Succulent Care During the Winter Months
The winter can be tough, whether it’s the colder temperatures, less sunlight or shorter days – we all can have a harder time. Remember, it’s not just you that you must think about, your plants need some extra help too when it gets cold! A few common questions we get from customers are “Can succulents survive winter?” and “How to keep succulents alive?” We are here for you, and we’ve got answers.
First, your little succulents can absolutely make it through winter – but they made need their care altered a bit compared to summer. Second, keeping all plants alive is the goal, but we know succulents can be pickier about their needs, so we’re here to help you fine tune those plant skills!
One of the best ways to adapt your succulents to the colder months is to know how much they love the sun. They thrive with bright sunlight, and it helps them grow more quickly. So, with that knowledge, the winter months are darker because the days are shorter. Because of that, you should slightly decrease your watering and expect that your succulents may grow a little bit slower in the winter. There are also so many succulents that get brighter or lighter edges when they get a lot of sunlight, so you can expect that some of them may get a bit darker in the winter too.
While most succulents are hardy, the thicker the leaves the more they can withstand. However, they still don’t love the cold, so many climates can handle putting their succulents outside during the warmer months, but you should bring them inside once the temperatures drop. If you live in warmer spots – check your hardiness zone here - they could thrive outside in the winter! But you should still be careful if you have a cold spell, succulent temperature tolerance isn’t much lower than 65 degrees.
When you bring your succulent inside for the winter, it’s best to find the brightest spot, because they’re still going to want to soak in as much light as they can get. So, some of the best places in your home for your succulents would be near windows or bright lights, bonus if it’s a warm or more humid area too – they'll appreciate that moisture and warmth!
The change of seasons is also a great time to trim or prune your succulents. When you adjust their location or switch them into a different pot, check out your leaves. Remove any discolored or mushy ones, those are dying and are keeping the rest of the plant from thriving. You want to make your plant feel its healthiest as it prepares to get through the winter!
Where do your succulents thrive in your home? Is it in the bathroom or kitchen? Close to a window? We’d love to learn more about your habits when it comes to succulents.