Dramatic temperature drop - keep them outside or bring them in?

[EPPhoneHome]

We've got a very strange weather pattern coming in tomorrow, and I realized I'm not quite sure what to do with my cacti. It's been in the high 90s for the last few months, overnight lows in the mid to high 70s. Tomorrow, we're expected to drop from 99F to 38F. If we end up getting precipitation, temps could drop further. But, by the end of the week, it'll be in the 60s-80s.

I have a golden barrel, a mammillaria microhelia, and an echinopsis chamaecereus hybrid. (I also have a graptopetalum paraguyense and a crassula ovata, but wasn't sure if I should make a separate post in the succulents forum to ask about them). Should I bring them inside until the weather evens out? Or will they be okay with the sudden freeze and thaw?

Thanks folks! Appreciate any thoughts you have.

[esp_imaging]

I think I'd keep them outside, maybe with rain cover with prolonged cold and wet.

Echinopsis chamaecereus hybrids are mostly very tough, Graptopetalum paraguayense is extremely tough and cold / wet tolerant.

In habitat, plants are subject to freak weather patterns too. So long as what you will experience isn't too extreme (e.g. severe frost on tender species, or weeks of continuous rain) they should be fine.

Of course, if you have large / rare / expensive plants, it makes sense to go to some effort to be prudent. On the other hand, if you take minor risks, it will expand your knowledge and comfort with what the plants can tolerate. Sometimes plants actually thrive with what you initially think is risky behaviour - maybe your plants will love a long cool drink, to set them up for a late-season growth spell?

[DaveW]

A lot depends if they are in growth. In the UK we usually have stopped watering before the cold snap come in our winter, therefore their sap has thickened up to help stand colder conditions. 38F-40F is what a lot of Brits with heated greenhouses take their normal cacti through the winter as a minimum. The tropical ones may need a little higher temperature.

[Steve-0]

We have that system BLASTING US in Utah right now. 85MPH gusts with very high sustained winds. I just got back from downtown Salt Lake....looks EXACTLY like a Hurricane came through without the rain. A bit of snow hit the mountains. Flurries off and on this minute.

ALL the trees are either damaged, snapped in half or down.

Crazy frontal system from the Arctic.

And I left all my cacti outside. The temps dropped over 40 degrees but only from 90's to high 40's. Nothing real delicate in my collection.

Reminds me of living in the southern USA where hurricanes and tornadoes are part of the norm. Not here....my building is screaming and whistling....trampolines are flying as is everything not heavy enough to stay put.

We only have a few more hours of this and it lets up to milder wind and a warming trend.

Two Golden Barrel fishhook cacti on my front porch. Both are soccerball sized. Should be fine.

[EPPhoneHome]

In habitat, plants are subject to freak weather patterns too. So long as what you will experience isn't too extreme (e.g. severe frost on tender species, or weeks of continuous rain) they should be fine.

This is a great point, thank you! I'll try and keep this in mind. I have this instinct to rush in and protect them from any minor change in their lives - the species made it this far without me, though!

Of course, if you have large / rare / expensive plants, it makes sense to go to some effort to be prudent. On the other hand, if you take minor risks, it will expand your knowledge and comfort with what the plants can tolerate. Sometimes plants actually thrive with what you initially think is risky behaviour - maybe your plants will love a long cool drink, to set them up for a late-season growth spell?

All small / common / bought on sale at Lowe's - nothing to be overly concerned about. I agree with your point about learning from taking risks! A user suggested to me that I substantially increase the amount of water I gave my plants - I thought I'd be drowning them, but decided to try it, and they are THRIVING!

Thanks for your advice! I appreciate it.

[EPPhoneHome]

A lot depends if they are in growth. In the UK we usually have stopped watering before the cold snap come in our winter, therefore their sap has thickened up to help stand colder conditions.

I'm pretty certain they're still growing; I've definitely been watering them. We've broken a lot of high temperature records this summer here, it's hardly dropped since June. They likely won't be in sub 40F temps for more than a few hours overnight, if that, so perhaps it won't be too bad for them?

[EPPhoneHome]

We have that system BLASTING US in Utah right now. 85MPH gusts with very high sustained winds. I just got back from downtown Salt Lake....looks EXACTLY like a Hurricane came through without the rain. A bit of snow hit the mountains. Flurries off and on this minute.

Oh, perfect, I think we're dealing with the same system then! Though, obviously, you're getting the brunt of it. We're expecting some snow in our mountains, too, but I live in the valley, where we're unlikely to see much, if any. Perhaps a few flurries. I think I'll leave my cacti on the balcony, then, they should do alright. We've got the wind slamming us at the moment, but we're only gusting to ~60mph. I just can't wait for a little relief from this heat!

I also used to live in the South (Alabama), so I know exactly what you mean. Looking at this weather pattern - high pressure system/cold front moving in, dropping more than 50F in 24 hours... if I saw this in Alabama, I would have been battening down the hatches and grabbing my weather radio!

[bartab]

Probably very similar to Steve in Utah, just received a text from my sister in Colorado. Was in the 90's yesterday, and snowing now. How incredible.

[EPPhoneHome]

Probably very similar to Steve in Utah, just received a text from my sister in Colorado. Was in the 90's yesterday, and snowing now. How incredible.

It really is. I went for a walk yesterday afternoon in 99F heat. Tonight, about 36 hours later, the temperature will have dropped more than SIXTY DEGREES. I am really hoping for some flurries here, though it's pretty unlikely.