If you have a variety of succulents that can survive the winter outside, you might wish to do so. Your plump outdoor greens still require adequate care, though, otherwise the frost risked damaging them.
Not to mention that your plant’s roots could decay due to the winter’s damp soil. Additionally, if your region gets too much rain during the cold season, the succulents’ cells will swell. Additionally, the plant cell walls may rupture as a result of the frost. As a result, it is crucial to take precautions to safeguard your plant from all of these harmful situations.
Although some varieties of succulents can withstand below-freezing conditions, none of the species prefers frequent watering or excessive humidity throughout the year. Succulents prefer healthy soil that drains well, good airflow, and bright sunlight. Here are some precautions you should take to ensure your in-ground plants are taken care of over the winter.
Build a Greenhouse
The majority of succulents cannot withstand temperatures below 25 F during the winter nights. Bring your succulents into a DIY greenhouse if your area has the same winter temperatures, or if you have a gazebo, cover it with 5mm plastic and move your succulents there. Make sure to securely anchor the plastic, and tape the seams. You can even include a little heater if the temperature falls any lower.
Cover Your Succulents
Cover your outside succulent plants with bed sheets if your region occasionally suffers frost. Row covers and nonwoven fabrics, which are often constructed of spun nylon, are further options. Your plants will be protected when it is 2-4 degrees below freezing if you cover them with such blankets.
Additionally, don’t remove the dried leaves from your plants because they protect them from high temperatures. Move your plants that are sensitive to cold under a tree, deck, or eaves; this will prevent heat from escaping.
(Potentially) Transplant
Consider putting succulents in pots into the ground if there is still more than a month before the first frost. Plantings in the ground maintain superior insulation than those in containers. However, it is essential that your succulents are established and acclimated before the first frost. Simply shift pots to locations with morning light and protection from heavy rain if there isn’t enough time.
Remove Dried Leaves
Succulents in good health will typically lose their lower leaves as they grow new ones above. These leaves may become damp and decay in regions with cold, wet winters. Your succulents will not only look neater if you remove them in the fall, but they will also be more resistant to disease.
Protect from Water
Succulents that are hardy require less water during the winter. Additionally, they must be shielded from water that drips from trees and roofs. A robust succulent kept warm and dry runs the risk of decaying, but one that is protected by a layer of snow can survive the winter. Consider relocating your succulents under a roof or placing a clear rain cover at least 18.0″ above them if you experience cold, wet winters without snow.
What degree of heat should I provide for my succulents?
Because they are fickle plants, succulents shouldn’t be kept in temps so low. Succulents cannot survive in cold climates, so if you see the outside temperature lowering, take immediate action to save succulents from freezing.
It is unlikely that succulents will survive in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Succulents are susceptible to freezing and dying at temperatures between 30 and 40 degrees.
When it gets colder than forty degrees Fahrenheit, succulents should be brought inside. Learn how to take care of your succulent in cold weather, why 40 degrees is the point at which it can no longer survive, and what other temperatures are harmful to these plants by reading on.
Succulents outside can they survive the winter?
Some succulents will thrive outside all year for you if you live in a climate with four seasons, particularly one with harsh winters, but most won’t.
Although most won’t endure prolonged frigid conditions, each succulent has varied temperature requirements.
But there is a whole class of gorgeous cold-tolerant plants that are largely ignored in the succulent world! Many individuals are unaware of their existence or how numerous they are.
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Even if your environment dips well below freezing for the majority of the winter, you may still keep a lovely succulent garden outdoors using Sempervivums, select Sedums, and their hardy Opuntia relatives.
I started off growing succulents in Utah, which has a Zone 5 environment. I didn’t know there were succulents that could endure snow, therefore I was primarily cultivating succulents indoors.
Fortunately, Mountain Crest Gardens was recommended to me, and as a result, my succulent garden underwent significant improvement. According to my knowledge, Mountain Crest Gardens is the main source of cold-tolerant succulent species.
Their nursery is really located in a mountain valley near Mount Shasta in northern California, where they receive snow all winter. They have the most exquisite assortment of succulents that can withstand chilly temperatures.
These Sempervivums, Sedums, and Opuntias (also known as “Prickly Pear Cactus”) are wonderful since they can also survive in more temperate climes!
In the video below, you can learn more about what succulents can withstand below-freezing temperatures:
I have many sizable pots full of Sempervivums and Sedums that made the journey and are now flourishing here in Arizona, in addition to the numerous plants I did plant in the ground for my parents in Utah. I also want to expand my collection here with some cold-tolerant Opuntia.
Sempervivums are significantly harder than other rosettes succulents, such Echeverias, and make excellent rosettes if you are unfamiliar with how these succulents look. The color choices are also quite beautiful, ranging from pinks, reds, and purples to greens, yellows, and blues. You truly receive the entire rainbow!
The resilient Sedums are more of a ground cover and come in a wide range of forms, textures, and hues. You’ll find that some of them generate a wonderful trailing effect over the edge of your succulent pots, which looks fantastic when combined with Sempervivums.
My eye has been particularly drawn to the tough Opuntia. I was able to visit the Waterwise Botanical Gardens in Escondido, California, when they introduced a line of cold-hard Opuntias a few years ago. The most stunning flowers you’ll ever see on a succulent are produced by these plants in the spring, despite the fact that they may look like regular “Prickly Pear” cactus on the outside.
Opuntia “Pina Colada,” which has a blossom that truly changes colors, was one of my all-time favorites. It changes from being an orangey-pink color to yellow with pink and orange stripes in the middle the following day.
The amazing thing is that these cold-tolerant Opuntias are now available on Mountain Crest Gardens’ website thanks to a collaboration between Mountain Crest Gardens and Waterwise Botanicals.
So everyone who lives somewhere with four seasons, don’t forget to think about these incredible succulents! You’ll find that being able to observe some color and life in the midst of winter is very satisfying, in my opinion. Nothing compares to the Opuntias blooming at the start of spring, though!
It’s fascinating to observe how these hardy plants recover with vibrant, gorgeous hues even after spending the winter months buried beneath several feet or inches of snow. My awe for succulents never wanes!
Can succulents recover after a freeze?
Can a frozen plant still be saved? This truly depends on the kind of plant and how long it was exposed to the cold. On all save the most tropical plants, light freezes are typically something that a plant can recover from.
Remove damaged plant material from woody plants in the spring. In the late winter, you can detect which stems are dead by scratching the bark. The tissue is still alive if the substance is green below. They will lose their leaves as a result of the freezing, but they normally re-leaf in the spring. After all threat of frost has passed, maintain the plants’ moisture and apply a mild fertilizer.
More delicate plants won’t be able to endure the freezing damage and will turn into annuals. Perennial plants that have been frozen-damaged may only have little root damage, in which case you can divide the plant and replant the pieces. The ones that recovered from the root area’s cold did not deal a fatal blow.
How can I determine whether my succulent is too cold?
Whether a succulent is a soft or hard succulent determines what temperature it can withstand.
Anything warmer than 32 degrees F will be enjoyable for soft succulents. preferably over 40 degrees.
These plants cannot endure colder than freezing temperatures. Their hefty, thick leaves, which serve as water reservoirs, will freeze and destroy the plant.
Succulents that can withstand the cold can sustain -20 F. The best it can manage is a zone 4 to 5, and let me tell you, that is very impressive.
You must keep in mind that even if they can withstand temperatures below zero, they still like dry soil. That remains constant.
The majority of winters in the contiguous US will not only be dry but also wet and snowy.
Before a freeze, should you water succulents?
The spring and summer are the best seasons for succulent growth. As soon as fall arrives, plants like to rest. Watering should be lessened while plants are dormant in the fall and winter. Some, however, are expanding rapidly and will require greater care.
Plants like Echeveria, Crassula, Kalanchoe, and other delicate succulents that you maintain indoors or in a warm greenhouse over the winter should receive just enough water to protect the roots from drying up. This can happen anywhere from a few times a week to a few times a month.
Sempervivum, Rosularia, and Sedum are examples of cold-tolerant succulents that require even less water during the winter. It is preferable to avoid watering altogether when the temperature is below 50 F (10 C). Rot thrives in environments of low temperatures and wet roots.
Your succulents will probably require more frequent watering if they are winter growers (like Aeoniums).
Desiccation affects a lot of plants during the winter. This occurs when a plant evaporates more water than it can take in through its roots. We thoroughly water evergreen plants before really cold temperatures to help prevent harm (once the ground freezes, the plants cannot absorb water but continue to lose it). With succulents, avoid doing this. They enjoy receiving the incorrect care. You want the soil around your succulents to be as dry as possible when it becomes cold outside.
Winter and dry soil are obviously incompatible (only possible if your plants are in a covered area). Therefore, winter is also the time when having adequate drainage in your soil is most crucial.
You should continue to water your plants less frequently until the spring, when new growth should start to appear on your plants. Even though it may still be cold outside, your succulent plants will benefit from more water as they begin to grow once more.
Hardy Succulents to Overwinter Outside
I tidy up my plants and put the pups or offshoots into their own containers before beginning the overwintering process. I cut off the tops of any tall or spindly succulents whose appearance I don’t like and replant them.
Some winter-hardy types don’t require a lot of particular maintenance. In fact, some succulents really prefer a chilly period in the winter. For the remainder of the year, it supports their growth.
Succulents with good winter hardiness, such as numerous Sedum, Sempervivum, Agave, Ice Plant, Lewisa, and Yucca, can overwinter successfully in Zones 5–6 and higher. Once more, this is a generality, and many of the varieties in each family will vary in their ability to withstand freezing temperatures.
I typically leave these tough succulents in the garden over the winter and only remove the brown leaves or transplant them in the spring if they were planted there.
I relocate the containers under cover if they are in containers. Both the pots and the succulents will experience less wear and tear by just being placed under a bench, deck, or eaves close to the home.
Tender Succulents to Overwinter Indoors
Aeonium, Echeveria, and Crassula are among winter succulents that require a little extra attention because of the colder temperatures. But it’s important doing what you can to keep them safe. These succulents are exquisitely gorgeous and can bring a lot of wow factor to the projects and containers for the next year.
I clean up the plant as much as I can and transplant any offshoots, much like I do with the hardy succulents. A plant with disease and pest issues, or one that is starting to appear a little worn out, is not worth saving. Just throw them in the compost, then concentrate on the healthy plants.
It might be worthwhile to take some cuttings if your plant is a little bit overgrown in order to propagate those for fresh, young plants the following spring.
The Best Soil for Succulents
Remove the plant from the pot, shake out any soil from the roots, and then replant the succulent in a sterile cactus and succulent mix to replace the soil. This will prevent your succulents from spending the winter with soil-dwelling animals.
My own succulent soil mixture is available here. It works incredibly well and is simple to make!
Location Needs: Temperature, Light, and Humidity
Place the plants indoors in a cool area, such as a basement or garage, that receives at least a few hours of light each day. Succulents don’t require 8 hours of direct sunshine to go dormant in the winter, but if you keep them indoors where it’s warm, they will require sunlight because they won’t be able to do so.
Keep the succulents somewhere that receives enough heat to make the air dry. I’ve discovered that an unheated garage or a cold room in a basement can have too much moisture and cause the succulents to mildew in locations that receive a lot of moisture in the winter, like where I reside in Vancouver.
My succulents are content as can be since I place them on a north-facing window in a heated garage that I keep much cooler than the home.
Watering Needs
Tender succulents don’t require as much water in the winter when they’ve gone dormant. You can water them once or twice a month, letting the soil dry out in between applications. If the soil is wet, rot will grow there and should be prevented.
These suggestions will help succulents of all hardiness levels enjoy a peaceful winter’s rest. When the weather warms up in the spring, they could appear a little scraggly. Removing any brown leaves before setting them outside once more, in the garden. Your succulents will quickly regain their former radiance and beauty. Hope they even proliferate!