Preparing Your Outdoor Succulents for Winter...

     As the weather outside gets cooler and the seasons start to change, you start to think about what to do with your outdoor succulents. Snow, ice, and cold weather. Not the best living conditions for a succulent. 
Winterizing your succulents is very easy and a must if you want to keep them alive for the next summer season. 


PREPARING FOR INDOOR LIVING..
     When starting to prepare for winterizing you should check the weather in your area. If temperatures are expected to drop under 45°F you will want to start bringing them inside for the night. 

     Before bringing them inside, you’ll want to clean up your plants. Any dead leaves or branches should come off the plant. Also, any trimming you’d like to do to your succulent should be done before winterizing. 

     Once your succulent is in tiptop shape, they are ready to come indoors. When indoors, make sure the temperature is between 50-70 degrees and keep them in a sunny area in your house. Artificial lighting works just as well as sunlight and might be better for the winter months given the lower light levels during the season.



WHEN TO BRING THEM INSIDE..
     The most common questions we get asked when teaching people about winterizing succulents is, “When is the right time to bring my succulent indoors?”. This is a great question because there are multiple answers. Due to succulents being houseplants, you can bring them in anytime, or even leave them in the house all the time! Succulents are happy either way. But, if you have your succulents mostly outside during the warm months, knowing when to bring them in is important. 

     The most common time is when the fall season starts. This being because, most likely, your house is about the same temperature and light level as outdoors. So, there isn’t a huge change between conditions. 

     Succulents can be left outside during the fall season as long as the temperature outdoors does not drop below 45°F. Most people bring their succulents inside at night and then put them back outside during the day. 

     So, rule of thumb, anytime the temperature in your area is going to be under 45°F consistently is when you’ll want to bring your succulent indoors.

WATERING..
     Watering in the winter is kind of unnecessary. Due to the lower light levels winter brings, the plant doesn’t do much growing; it actually goes dormant. The key to watering in the winter is to make sure the soil is completely dry before watering and to water very sparingly. Once you notice the leaves are starting to shrivel, then give it a small drink. The succulent needs to survive, not grow in the winter therefore does not need a lot of water.

LIGHTING..
     Because the winter months offer less light and succulents do not grow a ton during the season, lighting isn’t as important as it is in the warmer months. Any artificial lighting paired with real sunlight will be more than enough for your succulent. Artificial lighting does not have to be anything fancy. The lights in your house will work just fine. 

SUMMARY
    Winterizing your succulents is a very easy thing to do. Just remember to check the temperature in your area, trim and clean your plant if it needs it, and check the soil before watering. With those three steps, your succulent will make it through winter and be ready to grow in Spring!