Watering succulents in winter

10 comments

Succulents are my business and my passion. Their demands on me are little and the joy they bring me huge.

In summer they don’t seem to mind how much water they get and trundle along on their own.

In the winter they need to be kept frost free and watering should be reduced greatly..not enough and they shrink and wither, but this is not usually terminal and if caught in time the plant will usually recover with a couple of good waterings in the spring.

But TOO MUCH WATER is fatal especially in the winter.

To give advice on how to water all succulents whatever their size or wherever you are overwintering them is impossible.

My rule is the check them all on bonfire night.. christmas and valentines day. With about 6 weeks in between i find this a good way to remember to check them over. As my collection is vast and kept in many places in various sized pots I need help and i find this moisture meter is amazing…with this in mind i have been around all mine this week and a lot of water was required as the weather has been so warm up until now.

It wasn’t expensive and so simple to use….just push into the pot and it instantly measures the moisture about half way is about right after each watering maybe drier if it is particularly cold where you are…make sure you push the sensor deep to get a true reading. If you don’t have a moisture meter a finger poked in the pot can be equally useful.. just remember less is definitely more in the winter. Hope this helps

here are a few more succulent pics

and one of Blod..:-)

14 Nov, 2014
6 likes

Comments

Dianebulley

Hello Blod. This is good advice. Like winding the clocks in Windsor Castle.

15 Nov, 2014

Terratoonie

Very useful blog, Sandra.
You have a superb collection of succulents and I'm not surprised you've studied the moisture requirements for different times of year. The moisture meter looks ideal ...
... and Blod is fluffy and fab :o) x

15 Nov, 2014

Lincslass

Thankyou Sandra, I was unsure about the watering requirements so your timing is perfect for me, adding to favourites.
Terra is right Blod is a cute fluff ball, lol....

15 Nov, 2014

Steragram

Handy advice Sandra. Where did you get your metre? I've broken mine through trying to push into hard ground.
Is it a coincidence that your little dog has the same name (well, for short anyway) as the pretty cat Hywel used to have? She's lovely.

15 Nov, 2014

Sandra

Blod is short for Blodwyn slightly different to the lovely Blodyn. she is a ball of fluff at this time of year, I will have to give her head a trim though as she cant see out....
I was lucky enough to pick the moisture meter up in Wilkinson sale for 50p but of course with christmas there gardening stocks have been put away.
glad u have found the tips handy..:-)

15 Nov, 2014

Hywel

Good advice Sandra thanks.

That thing is very handy. I'll have to look for one. I'm never sure when my plants need water.
One way I have of judging it is by lifting them up, and if they are very light it means they are dry ... which as you said is what's best for them in winter.

Blod is cute :D ....

15 Nov, 2014

Sandra

I do the lifting thing with most of my plants both inside and out on the nursery Hywel, as you say it works well..

the more i pick them up the more i know if they need watering..if that makes sense?

the meter is great in the big pots and in the big tomato bed in the tunnel. sometimes it looks so dry but when i push the spikes in it tells me different. I have had one for years that cost me lots of money but the price has come down now its old technology. just checked on ebay and they start around £5..

15 Nov, 2014

Hywel

I had one many years ago. Bought it in a florist shop in Swansea lol :)
I found it useful so I think I'll get another one.

16 Nov, 2014

Steragram

Well Hywel and Sandra - I know Blodwyn means White Flower - what does Blodyn mean? Little flower perhaps?

16 Nov, 2014

Hywel

It just means 'flower' :)

16 Nov, 2014

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