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How to Care for Succulents in Winter: 11 Comprehensive Guides

Succulents are beloved for their striking appearance, low maintenance, and resilience. However, as winter approaches, their care needs can shift significantly. Understanding how to properly care for succulents during the colder months is essential to ensure their health and longevity. This article provides a detailed guide to help succulent enthusiasts keep their plants thriving even during winter.

Understanding Succulent Dormancy

Many succulents enter a period of dormancy during winter. This natural phase helps them conserve energy and survive harsh conditions. While some succulents like aloes and haworthias remain active in winter, others such as echeverias and cacti slow their growth. Knowing whether your succulents are dormant or active is crucial for providing appropriate care.

Signs of dormancy include slowed growth, shedding of lower leaves, or reduced water absorption. If your succulents are dormant, they will require less water and attention. Recognizing these changes will allow you to adjust your care routine accordingly.

Here are some guides to take care of your succulents in winter.

Provide Adequate Light

Winter days are shorter, and light intensity diminishes, which can be challenging for light-loving succulents. You have to make sure that your succulents receive enough light. To ensure it, you can position succulents near windows. Place your succulents near a south- or west-facing window where they can soak up the most sunlight. Rotate the pots regularly to ensure even growth. Make sure that the windows are clean. Dust and dirt can block sunlight, so clean your windows periodically to maximize light exposure. If natural light is insufficient, consider using LED grow lights. These lights mimic sunlight and can help your succulents maintain their vibrant appearance.

Adequate light

Even though in winter, place the succulent on a sunny window sill. This will ensure that it receives enough sunlight to thrive during the colder months. Natural light from @contrivecreations

Adjust Watering Practices

Overwatering is one of the most common mistakes when caring for succulents in winter. As growth slows, succulents require less water. To avoid root rot and other issues. In this case, you can water sparingly. This watering idea allows the soil to dry out completely between watering. In most cases, watering once every 3-4 weeks is sufficient.

Keep in mind, when watering succulents, avoid wet leaves. You can water at the base of the plant or bottom watering succulent to prevent moisture from sitting on the leaves, which can lead to rot. Furthermore, you can monitor the soil moisture with a moisture meter or test the soil with your finger to ensure it is dry before watering.

Bottom watering succulent

Bottom watering is a beneficial winter method for succulents, preventing overwatering and enhancing root water absorption, while ensuring proper drainage to prevent waterlogged soil. Bottom watering succulent from @the_next_gardener

Regulate Temperature

Succulents are sensitive to extreme temperatures, and cold drafts can harm them. Ideally, they should be kept in an environment with temperatures ranging from 50°F to 60°F (10°C to 15°C). You can do some ways below:

  • Avoid Frost: You have to avoid frost. If you keep your succulents outdoors, bring them inside before the first frost. Frost can damage or kill these delicate plants. Also, keep succulents away from drafty windows, doors, and heating vents.

Avoid frost

This is a useful way to keep succulents in the winter. Placing several in a box makes it easy to move them from outside to inside or vice versa to avoid frost. Avoid frost from @succsatsunset

  • Group Together: Furthermore, you can group them together. Grouping plants can create a microclimate that helps maintain warmth and humidity levels. These precautions will help ensure the health and longevity of your succulents. Remember to monitor the temperature fluctuations in their environment regularly.

Grouping succulents

Grouping succulents inside the glass case not only keeps them from cold weather but also creates a visually appealing display. The glass case provides protection from pests and allows for easy monitoring of watering needs. Grouping succulents from @amandaajurmu

Regulate temperature

Using a thermometer inside the case of your succulents during winter ensures they are not exposed to low temperatures, preventing potential harm or death. Regulate temperature from @lesucculentedifranci

Ensure Proper Drainage

Good drainage is vital for succulent health, particularly in winter when the risk of overwatering is higher. To optimize drainage:

  • Use Well-Draining Soil: Choose a cactus or succulent mix, or amend regular potting soil with sand or perlite.
Well-draining soil

Sand and perlite are ideal for caring for succulents due to their well-draining environment, root rot prevention, and stability during winter growth and expansion. Well-draining soil from @hummingbirdsucculents

  • Choose Pots with Drainage Holes: Ensure your pots have adequate drainage holes to prevent water from pooling. And, you can place pots on saucers with ridges or elevate them slightly to allow excess water to escape easily.
Potted succulents

Using proper pots for succulents and elevating them on the tiered racks, you can create a visually appealing display that allows for proper drainage and air circulation. This will help prevent root rot and promote healthy growth for your succulents during the winter. Potted succulents from @tereluck

Monitor Humidity Levels

Winter often brings lower humidity levels, which can affect your succulents. While succulents prefer dry conditions, extremely low humidity combined with indoor heating can cause dehydration. To avoid overly dry air, you can use a humidifier if your indoors is excessively dry. But avoid creating damp conditions. Too much moisture can encourage fungal growth.

If necessary, mist your succulents lightly, but ensure the leaves dry quickly. After that, you can place them in a location with good air circulation or near a window to prevent any potential issues with excess moisture. Remember to monitor your succulents closely during the winter months to ensure they are thriving in optimal conditions.

Humidity level

Maintaining humidity levels in winter is crucial for succulents to prevent drying out. Misting and placing them in sunlight-rich windowsills help achieve this. Humidity level from @el_jardin_de_vicky

Pruning and Maintenance

Winter is a great time to inspect your succulents and do some light maintenance. You can remove dead succulent leaves. Carefully pick off any dead or dry leaves to promote air circulation and deter pests. Check for signs of pests like mealybugs or spider mites, which can thrive indoors during the winter. If necessary, you can repot your succulents. If your succulent has outgrown its pot or the soil has become compacted, consider repotting it. However, avoid repotting a dormant plant unless absolutely necessary.

Succulent pruning

Removing the dead leaves of the succulents will help improve air circulation around the plant and prevent the spread of disease. Additionally, it will promote new growth and keep the plant looking tidy and healthy. Succulent pruning from @groentje_saskia

Special Considerations for Outdoor Succulents

If you have succulents planted outdoors, protecting them from harsh winter conditions is essential:

  • Provide Mulch: Apply a layer of mulch around the base of outdoor succulents to insulate the soil.
  • Use Covers: Cover succulents with frost cloths or plastic covers on particularly cold nights. This will help protect them from freezing temperatures and potential damage. Make sure to remove or open the covers during the day to allow sunlight and air circulation.
Succulent covers

Covering outdoor succulents during winter prevents frost damage, maintains plant health, and prevents excessive moisture, preventing rot. Succulent covers from @lesucculentedifranci

  • Select Hardy Varieties: If you live in a region with cold winters, choose cold-hardy succulents like Sedum or Sempervivum species.
Hardy succulents

These succulents can stand from the snow to the scorching heat of the desert, making them incredibly resilient plants. Their ability to store water in their leaves allows them to thrive in various climates with minimal care. Hardy succulents from @kaleidoplantia

Conclusion

Caring for succulents in winter requires thoughtful adjustments to their light, water, and temperature needs. By understanding their natural dormancy cycles and taking proactive measures, you can ensure your succulents remain healthy and vibrant throughout the colder months. With proper care, these resilient plants will continue to bring joy and beauty to your home year-round.

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