The “ it ” girls of the houseplant cosmos , succulents are laid back , diverse , colorful performers . What ’s not to bonk ?
Well , it just so happens that when summer fades and winter take its berth , these plucky worshippers of warmth and sunlight require a dissimilar kind of TLC .
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Lucky for us , their wintertime precaution is moderately straightforward , and requires just a few tweak from their summer bit .
For general selective information on how to handle for and arise your own bevy of succulents , we ’ve grow you covered . Check out our comprehensive templet to growing succulents here .
In this template , we ’ll tackle the serious techniques for overwintering your plants . Read on to find out more .
What You’ll Learn
Winter is issue forth … As unflagging as a horde of undead zombi spirit barreling towards your garden – “ Game of Thrones , ” anyone ? – in almost every part of the world , the long , cold wintertime is an inescapable fact .
And although your potted plants can be easily whisk away to the warmth of the house , that does n’t mean they ’re imperviable to the seasonal change happening outdoors .
As wintertime feeler , not only does the amount of sunlight reaching the land decrease , but the intensity of it lessens , too .
The air chill , the night lengthen , and , consequently , plant growth slack down .
What Does Winter Do to a Succulent?
As plants receive these climatic pool cue from the outdoors they enter a menses of dormancy , or fall growth if the winter catamenia is not very severe .
Less sunlight signify less photosynthesis , but it also mean less heat , which is an important factor in plant growth . In poor , plants need the Lord’s Day and its warmness to grow , flower , set ejaculate , and flourish .
Succulents are devotee of Sunday and heat . Although some are miraculously adapted for cold weather with a pelage of duncical hair or toughened exterior skin , none of them like the dull , sulky winter days that often characterise winter in the Northern Hemisphere .
When sun lessen , succulents can really start to pour forth leaves or become etiolated – a fancy word which mean foresighted and stringy and weedy .
Insufficient light can eventually drink down a succulent , especially if it ’s suddenly brought from the warm and sunny , summery outdoors to shaded , more restrained temperature indoors .
show on to find out how to deal this seasonal passage and steward your succulents through the chilliest months of the year , and back into sunlit summertime sidereal day .
Inside or Out?
The decision to move plant indoors is easy made based on yourUSDA Hardiness Zone .
If you ’re Zone 6 or under , you have serious wintertime to contend with and should decidedly shift all succulents , with a few elision , in spite of appearance .
If you ’re Zone 7 and up , find out what the minimum Hardiness Zone is for your specific coinage and variety .
Some , such as theeuphorbias , will withstand wintertime conditions just ok . Thesedums , popular and widespread garden perennials , are stout to Zone 3 , for example .
A few succulents may be borderline hardy , or prone to windburn . These more tender species will benefit from protection such as horticultural fleece , or garden fabric , during winter .
All - Purpose Garden Fabric
This handy textile has various soubriquet and comes in many size to accommodate your needs .
buy some for your gardenfrom Gardener ’s Supply Co.
Just as we mulch perennial in the twilight , a layer of gritrock or gravel will help insure full drainage around outside succulents and bring home the bacon some insularism for the land , so pile on an extra half an inch .
Moving Indoors
Once the weather begins to cant winter - ward , make your move .
When nighttime temperatures start to souse into the fifty and that go down feeling sets in ( think : curt days , nerveless nights , quick sundown , by and by sunrises ) it ’s sentence to move pots inside .
Before you get cozy , however , you should always check for pests that could be a threat to your lasting houseplant community .
Give your outdoor plants a quick end - of - time of year physical .
If you spy any critter hiding , handle with a simple insecticide like Bonide brand insect - pour down scoop or , if the infestation is mild , you could try arinse with the garden hosepipe .
Bonide Insecticidal Soap
This balmy insecticidal easy lay is excellent for exterminating a ten thousand of plant pestilence . It’savailable at Gardener ’s Supply Co.
To make trusted no eggs are stow away in the soil , shift the substrate , ensure touse an appropriate soil admixture for succulent .
A intermixture low in constituent thing and eminent in material that allow the soil to drain quickly , such as sand , grit , or perlite , is idealistic for these plants .
withdraw any dead leaves or debris , too .
Sun and Heat
Succulents amount from brightly lit environment , whether that be the hilly cliffs of a sweltering desert or the bald face of a windswept mint . In short , they are not wraith plant .
When moving your light - fan indoors , make certain to set them in area with as much sun photograph as potential .
Sunrooms , bay window , and south - facing ledges are all good selection . Make trusted your choose pole is selective service - gratuitous .
If you do n’t have quite enough solar power within your domicile , many works aficionado invest in grow lamps to get them through the dark parts of the yr . These can utilize dewy-eyed yet powerful fluorescent or LED bulbs . They even come in a chain of funky colors .
Red typically promotes blossoming , while bluish stimulates growth . In the growing season you’re able to get down and disco music and experimentation with different color , but for winter , scandalmongering and white lights are most appropriate .
favourable for you , we ’ve already done the hard work of resolve which mature lighter are the diligence ’s whiz . understand more about recommend acquire lights in our guidebook .
Gardener ’s Supply Co. offers numerous grow light selection , from the utilitarian to the sleek and aphrodisiacal .
But remember , you do n’t necessarily want to keep your plants trucking in summertime grow - mode .
The lessening in sun and temperature prepares all green and growing things for a period of time of residual known as quiescence . It ’s really what they need to get quick to flower and fly high next year .
Keep nighttime temperatures coolheaded – about 50 ° farad is idealistic , but be sure to go no high than where you commonly fructify your thermostat for your own comfort , and make up tending to how much you water . More on that below .
Water: Less Is More
To nudge your new house guest into dormancy , start up to water them less frequently as presently as they ’re indoors . Instead of thoroughly drenching the soil once a week , water deeply once a month , perchance even less often .
With less speedy uptake of both nutrients and water , succulents tend to get soggy and decay if they ’re overwatered . Look for yellowing leaf as an early sign of source rot .
Check out our templet to preventing root rotting in succulents for more info .
The gilded convention of water most sort of plants – and decidedly succulents – is to do the finger spliff test : press your finger’s breadth into the soil up to the first knuckle .
If it is dry , body of water deep until urine runs out of the bottom of the pot . If it ’s still moist , expect a little longer .
The design of winter watering for succulent is the bar of shriveling and leafage drop . This may take a time or two to learn and will vary from plant life to implant .
Get more tip on watering succulent here .
Food: Is it Necessary?
Succulents are a intrepid bunch and rarely need alimentation except under a few specific circumstances .
If they ’re root bound , stuck in the same pot year after year , or have just been through a point of prolific maturation , give them adose of lush fertilizer , or a dilute eating of a stock fertilizer with an equal equilibrium of nitrogen , phosphorous and atomic number 19 ( NPK ) .
As a general rule , houseplants do not need prey during winter .
Fertilize once natural spring is well on its direction and you ’re ready to further new increment , which will be supported by increase sun .
other - time of year eating before your plants are receiving at least a full eight minute of direct sunlight again will advance boney , fibrous increase .
Pest and Disease Control
With lessen air circulation , lower temperatures , and all - around less vigorous outgrowth , plants become more susceptible to pests and disease .
Checking your pot prior to moving them indoors and switching out the soil will drastically lower the chances of maraud bugs attacking your plant , but even with the best intentions , things can go awry .
Many indoor pest problems can be fixed by addressing the root , no pun intended , of the job .
increase space between plants , low humidity , and less erratic temperature fluctuation help prevent dirt ball infestations and loosely keep your potted photosynthesizers happier .
Once a week , perform a health inspection to check that you bewitch infestations and diseases in their early , and often fixable stages .
Yellowing leaves , discolored blotches , soft tissue , cobwebbing , and of course , uninvited insect , are all sign your plant may need some doctoring .
Our guidebook to controlling mites might be helpfulif you materialise to find a clustering of these greedy creepy crawlies .
Scaleandmealybugscan induce job for indoor dwellers , too , but it ’s nothing a little hand - pick or some leafage cleaning with rubbing alcohol ca n’t fix if get early enough .
Winter Wonderland
In brusque , winter does n’t have to put the kibosh on that generous green opinion summer is full of .
With a little thrifty observance , and some tender love and care , even the most consecrated sunlovers can flourish indoors .
But call up , even though you feel passionate about your succulent , extra cherishing is not what they need . Less H2O , and less high temperature , is what they demand for healthy winter living .
When you’reready to expand your collection of succulents , read more about everything from which species to select to how to establish them outside , and beyond . Now go ! Get growing !
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Molly Marquand
