A customer recently inquired with us on growing Echeveria indoors over the winter. In order to perhaps assist others, we thought we’d provide the information shared. Although we were especially talking about Echeveria, this is true of all succulents that are delicate.
In patio pots, echeveria and other non-hardy succulents look stunning. Mexico and Central America are where the Echeveria are originally from. Since they are not adapted to the cold, they will perish under subfreezing conditions. It doesn’t matter if you live somewhere where winter is truly a winter if you want to enjoy these vibrant flora.
By bringing them indoors during the winter, you can keep them healthy. After the risk of frost has passed, gently reintroduce them to the outdoors in the spring. Other individuals treat Echeveria like annuals and just replant them each spring if they wish to enjoy these vibrant plants but don’t want houseplants.
Echeveria prefer full light, as they do in their natural growing environments. Try to stay away from the full sun in the summer afternoons and sudden fluctuations in the amount of sunshine.
Significant variations in lighting can be stressful to plants. Move your plants outside gradually in the spring if you’re doing so. Before they are in full daylight, they spend a few hours in the morning sun.
In some areas, the strong afternoon light can be too much, causing the leaves to burn. As Echeveria keep their leaves for a long period, burned leaves won’t mend and won’t stop looking scorched. If the damage is serious, it is preferable to chop off the plant’s head and allow the stalk to produce new leaves.
Put your indoor plants close to the room’s brightest window throughout the winter. If your plants don’t receive enough sunlight, they will swell. Your plants should ideally be placed close to a window that faces south. However, if that is not an option, place them close to a window that receives the most light.
Echeveria prefers to be kept moist, whether inside or out, but they also dislike being kept too dry. Usually, we discover that succulents require more water than most people realize. Things dry up even more quickly inside a house due to the dry conditions. Your soil shouldn’t be completely dry, as that will cause the roots of the plant to wither.
Water Echeveria’s soil, not the rosette, when you water it. Water should be added till the bottom is reached. Do this several times. After that, wait to rewater until the earth has dried. You don’t want your plant to be always soggy. Don’t let the pot rest in a saucer of water to help prevent this. The length of time between waterings is influenced by the climate and the state of the plant.
Echeveria’s most frequent issues are a result of bad watering practices. Both overwatering and underwatering might result in comparable symptoms. falling leaves, shriveling, and wilting. The best person to know your watering habits is you. Watch your plants carefully and modify as necessary.
Like all succulents, Echeveria require quick-draining soil. This helps keep the roots from rotting due to dampness. Many gardeners may combine their own unique blend of perlite and soil. However, cactus mix or high-quality potting soil would do just fine. A rule of thumb is that when you squeeze a handful of wet soil together, it ought to break apart once you release it.
“Sandy in the soil requirements for succulents” is a common phrase. This merely implies that the soil must have good drainage. Make sure it is coarse-grained sand if you do decide to add actual sand to your soil. The soil’s air spaces will become clogged by fine sand.
Repotting is necessary if you maintain your plants alive for several years. Every few years, they should receive a fresh change of soil to maintain their health and growth.
Fertilizer For Echeveria, fertilizer is not a constant requirement. Natively, succulents thrive in soil that has few nutrients. They are hence particularly vulnerable to fertilizer burn. Nevertheless, they sometimes need an extra boost. At the start of spring, apply a slow-release fertilizer or a liquid fertilizer that has been diluted 2-4 times more than usual and applied less frequently than is advised. Use a cactus fertilizer or a low nitrogen combination. Keep in mind that over-fertilizing succulents is much simpler than under-fertilizing.
Containers You can pick from a variety of pots when you pot up your Echeveria. The best option is typically something that is only bigger than the root ball or as little as feasible. On occasion, people worry about overpotting. This occurs when a small plant is placed in a big container. Greater soil volume has the capacity to hold more moisture, which increases the danger of rot. But larger pots shouldn’t be an issue because the soil you choose for succulents should have adequate drainage in any case. Therefore, let your Echeveria grow in the tiny or huge container that you believe looks fantastic.
Are Echeveria suitable as houseplants?
Popular succulent plant genus Echeveria is prized for its rosette-shaped, water-filled leaves. Echeveria is a popular collectible, and there are many diverse varieties available because of crossbreeding both within the genus and with other genera.
Some Echeverias are slow-growing, others can reach a diameter of more than 30 cm, while some have shiny or dusty leaves. Numerous factors exist. Can Echeverias, however, be grown indoors?
In most cases, echeveria cannot be grown indoors for extended periods of time; instead, they enjoy being outdoors in bright light. They have, however, been reported to thrive in sunrooms, conservatories, and places that get direct sunlight all day.
A sizable genus of blooming plants with a native range in Central America is called Echeveria. The majority of their environment is dry or semi-desert. This is crucial to keep in mind so that you can comprehend their requirements.
Many people have unsuccessful first attempts at growing echeveria. Many individuals start by purchasing Echeveria in attractive pots and placing them inside the home. Although they will appear magnificent for a few weeks, many will pass away. Echeveria will either stretch toward the nearest window or become mushy from the lack of sunlight and sufficient airflow.
Echeveria, like the great majority of succulents, prefers to grow outdoors in areas with lots of sunlight and good airflow. Having said that, certain Echeveria prefer more sun than others, and they might suffer in the full sun throughout the summer when temperatures rise above 35 Celsius or 95F. Due to the length of the subject, we have prepared a separate article on succulents and sunlight.
Our clients occasionally contact us with feedback, and on several occasions, we have heard that they have had wonderful luck producing Echeveria indoors. Although it is relatively uncommon, it is possible. To have a shot at enjoying Echeveria indoors, a few conditions will need to hold true. It also needs some dedication and special attention.
You may have a chance of keeping your Echeveria alive indoors if your home has a lot of windows that allow direct sunshine in for at least 6-7 hours each day. The room would need to be extremely bright since the plant will start to stretch toward the window to let in the most light, producing unnaturally long leaves and a stalk. Sunlight must be shining on the plant almost continuously for the entire six hours if leggy development is to be avoided.
People who have sun rooms are also fortunate since they make the ideal greenhouse atmosphere, which, with a little extra attention, should allow Echeveria to flourish. a few pointers for cultivating Echeveria in sun rooms. Watch out for vermin. Since there won’t be any predators in the enclosed space, aphids, the dreaded mealybugs, gnats, and even slugs can readily enter the house and breed contently. Given that most succulents dislike humidity and can rot from fungal disease, keeping the sun room well-ventilated is also crucial.
Speaking of airflow, succulents thrive in areas with enough of it, whether or not there is a sun room present. Echeveria indoors will benefit greatly from having the windows open during the day. Unless it is the dead of winter and extremely cold outside.
Many of you are aware of the difficulties in maintaining the life of our priceless collection of succulents while it is snowing outdoors and the temperature is below 0°C. Since Echeveria and the majority of other succulents are not frost-hardy, they must be brought indoors. Many people also lack the luxury of big, bright windows (particularly in colder countries where big windows mean losing heat), making it nearly impossible to keep succulents alive through the coldest months of the year.
But don’t worry. There is a method for growing succulents indoors for brief periods of time without direct sunshine and big windows, especially outdoor-loving plants like Echeveria.
Grow lights for plants have been available for some time, and new, improved technology is always being developed. Although we haven’t personally tried any of these products (but we will soon perform an experiment! ), we think grow lights can be a huge assistance in maintaining Echeveria indoors.
It is still possible to salvage an Echeveria if you have been trying to grow it indoors since you bought it but it isn’t doing well. Stretched, colorless Echeveria can be gradually moved outside. The rosette (top section) can be removed if they are overstretched, dried for a day or two, and then planted as a cutting in succulent potting soil. Succulents can also be “be-headed,” and we have a whole article on the subject.
Keep the bottom portion with the roots intact since additional plants are likely to grow where the rosette was removed. Most Echeveria will send roots down in two to three weeks throughout the growing season (spring and summer). The plant must be brought back into the light if it has been too long in the shade since the leaf can burn.
The plant will become accustomed to the sun’s rays if you keep it in a bright area with some morning sunlight. The solar exposure can be increased every few days. Even though most echeverias adore the light, heat waves should be avoided because few plants can tolerate high temperatures in the sun (over 95F).
When watering, wait until the potting mixture is totally dry before watering it once more. If overwatered, some Echeveria can rot or develop fungal infections. As long as they are in a raised bed or area of the garden that never gets wet, most Echeveria can also be planted in the garden (many actually grow better in gardens than in pots—read more about succulents in the garden here). Watch out for mealy bugs and aphids. They eat a lot of Echeveria because it is their favorite food.
There are succulents that can thrive indoors better than others. Succulents like Haworthia, Aloe, Pepperomia, or Gasteria could work well as indoor plants if you’re truly keen on giving them a try. They are less picky about getting direct sun, but they still need a bright place and airflow.
What distinguishes echeveria from succulents?
They are confusing for this reason, but it’s also the greatest way to tell them apart. The succulent-typical, spherical, and plump leaves of Echeveria are present. They frequently come to a pointy, spike-like termination. “But Sempervivums are also spiky and rounded,” you say. Yes, their differences can be determined by comparing their levels of chubbiness. Echeveria typically have more noticeable thickness. Both plants produce dense rosettes, but Echeveria’s leaves are thicker than Sempervivum’s, therefore there are typically fewer leaves surrounding a rosette. The major drawback to identifying genus by leaf shape is that, if you are unfamiliar with them, it can be challenging to distinguish without comparing them side by side.
Painted lady echeveria (Echeveria derenbergii)
Knowing a plant’s origins is crucial for assessing its compatibility for your space and planning the care it will require. Native to desert areas, these plants need a lot of sunlight and loose, quickly draining soil. Strong sunlight and copious humidity will require some shelter for plants from the jungle bottom.
This succulent native to Mexico has compact, dense, pale-green basal rosettes with pink tips. It has many offshoots, only reaches a height of 4 inches, and blooms profusely throughout the summer. Since echeverias are especially prone to “stretching,” give them the strongest light possible. One of the many plant genera that are frequently referred to as stonecrop is Echeveria.
Light:
Many succulent gardeners fall short of providing their plants with the necessary amount of light. Your echeveria must be placed in a window where it will get at least six hours of sunlight every day. Your plant will start to stretch and lose its appealing, compact form in the absence of prolonged, direct light. Even during its winter rest phase, a painted lady echeveria should continue to receive bright light.
Artificial lights should be considered, either alone or in combination with natural light, if the sunlight coming through your sunniest window is insufficient. Good results can be obtained by placing a white fluorescent light 6 to 12 inches above the plant. Artificial light must be provided for at least 14 to 16 hours each day and cannot be as strong as daylight.
Water and Humidity:
The most common reason for succulent failure is too much water, thus watering needs to be done carefully. The time of year should affect your irrigation schedule. Typically, water your echeveria only as often as necessary from October through February during the low-light conditions of winter to keep the leaves from puckering (once a month or so). Your plant enjoys prolonged dry conditions and is not currently in an active growth phase.
To avoid wetting the leaves when watering, let the plant absorb tepid water from below.
Water more regularly as the amount of daylight increases and the plant resumes active development, but make sure to let the soil completely dry in between applications. Because of their thin roots, succulents are readily damaged by overwatering. They don’t require humidity to thrive, thus misting is not recommended. Instead of placing them near leafy plants, give them sufficient air movement.
Temperature:
With the temperatures that can be achieved in homes in the New York region, succulents are content. Temperatures between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit at night and 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day are tolerable. The temperature must change by at least 10 degrees from day to night for the painted lady echeveria to flourish. The ideal range for daytime temperatures during the winter rest period is 55° to 60° F.
Your house is a microclimate in itself. In the winter, locations near windows may be sunny, but they are also cool (usually 10 degrees colder than the center of the room). In comparison to the rest of the room and the home, a south-facing window warms up more during the day in the summer. For the best plant placement in your home, research the microclimates. Plants may need to be relocated to their most cozy spot for the season.
Re-potting:
Only repot in the spring if absolutely essential. Your succulent’s health is greatly influenced by the soil and container you choose for it. These plants are susceptible to unexpected mortality from moisture that becomes trapped around their tiny root systems. A succulent’s natural habitat’s loose, well-draining soil composition should be modeled after the optimum soil. The ideal ratio is usually equal parts potting soil, peat, and sand. Commercial cactus mixes are fine, if not ideal, and widely accessible; nevertheless, stay away from combinations that include food. You need a draining hole in the bottom of your pot.
Nutrition:
Only feed Painted Lady Echeveria during their growing season (March through September). It is typically advised to feed cacti or houseplants a cactus or houseplant food three to four times during the growing season. Avoid using any plant food with a high nitrogen content. If nourishment is not limited, this plant can spread up to several feet wide.
Summer Vacation?
Give your echeveria a vacation in the big outdoors once it warms up outside and there is plenty of sunlight. By bringing the container outside for progressively longer times over the course of a few weeks, you may acclimate the plant to variations in light and temperature. Avoid noon sunshine as much as possible, and pay close attention to the increased outdoor water needs. You’ll be rewarded with your plant’s increased vigor!
Winter Rest Period:
It’s crucial to recognize and relax your echeveria during its non-active development period. This plant requires less water, food, and temperature from October to February, but direct sunlight should still be present.
What to Watch for:
Maintain a light mist by watering from below. The leaf crown won’t last if water is allowed to collect there.
To prevent pest infestations beneath the rosette, remove any dead leaves there.
If echeverias don’t get enough sun or are overwatered in the winter, they will grow longer.