Question about preparing for winter

John R · Post by **John R** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:19 pm

Hi,I have a couple of questions getting my cactus
and succulents ready for winter.

What should I do with cuttings that are being rooted,
Some are ready to be potted and some aren't. I have
Should I let them go dormant with the rest of the cactus or I could put them under some 400W MH lights I have.

Second, when should they be dry. They are
dry right now but a couple need water. They are
still outside right now. The night time temps are
in the 40's F but the day temps are in the low to
mid 70's F. They all seem to be doing fine dry
right now except for the Opuntia monacantha
"Drooping Prickly Pear" which droops and gets
a little soft when it needs water then it returns to
normal) and my Jade plant "Crassula ovata" it's
Leaves are getting a little soft from lack of water.
So I guess what I need to know is what should I
Do when it gets to cold at night for them to be outside but still to warm during the day to go dormant. The only place I have with the right temperature range for them to go dormant is my shop, So it will basically be dark most of the time.

Thanks for your help, And sorry for the long post
John R

iann · Post by **iann** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 11:05 pm

What should I do with cuttings that are being rooted

Pray

If you have enough light, then its quite possible to keep any cactus growing through the winter. Many of them will prefer this, we just usually avoid it because of insufficient light which would cause etiolation. Some species prefer a cool dry winter rest, but keeping them growing won't cause any longterm harm.

when should they be dry

Cacti should be allowed to dry out before it gets too cold and dark for them to dry out

You'll have to judge your own climate, the pot size, the soil type, etc. I'd say sometime about now for a last watering, but it could be weeks earlier or later.

Opuntia monacantha is a tropical Opuntia. It won't be killed directly by temperatures in the 40s, but if you keep doing it, the plant may lose the will to live. It also doesn't like to be completely dry for long periods, it is adapted for year-round warmth and moisture, and so to year-round growth.

Many species will show their best growth when days are warm and nights are cool, the temperatures you mention will give strong growth in many cacti. To stop them growing you'll have to keep the day temperatures a little lower, this can be tricky in a house. If you can keep them below 50F all winter then you could put them in a cardboard box under the stairs. Of course they take a little while to adapt in spring

Other species, what I call the tropical cacti, won't do well with the cool nights. Most species from Brazil, the Carribean, southern Mexico, etc., may do better as houseplants in winter, or under your lights.

Moonbeam · Post by **Moonbeam** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 1:48 am

This winter having so many cacti scares me. I have several that I've had for years, but never did anything "special/different" to them in the winter. But, then again, they have never bloomed. The last few winters the coldest it got was 40 degrees but everything is moist as though it poured all night long, now that's freezin' to me, but during the day it's alot warmer and sunny too. I like it 90!!! Most of the cacti that I have acquired over the summer (2 seasons here: 10 months of summer, 2 of winter) are "cold hardy", so I think they should all be okay where they are outside. I may just rearrange them all so they get more sun. Anbody thing this is right?

John R · Post by **John R** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:51 pm

Hi, Thanks for your advise. I brought all my cactus
inside because it looks like it's going to rain for
a few days. I'll use your advise and come up with
something, I've never done this before. I got all
my cactus this season, Except the Opuntia
monacantha "Drooping Prickly Pear" which I've
had for a few years.

Thanks
John R

iann · Post by **iann** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 9:18 pm

Many people in England just leave everything in the greenhouse and heat to a fixed minimum temperature, say 45F. This is getting more and more expensive, and it is nowhere near as cold here as in Easton. I also don't think its an optimal way to grow many plants.

I am more creative

I leave some plants in the greenhouse where it will never go below 20F, they are comfortably hardy and just need to stay dry. I have an insulated hotbox area in there which I can keep closer to 30F. I have a lighted growing box inside the house for some seedlings and some cacti. I have a second lighted growbox, cooler and brighter, that I run on a winter photoperiod for winter growing mesembs and other similar plants. I then have more plants in all the south facing rooms, a couple of them unheated for overwintering dormant cacti and Lithops. Do you think its complicated enough?

John P Weiser · Post by **John P Weiser** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 9:41 pm

Moonbeam
Sounds like your cactus will be fine outdoors this winter. Do you get heavy winter rains? If so, think about a temporary, open ended cover to shed the excess moisture with out over heating. If you do not feel you receave excess winter moisture, you would not need to cover them. The temps you mention should not be an issue for hardy cactus.

Moonbeam · Post by **Moonbeam** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 12:42 am

Thanks John! I've always been intrigued with weather issues, so if winter comes this year, I'll watch for heavy rains and do something about my cacti to avoid them from gettin' wet.