How to Keep Succulents Alive Indoors

Varied and straightforward, there are mixed answers to this question.

Succulent plants have become commonplace for gardeners and houseplant owners.

The fact that they take up little space and can grow almost anywhere (whether indoors or outdoors) makes succulents an excellent bet for a little bit of nature in virtually any area.

During the year, most people are likely to encounter times when they need to travel for more than a week for work or just for holiday purposes.

If you collect succulent plants, you must take all necessary measures to avoid the death of some or all of them while you're away.

These measures should be considered more rigorously if no one in the household can take care of them, even for a few days when the collector is not there, the plants will survive alone under favorable conditions or end up dying.

Tips to keep succulents alive if you’re traveling

When are you traveling?

The first thing to consider is the season in which you plan to travel.

Depending on the geographical area, winters are more or less cold, and therefore the arrangement of the plants in your collection must be in one place or another.

In freezing winter climates, all soft succulents should be moved inside the home or greenhouse to avoid rotting. 

In mild winter climates, they can be left “outside.”

If you travel in summer, plants should be placed in areas where there is good air circulation and provide a few hours of sunlight in the morning and shade in the afternoon.

Sunny and Dry or Cloudy and Rainy?

It is also imperative to know if you are going to be absent during the dry or rainy season.

Rainy season typically mean cloudy.  Succulents needs a source of sunlight.  

If you are not able to provide the plants with a very illuminated area due to rainy clouds, you must use artificial light sources to avoid possible etiolations.

In dry seasons, you should place the plants as close together as possible so that they create a microclimate that keeps humidity high and reduces transpiration.

It is also recommended that a top layer of coarse rock be added to the substrate to slow the evaporation of water from the substrate.

Fungicides or Pesticides Needed?

To avoid possible pests or fungi in our plants, we recommend disinfecting with pesticides and broad-spectrum fungicides days before you leave.