Overwintering succulents depends on the variety and climate of your garden. Houseleeks and sedums can simply be kept outside, as they are not affected by frost. Gelatinous succulents, on the other hand, may need to be sheltered from frost or even kept warm.
Wintering according to variety
Many succulents are cold-hardy. These plants are often used to cover green roofs.
Succulents such as houseleeks can withstand winter outdoors, but not all of them can withstand sub-zero temperatures for several days.
If winter temperatures in your garden are sometimes slightly negative, there’s nothing you can do. Plants take care of themselves. However, some pretty rosettes of unknown origin, bought in garden centers, don’t appreciate the cold.
To find out whether your plant is a houseleek or a desert rose, read How to tell the difference between houseleeks and Echeveria.
Where to store succulents?
I plant my roses in pots, because it’s pretty and because, until I know them well, I don’t know how they react to cold and humidity. It’s the samefor cacti: some can stand and even appreciate the winter cold, which causes them to flower, but others turn yellow when temperatures drop too low. For these, it’s best to bring them inside.
There are so many varieties of succulents, cacti and sedums that you can’t possibly know them all. You need to observe them carefully.
For a new plant, it’s best to put it back in a pot, in a cold greenhouse or tunnel, and observe it. If it turns yellow or looks sickly as soon as the first cold weather sets in, bring it inside. Otherwise, it’s fine outside.
Some houseleeks even continue to grow in winter. In this case, I water them once a month when it’s not freezing.
For extra protection, I cover my succulents with a winter veil at night. As soon as the temperature rises above freezing, the wintering veil must be lifted, otherwise moisture will accumulate and the plants will rot. On the other hand, the wintering veil is a paradise for aphids, which multiply rapidly, especially on Aeoniums.
I keep fragile plants in the house, in warm, bright light behind a south- or west-facing window.
Read more: keeping succulents indoors in winter
Sedums
Sedums react to cold like houseleeks. Most withstand the cold of temperate zones without difficulty. They’re even perfect for preparing winter pots with a few pansies. Just remember to take cuttings in spring, so you’ll have plenty of small plants available for pots.
Aeoniums
Aeonium has a tendency to freeze. Especially if the frost is early and arrives before the plant has gradually acclimatized to the cold. If your aeonium freezes, don’t throw it away. Take cuttings from the parts that didn’t freeze and prune the rest back to the healthy part. If you leave the frozen parts on the plant, the stem will not dry out but rot. And that can rot the whole plant.
Then store your Aeonium in a greenhouse or tunnel, or in the warmest, most sheltered corner of the garden, under a wintering veil. When the weather’s nice and warm, lift the overwintering veil, otherwise aphids will settle in and damage the plant.
As soon as aphids appear, spray the plant with a mixture of water and black soap.
If the weather is really cold, Aeonium can survive a few weeks in a dark place like a garage or basement. Take the plant out occasionally during the day to let it catch some light. It will probably lose a few leaves, but will start growing again in spring.
If you have room in the house, place your cuttings behind glass until spring. This way, the cuttings will grow quickly when the sun comes out.
Echeverias
Some echeverias can withstand slightly negative temperatures.
What bothers them most is the humidity.
To protect my succulent collection in winter, as well as the more fragile plants I bring out in spring, I use a mini-greenhouse that I install on the terrace.
So the plants are protected from the rain, but I can still enjoy them.
So the plants are protected from the rain, but I can still enjoy them.
