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Cacti & Succulents

Should I move some succs outdoors for the summer?

8 years ago

HI all,

I know many (most?) succulents do better outdoors when possible, but I've never tried it. I'm worried about moving my plants that have always been indoors outside, and also about moving them back inside as temps cool again in the fall. I've also thought about getting some new ones, like maybe some basic jades, with the intention of putting them outside immediately, so I don't have to worry about risking my beloved indoor plants by sending them outside.

I'm specifically worried about bugs -- I don't want to bring creepy-crawlies back inside. Are there ways to prevent that?

I'm also worried about control of water. I live in North Carolina, where our summers tend to be hot and dry, with an occasional torrential thunderstorm, and then it may go days or weeks without any significant rain. I worry that my plants will drown in a thunderstorm, but I don't want to feel like every time it starts raining I need to run outside and bring them all in.

Any advice on whether it's worth it to try taking some tender succs outdoors for the summer would be appreciated, and if so, things I need to think about/keep in mind.

Thanks!

Rich

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Comment (1)

bernardyjh
8 years ago
Hey Rich, succulents and any other house plants generally do better with more fresh moving air and higher light, but they also need to be slowly awaken to the sudden change. I've learnt the hard way last year, burning many of my plants that were resting indoors and putting them outside overnight caused much stress both for me and my plants.

What outdoor space do you have? A compound? A garden? If you can build a make shift shelter or a shelf with shade cloth that will help your plants cope tremendously.

Even when I built a shade tower for my stronger plants, some ended up burning pretty badly. But so far, the rain hasn't been a problem for me, as most of my plants are in a grittier mix. As long as I clear out any sitting water after the rain, my plants do fairly well. The problem is keeping them hydrated well enough to keep up with the increase in light and air. I can water them almost daily if there is no rain.

I also place all my plants in large nursery trays, so its easier for me to move them when the temperature gets unusually cold - ie freezing point.
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