Succulents are considered low-maintenance plants even when grown indoors. The leaves and stems hold water as an adaptation to growing in arid areas. Some of them make good houseplants for year-round growing inside. Plants grown in pots outdoors can be brought indoors during the winter to protect the cold-temperature sensitive succulents.
1. Keep Succulents Warm and Illuminated
Place the dormant succulent in an area with at least 3 to 4 hours of bright light. Succulents need less light during the winter than when they are actively growing during the summer. They survive with indirect light during the winter. Extreme temperature changes can harm succulents, so bring them in before winter temperatures dip below freezing. Keep the temperature of the room succulents are in around 50 to 55 °F (10 to 13 °C) during the winter. Many succulents do not tolerate colder temperatures.
2. Water Infrequently
Succulents get their name because they store water in their leaves, roots, and stems, thus requiring much less moisture than other types of plants. Overwatering them can lead to root rot. Pour water into the top of the succulent container until it drains out the bottom. Water the succulents deeply but less often in the winter. The dormant plants do not use as much water as when they are actively growing. Water the plants about once every one to two months.
3. Fertilize Once
Feed the succulents one last time at the end of summer. Succulents only need diluted fertilizer while they are actively growing. Stop feeding when the plants stop growing for the year and go dormant, which occurs when the temperatures drop, and the light level falls. Too much fertilizer causes succulents to develop soft leaves, which are prone to rot.
4. Check Your Succulents Regularly for Pests
Every month, check the leaves for aphids or mealybugs, which look like tiny cotton balls. Look under the leaves as well. Move an infested succulent away from other plants. Fill a spray bottle with three parts rubbing alcohol mixed with one part water and mist it onto the plant to kill the pests. Keep the succulent away from the rest of the plants for a couple of weeks, just in case a few of the bugs survive the first spray. Repeat the rubbing alcohol application until all the pests are gone.
Source: sfgate.com
Links
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus