I am a big fan of storing my succulents outside in the summer months. Their leaves get their sheen back, they grow fuller and just generally appear much healthier. Sadly they cannot stay outside all year round though, as winter in the UK is just not a friend to these exotic beauties.
If you are a succulent owner and live in the northern hemisphere, you may be wondering how best to take care of your succulents as we come into winter. If so, read on for tips of how to keep your succulents happy until next spring.
I actually have another blog dedicated to succulents where I have already covered this topic. If you'd like to check it out, head over to www.succulentaddict.co.uk
However, since now is the time to adjust your succulent care, I thought a quick update might be in order. If you have read my original post on this on my other website, there will be some repetition, so apologies in advance!
Timing
October is when I generally try to encourage my succulent collection into winter dormancy, with the aim to have them sorted by the time the clocks go back at the end of the month. That said, this timing isn't set in stone. In years when the weather has turned unseasonably cold and wet in September, I have made the transition much earlier. It really is a judgement call depending on the weather and also your circumstances.
We moved house in August. To allow my husband and I to time and space to focus on the unpacking and redecorating; all my succulents were put into their winter resting locations much earlier, during what was then a heatwave. If it hadn't been for the move, I would have kept them outside for much longer.
So in summary, late summer to early autumn is the best time to think about getting your succulents ready for winter storage, especially if it's wet.
Light
In an ideal world, you would be overwintering your succulent plants somewhere with plenty of natural light, such as a greenhouse or conservatory. Our new house has neither, so this year, my succulents are hanging out in my (ever obliging) mum's attic, which has sky lights and a south facing window. Succulents love natural light, so exposure to adequate light levels are important during the winter, because it keeps your plants compact and healthy. In the UK, the sun is so much weaker over the winter than the rest of the year, so allow your succulents to sunbathe as much as possible.
If you don't have a greenhouse or conservatory, then available windowsills may become the new hang out zone for your succulents - preferably south- or west-facing windowsills, away from heat sources such as radiators. Your plants may begin to show signs of etiolation. If this happens, you can cut back or propagate in the spring. You may also look into investing in some grow-lights to supplement light levels over the winter.
Temperature
The majority of succulents are tender, which means they are often damaged or killed in freezing temperatures. Since UK winters include heavy frosts and torrential rain, tender succulents just won't survive outside for long.
However, bringing succulents into warm, cosy rooms with central heating isn't ideal either. Instead, opt for rooms that are cool but not freezing - somewhere between 5-18 degrees celsius. This allows succulents to go into a semi-dormant state, where they won't grow until the weather warms up again in the spring, and there are more hours of day light.
If you have an unheated greenhouse, you may be concerned that winter night-time temperatures will fall too low for succulents to survive in there happily. I did worry about this in our former home, where we had an unheated greenhouse. However, even with a thin layer of snow on the ground outside, all succulents survived unscathed.
Not every succulent species will cope exactly the same though, so it pays to do your research. If a winter is set to be particularly severe, and your succulents are stored in an unheated greenhouse or conservatory, you may need to pay regular, close attention to how they are coping, and perhaps try covering your succulents with horticultural fleecing during very cold spells. Black or darkened patches on the leaves and stem are a sign of cold or frost damage. Leaves may also wither or look soft and mushy in parts.
Moisture
The subject of watering succulents is, and may forever be, a tricky one to navigate. The question of how much and how often to water is almost impossible to advise on without knowing how much sunlight the plant in question receives, as well as the ambient temperature it grows in.
Personally I would suggest that if you are storing your succulents somewhere protected from the elements, with cool temperatures and plenty of light (ideal winter conditions for most succulents), then you can get away with watering very lightly as and when is needed - perhaps as little as once a month. There are some varieties, such as my cacti, which I will actually leave bone dry until the spring. If your succulents are stored in rooms with central heating, you will probably need to water more often.
Where ever you are storing succulents, be extra careful not to overwater, as constant soggy soil is a quick route to rot and succulent death. Make sure the soil in the pot has completely dried out before you water again. You can test the weight of the pot to get an idea, or perhaps stick a finger or a bamboo stick down into the soil, and see if it comes away dry. If you are a bit heavy-handed with a watering can, you could try watering with a plastic syringe so that you can control how much and where the water goes.
It is important to note that some succulents are actually winter-active and summer-dormant - This includes Aeoniums, Crassula, aloes and Haworthia. For a period during the winter, they will grow and may flower, and so will need watering more regularly than summer-growers such as Echeveria. Again, it is important to know the species and how it grows, so that you can give it specific treatment.
Hygiene
To keep your succulent in good health, and discourage pests and diseases, I recommend ensuring plants have breathing room. As I have a fairly sizeable collection of succulents, and limited space, I have had to compromise and store them very close together. This isn't ideal, so if you have the room, spread them out.
Just before the long, dark nights really kick in, I like to do a health check of all my succulents. I check for signs of pests and diseases and check for any signs of rot. I also clear any dead or yellowing leaves to improve air circulation around the plant, and remove potential hiding places for any pests. You might also want to gently ease the plant from its pot, and check the roots for rot or pests too. If you have the time and inclination, I suggest keeping this up routinely through the winter. The earlier you spot any signs of trouble, the better for the plant.
Hopefully my tips were helpful to you, and come spring, you'll have a happy collection of succulents.
Winter is a very common time to accidentally kill any houseplant, not just succulents, so don't berate yourself if you come out of winter with less plants than you had going in. I loose plants every year. Sometimes I know why and other times I have no idea. It's just part of being a gardener, and it gives you a good excuse to buy new plants and try again.
Thank you for reading.
Have a great week.
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