Winter time ☃️

[Cactisucc]

Hi, I have some serious doubts about over wintering my plants this year. There is a tonne of information online but so much of it is conflicting so this question is going to be very ‘me’ specific, and I hope to hear your opinions which I believe are much more valuable than the stuff you can find online

I live in a very dry area of Spain, the coldest month is January with an average of 7°C (and pretty much never at or below freezing) although with the wind it sometimes feels bitterly cold. It hovers around/below 10 for just under 3 months.

Would you feel comfortable leaving your plants outside in these conditions if they were kept completely dry? Would an unheated greenhouse give me a safety net with the usually blue skies heating it up during the day? Or should I just bring my ever growing collection indoors?


I’m going to list my outside plants (excluding the ones I know will be ok outside) and if there are any you would bring in, please let me know.

Succulents:

Echeveria Black Prince, Sedeveria Letizia, Schlumbergera, Pachyphytum, Aeonium Arboreum, Carpobrotus and Aloe Vera.

Cacti:

Mammillaria, Ferocactus, Pereskiopsis, L. Williamsii, T. Pachanoi, Opuntia Microdasys, Astrophytum, Espostoa and a ‘Peanut Cactus’ with orange spikes I don’t know the exact ID of...



I’m always slightly sceptical when I read the minimum temperatures online and would love to know what experienced growers have to say.

Thanks in advance, you guys are the best

[cactushobbyman]

To start with, a greenhouse to winter cactus will be the best choice. You will be able to control the environment. Wintering outdoors, I don't have enough experience with the constant winds, but left dry should be no issue, but I would find a place protected from the wind. I have cactus outdoors year round and the temps can get into the mid 20's and most of our rain fall is during the winter. I have Echinopsis outdoors but not Peanut cactus, but again, if kept dry I do not see an issue. Pereskiopsis, L. Williamsii, I don't have in my collections. All others I have out doors.

[esp_imaging]

Succulents:

Echeveria Black Prince, Sedeveria Letizia, Schlumbergera, Pachyphytum, Aeonium Arboreum, Carpobrotus and Aloe Vera.

Cacti:

Mammillaria, Ferocactus, Pereskiopsis, L. Williamsii, T. Pachanoi, Opuntia Microdasys, Astrophytum, Espostoa and a ‘Peanut Cactus’ with orange spikes I don’t know the exact ID of...



I’m always slightly sceptical when I read the minimum temperatures online and would love to know what experienced growers have to say.

Thanks in advance, you guys are the best

Minimum temperatures given are often by Southern California growers, or other dry Southern USA states, and often apply for very brief daily minimum, temps, these may work well for you. In a more humid northern European or northern USA climate, amd where low temperatures may be sustained for many hours or even days, it may be wise to keep plants rather warmer.

Personally, I'd try to keep Schlumbergera, Aloe vera and Pereskiopsis a little warmer, and maybe the Espostoa.
Many Ferocactus and Mammillaria are very cold hardy, but it pays to check for each species as some are a bit more tender.

I'd expect all the others to be pretty tolerant of your conditions.

[greenknight]

Espostoas should be fine as well, they grow at high elevation and are generally hardy. An exception might be E. guentheri, said to develop unsightly marks if exposed to too much cold.

[DWDogwood]

I believe that all the minimum temperature info Cactus collectors have seen in books and online garden references is just too conservative.
Ubelmannias, Pilosocereus and Discocactus for instance are usually cautioned to stay above 50f because of the temperate climate from which they originate.
I have mine in greenhouses which definitely have hit 32/0 for a couple of hours when outside temps drop below freezing, and have never had any ill effect.
Dry soil is best for over-wintering of course but I keep some big old Copiapoa clumps in clay pots outside fully exposed and they do just fine even in wet winter soil here in San Jose, California, which I think is close to your climate.
The only things I've had effected over the last few years was some slight top freeze burns on 2 Browningia chlorocarpus in pots in one cold frame. Which is odd as I thought the mtns of Peru got cold.

[Cactisucc]

Thank you all for the useful replies.
I agree that I think most info is conservative, I guess it makes sense as I’d be quite upset if my plants died but I really don’t like bringing them inside as my house is warm and light isn’t great so etiolation is a worry, plus I know most species benefit from a cold dormant period. The one thing that worries me is the temperature is quite consistent at 7°C, as opposed to minimum short cold spells...

I’m going to build a mini frame for a greenhouse with polycarbonate sheet covers and thermal bubble wrap for now to see how they do during the coldest months!

Thanks again everyone, happy gardening!