Can I Leave Succulents Outside in Winter?

Summer may be coming to an end, but the nuances of outdoor succulent winter care is just getting started… and let me tell you something:

It. Gets. Real.

This is the time when black and green thumbs are determined - Are you ready?

If the answer is a resounding yes - go ahead and just skip this entire article.

This isn’t meant for you.

If you’re still here, Hi friendo! - let’s get you set up for succ’cess!

There are a series of steps you must follow first.

Find Your Hardiness Zone

Understanding your plant hardiness zone is critical to determining what succulents can be left outside in the winter.

Finding this information couldn’t be any easier. Read my chapped-lips and follow these easy steps:

1.) CLICK HERE

2.) Enter your zip code in the top left box

3.) CLICK FIND

4.) Your hardiness zone will pop up right under the Find Box - You're welcome. :)

The hardiness zone will determine the temperature range - the highs and the lows and what plants are likely to thrive at a location.

There are many options to find your hardiness zone, but this is my favorite because it user friendly and gives you the information you need quickly.

The hardiness zones range from 1a to 13b. 1a is coldest and 13b is… you guessed it, the hottest.

Determine Your Plant’s Hardiness Zone

Each plant has a hardiness zone it can handle.

If you ordered from us, lucky you - The hardiness zones are listed on each product page.

If you didn’t order from us - SHAME, SHAME, SHAME. :)

If you know the name of your plant, just do a quick Google search for the name of your plant and add the words hardiness zone to the end of that search.

9.9 times out of 10 you will find EXACTLY what you are looking for.

Match Your Hardiness Zone with Your Plants

TIme to play matchmaker - How fun!

How well do your environment and plant picks match up?

Numbers make it easy and take interpretation out of the equation. Don’t for one second think that plants will adjust to your outdoor climate - it’s soooo not a thing.

Do they match?

If they match up - GREAT! You need not do much else.

These can be planted in the garden or in pots outdoors - and you can leave them there year-round.

Besides an extra dosage of neglect in the colder months - you’re set.

There’s also a chance that with rain and snow coming to your area - you may not need to water these manually.

Do they not match?

Okay, we have some work to do.

If you planted these in your garden or in a bed, pull them out and re-pot them in containers that can be moved indoors when it starts to get cold.

Here’s a link to moving your plants indoors and caring for them. I highly suggest you read this.

Succulents Perfect for Outdoor Winters

There are a handful of succulents that do well outdoors, usually to Zone 5, which is -20 degrees F.

These are traditionally called frost hardy succulents.

These are all Sempervivum, some Sedum and a couple of aloes too - as far as what we carry.

Succulents Not Meant for Outdoor Winters

These are pretty much everything else we sell, including, Echeveria, Crassula, Kalanchoe, Haworthia, Senecio, etc.

These are species commonly referred to as soft, or tender succulents, and hate anything under freezing.  In their ideal world, they would have 40 degree F and up temperatures year-round.

If you live in an area where your winters stay above 35 degrees, you can incorporate soft succulents into your garden or outdoor potted plant arrangements, and won't have to move them indoors. 

If there is a day or two where frost might be an issue, go to any home and garden store and pick up some frost cloth to protect your plants overnight.  

The thicker the leaves, the more water is stored in them, the less likely they are to survive a below freezing climate.

And that's all folks!  Hope you all feel ready to tackle this project and prepare your succulents for a great fall and winter.  

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