CactiGuide.com

Hello,

I live in France, zone 6. I have had a number of cacti in an unheated south-facing veranda for years. They seem a bit cramped in their pots, and I would like to plant them outdoors. The plot of land is next to the veranda, fast-draining, pebbly, and generally Mediterranean plants are happy there - pomegranate and thyme, for instance. I am not in the South of France, but in Burgundy. Temperatures are generally hot and the weather is quite dry in the summer. Temperatures may fall below zero (Celsius) in winter; but this is rare. I can't remember any significant snowfall here ever. We are next to a big river. My plan is to move the cactuses out this spring so they get rooted in the summer.

My question is : do you think these cacti are good candidates for this? I don't know their names, but they seemed to me to belong to families that are quite hardy. Tell me what you think, thanks in advance. I have attached numbers to them. They are sometimes not the right way up on the photo, I hope this doesn't make you dizzy!!

Côte d'Azur could be the better choice for cacti.
I'd plant them in framed bed glass covered in winter cold and rains with additional heater when temps are around 0.
Though agaves are the best candidates for outdoors in all means. As for cacti and south african euphorbia with aloe don't sure.
IMHO

Big question is how much rain do you get in the winter? I am growing cacti that I keep in my unheated garage over winter. No water since October. We can see 0F or less for a few days. The garage gets down pretty close to that. Snow insulates the plants. Rain gets the roots wet.

Some Echinocereus, Pediocactus, Escobaria, Opuntia.

Search the Forum using terms like Winter Hardy Cacti, Outdoor Cacti and you'll come up with other information.

Thnaks for your tips - This winter has been really dry, but it can vary of course. I'm going to have a go, and let people know on the forum how it goes, it mght be useful for others in the same zone. I'll be extra careful with the rain, you are right, they are more likely to suffer from it than anything else - danger of rotting. I'll post photos of the transplant ! Best to everyone!