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.
How cold should it be for succulents?
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.
Should succulents be protected from the cold?
Knowing how to protect succulent plants from frost is crucial now that the weather is turning colder and I’ve added them to my garden containers. Perennial plants typically die to the ground in response to winter cold. Their roots produce new growth in the spring. However, many succulents native to warm climes lack this adaption and necessitate special care when planted in areas where the temperature falls below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Debra Lee Baldwin, a talented photojournalist and author, has some advice for you. — Avoid removing the dried leaves that are affixed to a succulent’s stem or trunk. They safeguard it from harsh temperatures (cold and hot). Keep succulent plants as dry as possible. When the liquid inside of turgid cells freezes, they are more likely to explode. — Move succulent plants in pots under a deck, a tree, or the eaves. (I attempt to conceal them in places that are covered adjacent to the home)
— Position pots near hardscape, stones, shrubs, and/or walls that absorb and gradually release heat from the sun. The best exposures are to the south and west. — Use old bed sheets or frost cloth to cover succulent plants. Avoid plastic, which amplifies sunlight, retains moisture, and prevents plants from breathing.
If your succulents are damaged by frost, only remove collapsed leaves if it’s likely that they’ll stay damp and decompose. Leave them on, though, and prune in the spring if they will protect the plant from subsequent frost. — Avoid cutting straight across tip-burned leaves on slender-leaved succulents (like agaves and aloes) in order to preserve their geometric shape. — Just put it down to experience. Now that you are aware, you can find a safe place for that specific plant. (I’m trying to get better at gardening and have joined the Solano Master Gardener program.)
I have succulents, when should I cover them?
“Frost tender” succulents may experience variable degrees of damage, depending on how long the temperature is below freezing (32 degrees F). A sensitive plant’s cells expand, burst, and transform its leaves to mush when liquid inside them freezes. In a “light frost,” only the tips of the leaves may be harmed (“frost burn”). A “hard frost” is characterized by sustained temperatures below freezing, which can cause entire plants to die. Typically, succulents do not recover from roots.
Ones that are among the most fragile succulents include crassulas, aeoniums, euphorbias, and kalanchoes. Some succulents, in particular, have an inbuilt antifreeze that allows them to endure temperatures considerably below 32 degrees Fahrenheit—in fact, below zero.
Are your outdoor succulents at risk over the winter? Depending on where you reside, Please refer to “Cold Weather Care for Outdoor Succulents, By Region.”
Your area is frost-free (lucky you!) if…
This soft-leaved agave in my garden is the canary in the mineshaft when it comes to cold. Many succulents may survive a brief cold (less than an hour), but Agave attenuata’s leaf tips immediately reveal damage.
Although ugly, this damage rarely results in death. See how each leaf’s healthy green portion is? Cut each leaf to a point using scissors to remove the tissue-paper-like frozen tips. The harm won’t be very evident when you’re finished. Those shorter, clipped leaves will be buried by new growth during the summer. (Note: Such damage is comparable to scorching brought on by excessive sun and heat, which is common of desert conditions, and by wildfire, which, believe it or not, does occur.)
What about a succulent or agave that only suffers damage from frost on the tips of its leaves? Don’t even try trimming them. In a few months, it will shed those oldest leaves nevertheless.
areas with sporadic, light frosts (like Southern California’s interior):
If there is a “frost advisory” for your area, keep an eye on the weather forecast, and before it gets dark, go outdoors and cover your sensitive succulents. After midnight, frost is more common, and temperatures increase colder as dawn approaches. Warm air is lighter than cold air, which travels down hills and gathers in low areas. Succulents in swales are therefore more vulnerable than those on top of berms. You may have heard that Christmas lights slightly increase the temperature. Yes, if they are the traditional variety. LEDs in current use don’t produce heat. You should be concerned about succulents that are exposed to the elements and have nothing over them. I occasionally lean over a succulent and look up. It becomes draped if there aren’t any tree limbs or eaves directly above.
I reside at 1,500 feet in the foothills NE of San Diego (Zone 9b). And yes, after seeing the weather forecast on the late-night news, I have been outside at 11 p.m. in my pajamas and slippers, freezing while I place blankets on delicate plants while my husband holds a flashlight. I may leave the plants covered if several nights of frost are expected; otherwise, I take the sheets off the next morning. I fasten them with clothes pins and rocks to make sure they won’t blow off. AVOID using plastic. The plants are unable to breathe because of it.
In my yard, jades and other delicate succulents are covered in frost cloth. WATCH THE VIDEO
Why cold damages some succulents and not others
The origin of a certain plant type affects it greatly. Most succulents are native to dry, hot areas where they can store water in their leaves to survive drought. The ones that don’t freeze, however, are from dry, cold climates. See my essay, Showy Succulents for Snowy Climates, in the Wall Street Journal. The “hardies” include:
several species and cultivars of sempervivums (hens-and-chicks, above); some cactus, yuccas, and agaves (such as Agave utahensis, A. montana, and A. parryi); and lewisias from the Pacific Northwest.
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!
How are succulents kept warm outside?
Succulents that are native to warm, arid climes can perish in wet soil, dim light, high humidity, and freezing temperatures. You can use these products to protect your succulents from the harsh, wet winters in North America. (Advertising connections.)
You could just require frost cloth if you live somewhere where frost is sporadic. (Old bed sheets also function.) This helps keep warm air from dispersing into the higher atmosphere and stops ice crystals from falling from the atmosphere from falling on plants. Don’t cover your succulents with plastic sheets that resemble trash bags; whatever material you use should let air to circulate. If plants are covered for extended periods of time, translucent cloth is a must. However, removing the frost cloth throughout the day is ideal.
Below: This 6-by-50-foot, reusable “winterization fabric freeze blanket” from DeWitt. $28 or so on Amazon.
Floating row covers made by Agribon and Pellon nonwoven fabric can both be used. Spun nylon, often known as “floating row cover,” is similar to fusible interfacing but lacks the fusible component. It can be used as a sunscreen, insect barrier (against cabbage moths, etc.), and frost protection. It is permeable to water and allows vapor to pass through. It will provide protection from -2 to -4 degrees below zero. Use C-9 Christmas light strings for added warmth.
Succulents that are in pots can be covered or moved to an overhang till spring. Depending on how cold it gets, beneath your home’s eaves or on a deck or patio (near the house) may be sufficient. The warmth that walls give out may be sufficient to elevate the temperature above freezing.
Consider purchasing a compact walk-in greenhouse that can be disassembled and stored during the warmer months if you live somewhere where the temperature drops into the 20s. Put it in a location where a portable electric heater’s cord may reach from your home.
If you must (or choose to) keep your succulents inside for the winter, equip a basement, sunroom, spare room, or alcove with shelves and tables that can handle wetness as well as timer-controlled lights and a fan. Fortunately, the bulk of dormant succulents—those that fall dormant in the winter—need relatively little water. Every three weeks or so, dribble a small amount at the base of each plant, just enough to water the roots but not enough to create pools on the ground.
mount grow lights. Light is a plant that loves it. T-5 grow lights are advised by experts in indoor gardening and growing succulents in environments with low visibility. These will maintain the color of your echeverias!