.

The airflow indoors is more limited than outside so without the proper soil it's very likely your succulents will stay wet for too long. Watering too frequently is the quickest way to kill your succulent.

Keep in mind that succulents near a heating vent might need more frequent watering. The direct air and warmer temperatures can dry things out more quickly.

PinCrassula arborescens undulatifolia, Haworthia reinwardtii, Sedum clavatum  | Purchase Options

Plenty of Sunlight

One of the most difficult things about growing succulents indoors, especially over the winter, is making sure they get enough sunlight.

You'll want to place your succulents near the brightest window in your home. The ideal window will get bright, indirect sunlight all day.

Since the winter days are shorter this is especially important. Succulents need at least 8 hours of bright indirect sunlight each day to maintain their shape indoors.

With lots of gray or cloudy days in the winter you may find your succulents begin to stretch out or lean toward the window. This is a sign they aren't getting enough light.

In this case, you can rotate your succulents to help offset any leaning. But in order to prevent stretching you will need to supplement with a grow light.

Make sure you don't run the lights 24/7 as succulents do need dark at night to complete their regular growth cycle.

PinCrassula ovata ‘Gollum'

For succulents that do get stretched out or grow tall and leggy, at the end of the winter you can cut off the tops and propagate them! Then you'll have even more plants for the summer!

Since most succulents aren't growing as quickly over the winter, this is best done in the spring. For more details on how to do this, you can check out my post on stretching succulents here.

Frost Damage on Tender Succulents

If succulents are left out in temperatures below what they can tolerate, you'll begin to see damage from the frost or cold. It's not a pretty sight!

In some areas (like a zone 8 or 9) where temperatures only drop below freezing for a couple nights, you can use a frost cloth to cover your succulents on those coldest nights.

However, this is not a long term solution for colder climates where it is consistently below freezing, day and night.

Don't risk leaving your succulents out during extreme cold, even if they appear to be ok. Often the frost damage takes 2-3 days to show up.

This happened to me while living in Utah. I left my tender succulents outside for 3-4 nights when temperatures got below freezing.

They looked fine on the first two days, but the third day…

PinGraptoveria variety

The most common thing I saw on these plants was dark mushy tissue. Weather that is too cold can cause the plant cells to burst, having the appearance of rot.

PinAeonium variety

Aeoniums (above and below) are generally very sensitive to freezing temperatures. The one below was protected by some other plants so it didn't suffer as much damage.

PinAeonium haworthiiPinGraptoveria varietyPinEcheveria ‘Afterglow'

This is why it's very important to know which succulents you own and what temperatures they can tolerate.

Be sure to check out our Types of Succulents page for information on various succulent varieties.

You can also grab our ebook, Choosing the Best Succulents, for more help determining which succulents you should be growing based on where you live, how much you like to water, and more!

How to help succulents with frostbite

If your succulents already suffered from cold exposure. What do you do now?

The first thing is to move them somewhere out of the cold so they don’t get more exposure to that freezing temperature.

Next, let them dry out for several days, and possibly weeks depending on the severity of the frostbite. You want to let all the mushy areas from the frostbite dry out and scab over. Your succulent will be in emergency mode, trying to protect itself from further damage.

If you water too soon after frostbite occurs your succulent is more likely to rot and die.

Once the frostbitten areas have dried out, cut them off if possible. Sometimes this means you’ll be cutting away large chunks of the plant. Other times, you may just be cutting off the ends.

For example, with a tender Aloe or Agave, the ends might dry up. In that case, you can just cut the leaf to look like a normal Aloe or Agave leaf, but cut off all of that dried-out and crispy area.

Usually, frostbite will affect the outer edges of your succulent first, but doesn’t affect the center of the plant. This is what you’d hope for, a sort of “best case scenario.”

If the frostbite gets down into the stem of the succulent it’s likely it won't be able to be saved. However, you can cut off and clean out any damaged parts of the plant, and your succulent is more likely to survive.

Once you’ve cut off the damaged areas, wait another 2-3 days before watering. You want to give these cuts time to callous over and heal as well.

Then… after everything is dry again, it’s finally time to start watering your succulent. Make sure you’re following the soak and dry method I teach to encourage healthy root growth.

It’s important to know that the damaged areas you’ve removed from your succulents won’t grow back. But, if all goes according to plan, the new growth on your succulent should be healthy and look normal.

It will take some time for the succulent to look amazing again, but, as with most succulent gardening… your patience will pay off. In the next few weeks and months as your succulent grows it will start to look like it’s original happy self again.

Make sure that when you place the succulent back outside (or in the original spot it was growing) that it is protected from cold, and also extreme heat or sunlight. After having been in a protected area, you need to ease your succulent back into the growing conditions that it was used to before.

Shocking your succulent with dramatic changes in temperature or sunlight will cause problems as well.

Caring for succulents in the winter

Today in the section "Advice from professionals" we will talk about the transfer of succulents to the wintering mode and proper care for them during this period.

Despite the fact that houseplants live indoors, where they are protected from seasonal fluctuations in the weather, almost all species respond to the change of seasons. With the advent of late autumn and winter, it is very important to properly organize a dormant period for succulents and cacti so that they meet spring healthy and ready for the resumption of vegetation. Otherwise, the plant may get sick and during the growth period will not be able to please you with its wonderful flowering. The need for reorganization of the temperature regime and irrigation regime in the autumn-winter period appears, first of all, with a sharp decrease in illumination.

At home, it is easier to store succulents until spring on a relatively cold window with little or no watering. In this case, the plants will not lose their decorative effect and will last until spring in their original form. The only change here will be the faded color of the leaves, but here you can’t do without the sun!

If, under these conditions, the abundant watering of the plant in a sufficiently heated apartment is continued, it will begin to stretch in search of light and become very exhausted. Of course, you can organize additional lighting for succulents and cacti with the help of special fitolamps, but in practice this is done by professionals or very enthusiastic amateur flower growers.

Proper and high-quality light is essential for healthy plant growth. Succulents, on the other hand, need as much light as you can provide them. Autumn-Winter is the time when there is a need for additional lighting if you want your plants to not stretch out and lose their decorative look.

For comparison.

How to be in such a situation? How to save succulents, for which the intensity of light in the room that is comfortable for a person is completely insufficient ???

If you still intend to create good conditions for your plants with the necessary high-quality lighting, then ordinary LED lamps of cold daylight 40W or special phytolamps with a pink spectrum will come to the rescue. Such lamps are installed at a height of approximately 40-50 cm from plants, providing additional illumination for succulents for 8-10 hours a day. Lamps can be found in various hardware and hardware stores.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW! Additional illumination is carried out during the day, since in order to ensure the most natural conditions, plants need an alternation of day and night, that is, a light and dark period per day. This ensures the normal development of succulents and makes it possible for them to bloom at home.

It is best to keep the plants in a cool place in winter to stop their growth. For most succulents, the optimum wintering temperature is +12-+14˚С. Chilean and mountain cacti require a cooler wintering - + 5- + 10˚С. And for epiphytic species and light-colored cacti, the temperature should not be lower than + 16- + 18˚С. If you do not have a glazed balcony or loggia, you can simply fence off the plants on the windowsill from the room with a plastic curtain.

Watering as the temperature drops, succulents are watered less and less and eventually watering is completely stopped. For example, adult cacti can go without watering all winter until April. However, with a warmer content, you need to moisten the soil about once a month.

Feeding plants with slow development in winter is useless and even harmful. At this time, they consume little nutrients and are especially sensitive to soil salinization with fertilizers.

Succulents and cacti should not be transplanted during the period of complete dormancy, because due to lack of light and low temperatures, all processes are slow, and the regenerative capacity of the plant is limited. There is a high probability that the plant simply will not take root in the updated soil. A good alternative in this case would be transshipment, which differs from transplantation in that the plant is moved to another pot, keeping the earthen clod. Plants tolerate this operation completely painlessly, so transshipment can be carried out at any time of the year.

How to care for succulents at home

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Caring for succulents Caring for cacti

Succulents are a group of plants that can accumulate moisture in their tissues, and whose name means "juicy" in Latin. Plants that are included in the group united by the term "succulents" are not related to each other by a common origin, their similar features are not combined due to similar habitat conditions .

Succulents are unpretentious plants, so growing at home is within the power of both an inexperienced beginner and a collector. A common property of succulents is the ability to store moisture for a long period in fleshy leaves or stems, because of this they are prone to rare watering and drought tolerance.

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Types of succulents

Succulents are divided into stem and leaf.

Stem succulents retain moisture in a thickened stem, and their leaves are often thorns. Stem plants include most cacti, many types of milkweed.

Leaf succulents retain moisture in their thick leaves. These include the well-known fat women, aloe, haworthia, echeveria and other plants.

Interesting to know

Succulents have developed their own special defense mechanisms in conditions of constant scorching sun and drought, for example:

Many echeverias are light in color and have a white protective layer that looks like plaque and protects the leaves from sunburn.

Plants exposed to solar radiation produce red or brown protective pigments. (Think of the bright red crassulas and sedums, for example)

In especially difficult times, some succulents almost completely immerse their body in the ground with the help of roots, thus saving moisture and protecting the body from burns.

Care of succulents

Temperature

In autumn and winter, the ideal temperature for succulents is 13-15 degrees, while the natural dormancy of the plant is achieved and buds are laid for subsequent flowering and reproduction.

In spring and summer, room temperature is quite suitable for succulents, in summer you can even take plants outdoors (provided that the temperature does not fall below 18-19 degrees at night)

Lighting:

Lighting is very important for succulents. It is desirable that the plants receive sunlight, so it is best to place them on or near a window. If necessary, especially in the autumn-winter period, you can create additional lighting. In the hot season, it is advisable to shade succulents from scorching, sunlight to avoid burns.

Watering

In the autumn-winter period, succulents are watered approximately once every 2 weeks. If the temperature reaches 13-15 degrees, then watering is carried out once a month.

In spring and summer, water about once every 1.5 -2 weeks. It all depends on the microclimate of your home.

If conditions are hotter, keep the soil moist and water when it is completely dry. If it is cooler, then watering is reduced.

Watering process

It is necessary to water succulents under the root, we moisten the soil itself. Vodichka should be at room temperature and settled (so that chlorine disappears as much as possible). The amount of water for each plant is individual, but after watering, the soil should be medium-moist.

Main . It is better not to add water than to overfill (overflow causes rapid rotting of the plant). But, of course, it is important to carefully monitor that the soil does not dry out very much (a very long drought can lead to the death of the roots).

Fertilizers

An excess of nutrients and trace elements leads to artificial sublimation of plants, usually growing no more than 1 cm per year. Organics are especially harmful in this respect - manure, bird droppings. Top dressing is inappropriate in winter, it will lead to stretching, disproportionate development of the plant. Fertilizers are applied in the spring, with an interval of 4 weeks or more, after a preliminary abundant watering - this will protect the root system from a chemical burn. The mineral compositions are the same as those sold in flower shops, but the nutrient mixture is diluted in a lower concentration than for other types of plants.

Nitrogen-rich formulations should be avoided, too much nitrogen causes rotting. The main components for the nutrition of succulents are potassium and phosphorus. The selection of related components depends on the developmental problems noticed by the grower:

Fertilizer should not be applied if the succulent has just been transplanted into a new pot. Root survival occurs in two to three weeks. It is not necessary to feed plants with obvious signs of a parasitic disease - in this case, the flower is first of all transplanted, the entire plant, especially the root system, is disinfected, dead and diseased parts are removed. The immunity of succulents is quite strong, a relatively small number of pests can damage them, however, a weakened specimen, especially in the hands of an inexperienced grower, is often affected by one or another disease.

Main problems, diseases and pests:

Lack of light – leaves become smaller, stem stretches, succulent becomes pale. Output:

  1. Provide good light initially
  2. Grow further with supplementary lighting
  3. Propagate by leaves or cut and re-root the top

Wrinkles on the leaf x - underfilling of the plant. Solution: Water more often, but not abundantly.

Brown soft leaves - overflow. The leaves turn yellow, fill with water, the stem rots and turns black, the plant crumbles. Succulents can start to rot even a week after overflow! Output:

  1. Do not overfill
  2. Keep water out of pots
  3. If soil remains wet for more than two days, replace with fresh and dry soil
  4. If the top has not rotted, root the top.

Leaf fall - severe stress: sudden changes in temperature, drafts, moving, too dry and warm air, overflow, lack of light. Exit: eliminate the cause of stress

No flowering - wintering conditions are not met.

Mealybug – sedentary insects up to 5 mm long, resembling fluff on plants or cotton wool. Treatment with systemic insecticidal preparations: karbofos, intavir, green soap, alcohol calendula tincture.

Scale insects - insects in the form of a scale 1-2mm, live on leaves and stems, suck out cell sap and leave sticky secretions. Treatment with an insecticide solution, it is possible with Actellik (0.15%), after treatment, the scale insects themselves will lag behind the stem. Repeat treatment after 7 days.

Spider mite - small insects 0.2-1mm. Most species fashion a web. Most often they live on the inside of the leaf and intensively drink the juices of the plant. Yellow dots appear on the leaves. Treatment with soapy water, then with acaricides: actellik, neoron, rogori.

Aphids are small green insects.

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