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Should I Bring my Succulents Indoors When it Rains?
We all know succulents don’t like to be wet for too long or they’ll rot out… SOOOO naturally it would make sense to bring your succulents indoors when it rains.
But that’s not all true… they actually love the rain and if you take the time to know your plants, understand your area’s climate and set your succulents up for success, you are good to go.
First we’ll discuss how rain is great succulents, then how it can be bad, all with some sprinkles of helpful tips and tricks along the way.
How Succulents Can Benefit from Rain
The truth is - After a good rainstorm, you may find that your succulents look better than ever.
And if there’s lightning… oh my - the results from all the nitrogen are amazing for succulents.
They tend to be brighter in color, and have this post-rain glow to them. It’s fabulous!
Rain to a succulent is like one of those fancy mud baths you sometimes enjoy at spas.
The rain itself will remove dust and soil on the succulent leaves - which increases a succulent’s ability to photosynthesize the sun. It’s like glaucoma for succulents in a way - or just a bad analogy. :)
The rain will naturally dilute and wash away tap water residual stuff stuck in the soil - mostly salts.
If you have potted plants that are covered by a patio, I would recommend moving these containers out to an area where rain can get to it.
Rain Water is Worth Collecting for all Plants
Rain water is crazy great for succulents, and all types of plants.
It’s totally worth the effort of putting out a bucket or 5 for use later.
It is not only great for succulents, but all plants - I encourage you to use it on indoor houseplants or other succulents that didn’t get exposed to the rainstorm.
How Much Rain is Too Much for Succulents
If you live in an area that gets under 20 - 25 inches of rain on an annual basis, you can be comfortable with leaving them planted in your exposed garden.
Obviously you want to ensure your plants can handle the temperatures in the winter and have a fast draining soil.
Over 25 - 30 inches of annual rainfall can lead to root rot - but if you plant succulents on a nice slope with fast draining soil - they’ll be just fine.
If you do not have a steep slope to plant them on, a raised garden bed or container with drainage holes will also do the trick.
Bringing Succulents Indoors When it Rains
There are a few reasons I can think of that would be detrimental to your plant’s health if your succulents were left outdoors in the rain.
If you have any of these 4 situations in your garden or region, best to bring your succulents indoors when it rains.
Fortunately, these are all pretty easy to avoid.
1.) Your pots have no drainage hole
Nothing kills a succulent faster than rain drowning out a succulent’s roots because the container they are in doesn’t have a drainage hole.
Don’t be that guy or gal. They sell drill bits to make holes in literally ANYTHING. Get one already. Pretty please, with a cherry on top.
2.) Your containers you use are made of metal or wood
When it rains on metal, and then dries, rust is created. Rust gets into soil. Soil harms the roots of succulents.
Wood containers will start to deteriorate by softening up, especially with elements like water and moist areas. This can lead to fungus and bacterial growth that could affect your plants.
3.) Your Weather Forecast - Rain and Humidity
If it rains and then is humid afterwards, this can keep soil moist for extended periods of time, which will lead to mildew, root rot, fungus, or all three (the trifecta).
4.) Your Weather Forecast - Rain and Freezing Cold
Depending on where you live, after it rains there’s a calm in the weather. Wind is nonexistent, there’s not a cloud in the sky, and that’s when temperatures tend to drop.
Wet + Freezing Cold = Dead Succulents (in most cases)