Spring is the season of recovery for all plants, and succulents are no exception. Many species are already in full bloom, such as Stenocactus, Strombocactus, many Turbinicarpus and several Mammillaria. Be careful, however, there is a difference between flowering and vegetative growth: a plant can flower even if it has not fully resumed vegetating. Simply, this is its flowering period and the plant respects it even if it is still coming out of the winter “dormancy” state. As regards temperatures, obviously there is a big difference based on the area in which it is grown, so in some regions of the South the night-time minimums can already be above 10 degrees, while in the North we still have relatively low values, around 2 or 3 degrees. This factor is fundamental to understanding whether we can move our plants outside or not. Equally important is the time to resume watering. Can we start watering cacti and succulents these days or is it better to wait a little longer? Finally: with the start of the summer, is it necessary to carry out some treatments with plant protection products or can this practice be avoided?

Let’s see everything in detail in the following article, so as to move correctly and avoid problems or rot damaging the plants. (…)

Succulent plants and springtime: introduction

After a winter spent in vegetative stasis, almost all cacti and succulents start growing again by mid-March. This can be seen above all by the production of new thorns and the resumption of growth of the stem. Flowers, in this context, are irrelevant: plants that flower in spring do so regardless of the vegetative growth. There are several species of Mammillaria, just to give an example, that flower in February, as well as some Ancistrocactus. This therefore does not mean that the plant has started to vegetate again and that we can resume watering. The vegetative growth, essentially, consists in the actual “awakening” of the plant, which begins to grow again, activate the root system and produce new thorns. So let’s not trust the flowers to start watering the cacti again: the risk of them rotting, if the roots are not yet active and the temperatures are still low, is very high!

Check the succulent plants carefully to check their health

A first good practice to implement in spring is certainly to check the plants carefully to check that there are no rot or parasites present. The risk of rot starting immediately after winter is quite high, because mold and bacteria become active as temperatures rise. It is therefore important to examine all the plants to ensure that there are no suspicious stains on the stem. In case of spots or full-blown rot, it is essential to isolate the specimen and treat it (if it is not too late) with a broad-spectrum fungicide. Copper oxychloride can be useful but is not always curative. In the case of fusarium, for example, there is very little to do other than remove the rotten part, brush the wound with powdered copper oxychloride and sulfur and keep the specimen in the air as much as possible and away from other plants. Except for serious rot, a few passes with Neem oil are useful: it is a natural product that offers good protection to plants.

Spots and rot on cacti: what to do.

Temperatures: moving cacti and succulent plants outside?

Temperatures are a fundamental element to consider during this period. Minimums and maximums can vary considerably depending on the geographical area in which it is grown and the weather is not yet completely settled. Given this, if the night-time minimum temperatures do not fall below 3-4 celsius degrees, cacti and succulents can be brought outside, with the exception of epiphytes and genera such as Melocactus and Discocactus, which require minimum temperatures not lower than 10-12 degrees . Those who have left their plants to overwinter outdoors can simply remove the layers of non-woven fabric, or open greenhouses and greenhouses as much as possible. At this stage, temperature changes between day and night can only be good for the plants and the important thing is that cacti and succulents are sheltered from the rain. For the rest, air is essential to avoid mold or fungi, therefore the plants should be placed outside, taking care not to move them into full sun if they have been kept in environments with little light during the winter: in fact it is It is necessary for cacti and succulents to gradually get used to intense light.

The spring and watering: when is the right time?

Seeing the plants shriveled, deflated or simply witnessing sunny days, the temptation to water is strong. These days, however, it is good to restrain yourself and wait a little longer before watering the cacti and succulents. The roots may not yet be active and wetting the soil, especially if the night-time lows are still relatively low, risks triggering rot. A little patience, therefore, and let’s wait a few more days before watering. From the end of March and the beginning of April it will be possible to give a first pass of water. A warning: the first two waterings – spaced at least 20 days apart – must be light. An excess of water, if the plant is already in full vegetation, can cause the stem to split because cacti are very greedy and quickly absorb all the water they have available in a short time.

Here you will find the section with articles dedicated to watering succulents.

Fertilize succulents or wait a few more weeks?

Even for fertilizations it is best to wait. Fertilizing now involves wetting the soil, exposing the plant to risk of rot. Furthermore, it is good practice to add the fertilizer to the water only after having carried out a couple of waterings with water only. In this way the plants are completely reactivated and when we add the fertilizer they will be ready to absorb it and use it according to their needs. Generally speaking, it can be said that it is advisable to wait until at least mid-April for fertilization. Pay attention to the type of fertilizer: specific fertilizers with a low nitrogen content and a high phosphorus and potassium content must be used with succulents.

Here you will find an article entirely dedicated to fertilization.

The spring and treatments: are they really necessary?

Finally, treatments with pesticides in spring. Personally, I stopped using chemical products for years, with the exception of copper oxychloride, which should be given mostly in autumn and, sporadically, during winter. In the summer, if the plants are still in stasis, a spray of copper oxychloride distributed by nebulization can be useful for preventive purposes. If the plants are healthy, a preventive treatment (at a distance from the treatment with copper oxychloride) with Neem oil, a natural product capable of protecting the plants from possible parasites, will be sufficient. Treatments should be carried out in the early hours of the morning or in the evening, never when the plants are exposed to the sun.

 SUBSCRIBE TO THE SITE  – If you liked this article, subscribe to the site to have unlimited access to all the contents for one year or three months depending on the formula you choose. Here you will find terms and conditions.

 SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER  – If you want to receive the free newsletter every time new content is published, fill in the fields at this link!

Correlated articles

• How to grow cacti: the handbook
• The section dedicated to soils
• Most frequent questions and doubts
• All cultivation cards in pdf

© The texts, videos, photos and graphic elaborations of the site “Il fiore tra le spine” are original material and are covered by copyright. It’s forbidden to reproduce them in any way.

L'articolo Spring is here, what to do with cacti and succulents? All out or is it better to wait? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Let’s go against the trend, since the period is more suitable for talking about suspending watering than about how, how much, when a cactus or succulent plant is watered. The topic, however, is of primary importance and although already covered in a specific article published in the “early days” of this site, it deserves further study. And it deserves it, perhaps even more so, now that we are approaching the moment when (at least in Northern Italy and in Europe) it is appropriate to suspend irrigation. Knowing when to say stop wetting cacti and succulent plants in general is essential to avoid rot during the winter. Knowing in which ways it is possible to water our plants (from above, like rain, or from below, or wetting only the soil, etc.), knowing how many times to water them during the growing season, how to adjust with the various genres, how to relate watering to the substrates used and much more is equally fundamental.

This is therefore the reason for this article, which also answers the many questions on this topic – how are succulent watered, how often are they watered, in which way? etc. – placed at any time of the year by novice growers (and not only novice). Not to mention that, if we want to go into detail, there are cacti and succulents that really appreciate some winter watering. Didn’t you know? More and more this article will be for you.

Per proseguire nella lettura dell'articolo Accedi o Abbonati
To continue reading the article LogIn or Subscribe

L'articolo From above, from below, only the soil: how cacti and succulents get wet and how long we can do it proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Anyone who has been cultivating succulent plants for a long time – whether they are cacti or other succulents such as Crassula, Euphorbia, etc. – knows well what should be done after transplanting, and he certainly knows that these plants should not be watered immediately at the end of this operation. However, there is repotting and repotting: there is the “invasive” one and the one that involves simply moving a plant from one pot to another. There is repotting which involves total cleaning of the roots and that which involves only a superficial cleaning of the old soil. In short, there are many situations and one can proceed in various ways. However, there are some fixed points and they must be respected if we want to avoid the risk that following this operation the plant will go into stress or, in the worst case, die following a rot that started right from the roots.

This is why this article, certainly useful to the novice, can prove equally useful to the long-term grower. In fact, here we will see the various types of possible repotting, the precautions to use and, above all, what to do (not only from the point of view of watering) once the repotting of a succulent is finished. (…)

Per proseguire nella lettura dell'articolo Accedi o Abbonati
To continue reading the article LogIn or Subscribe

L'articolo Repotting a succulent plant: what to do afterwards and how long to wait before wetting the soil proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Hated, mistreated, seen with contempt, often carefully avoided. Expanded clay and peat are two highly contested and criticized elements among growers of succulent plants and cacti in particular. Net of the chatter from the Internet, are these really two materials that should be forgotten with the cultivation of this type of plant? The question remains open and every grower has his reasons, but there is a fact: on the Net, as far as expanded clay and peat are concerned, everything is said. Above all, it is said that they retain humidity excessively and for this reason they should be banned from the cultivation of cacti and succulents in general. It is said that they favor the onset of rot, that they do not let the roots breathe and much more. Why then do many serious nurserymen (and expert growers with them) still make extensive use of those elements? Simply because, as in many factors of cultivation, the point is not so much the material itself, but the type of use that is made of it.

In this article, let’s try to understand if expanded clay and peat are really such “dangerous” materials for cacti and succulents, if and how they can be used and what their real pros and cons are. (…)

Per proseguire nella lettura dell'articolo Accedi o Abbonati
To continue reading the article LogIn or Subscribe

L'articolo Expanded clay and peat: are they really two materials to avoid when growing succulents? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

We see them in detail in the following article (…).

Premise

By the time of June, two first dangers for succulent plants should have passed by now, if we have done everything correctly (and regardless of the fact that this spring has been quite anomalous). I am referring to the danger of cracks on the cacti stems and that of burns following a late or “hasty” exposure. Once the cacti have resumed vegetating after the winter stasis, in fact, it may happen that following the first waterings (if too abundant or too close together) the stem “splits”. In this period of the year, even in the case of a wet and cold spring like the latter, cacti and succulents should have already received at least two or three waterings and the stems of the plants should have swollen. If the recovery has taken place gradually and the plants have returned swollen, the risk of stem splitting for this year can be said to have been archived.

In some ways similar speech in terms of exposure: to date all the plants should have been in their ideal location for some time now, where they will remain until autumn. In other words, those who kept cacti and succulents in the basement, entrance halls or garages should have moved the plants to full light (or half light depending on the genre) by now, under penalty of etiolation. Abruptly moving the plants now, with the June sun starting to get stronger, can expose the plants to the risk of severe burns on the stems. Whether the spring is cool or not, whether it is humid or not, the plants must be gradually accustomed to intense sun or direct sun and this must be done between the end of March and the beginning of April. In this way cacti and succulents are able to get used to direct sunlight very gradually, strengthening the epidermis well before the summer sun hits them. If you haven’t moved your plants yet, do it immediately but repair them with shading nets (especially during the hottest hours of the day), otherwise the first burns will begin to appear in the coming weeks!

Maximum air

Having exhausted the necessary premises, which are nothing if not common practices in the correct cultivation of cacti and succulents in general, we recall that the main element of cultivation, at this point, is trivially… the air. Trivially, because this element is often underestimated, or even not considered at all, taking it for granted. The air, on the other hand, is the main factor for the healthy growth of any plant and in this season, with temperatures starting to rise significantly (on sunny days in a completely open greenhouse it can easily exceed 40 degrees Celsius already in June, let alone August), the plants need as much air circulation as possible.

Anyone who cultivates in a very large professional greenhouse will have to open the structure as much as possible, raising the side curtains and possibly leaving the front and rear doors open. Those who cultivate on balconies and terraces should have no problems whatsoever, while those who cultivate in those small greenhouses covered with a transparent cloth must do nothing but… get rid of the greenhouses, remove all the plants from there and disassemble the greenhouses, which can return comfortable, at best, in winter (although they are still not the best due to the limited air circulation they allow). In this period, if we keep the plants in this type of structure, even by raising the openings in the transparent sheet to the maximum, we will still not be able to ensure the plants the air they need, and with high temperatures and humidity the risk of “boiling” plants or creating the ideal environment for the formation of molds and fungi is very high. Therefore, if you haven’t already done so, remove the greenhouses (which can be simply used as shelves) and, since the plants will not be sufficiently accustomed to the intense sun, shield them with a not too light shading net.

The importance of air and light for succulents plants.

Watering and aestivation

In this period, even if the temperatures are not yet very high this year, it is advisable to increase the frequency of irrigation. If the days are sunny and the weather does not predict rain for the following days, it can be watered once a week. The pace can also be increased to two waterings per week for some species or succulent leafy plants if slight wrinkling is noted. As always, the basic rule is to water only when the substrate appears dry and, if in doubt, postpone it. Beware of the hot months, i.e. July and August, when the difference between the maximum and minimum night-time temperatures is minimal: in conditions of persistent heat, many cacti and many succulents can go into aestivation, slowing down or blocking their growth. In these periods it is better not to water at all, since the plants do not absorb water and the soil would remain moist for too long, with the risk of root rot being triggered.
A few more waterings will have to be reserved for very young plants and seedlings, which are not yet able to tolerate long periods of drought in hot conditions and, at the same time, “push” more than adult specimens.

On the phenomenon of aestivation you will find a specific article at this link.

Fertilization and treatments

In June it is still possible to fertilize succulents. A fertilization is enough, assuming that a first fertilization was given in May or April. If the plants have been repotted a few months ago it will not be necessary to add fertilizer to the water, but if we are dealing with specimens that have lived in the same soil for years, an extra fertilization can be useful to replenish the nutrients once present in the substrate. Pay attention to the product (whether it is in powder or liquid form, it matters little), which must be specific for succulent plants and therefore low in nitrogen and rich in phosphorus and potassium, in addition to microelements. During the real summer, that is in the months of July and August, the fertilizations must instead be suspended.

As for treatments, for years I have minimized the use of pesticides and I only use copper oxychloride and Neem oil. The first is a fungicide which should be administered by nebulization only in the months in which the plants are not in vegetation (in this period it should therefore be avoided). The second is a natural product, with low environmental impact, against parasites, mites and with a modest fungicidal function. Neem oil can be administered, always by nebulization, even in this period, with the foresight to act only when the sun has gone down or early in the morning, before direct light reaches the plants. Targeted fungicides and insecticides can be used in specific cases, for example in the event of an attack by the cochineal or rot that affects several plants. In these cases it is always important to isolate sick specimens from healthy ones and carry out targeted treatments every two weeks.

Here you will find a detailed article on the main adversities of succulents, with general indications on how to intervene.

Always remember that the best weapon against pests and diseases of succulents is correct cultivation, in particular a spartan cultivation, with lots of light, lots of air, little fertilization and little fertilizing.

To repot or not to repot?

In this case there is no definitive answer: during the summer it is possible to repot. Personally I prefer to avoid – except in cases in which the intervention cannot be deferred as the plant is in evident state of suffering and has probably lost its roots – and to postpone repotting until the end of winter and spring. With new purchases, especially if the plants are in peat, repotting is instead recommended at any time of the year: it is better to stress the plant a little rather than leave it in an unsuitable substrate, running the risk of triggering rot. As always, if you repot and clean or shorten the roots, it is important to leave the flared plant in a shady place for at least ten days before repotting. After repotting, wait another week or two before watering, so as to give the roots time to heal effectively. This precaution is especially important in spring and summer, when the plants are growing and are watered regularly: obviously in winter the problem does not arise, since many succulents and almost all cacti must be kept in dry soil.

Other practices

Otherwise, summer is a relatively quiet time for the cactus and succulent grower. It is sufficient to observe the specimens and understand whether they are slowing down their growth (aestivation) or not and adjust accordingly with watering. Finally, a little maintenance certainly doesn’t hurt: you can cut the now dry floral stems in the case of plants such as Aloe, Echeveria, Crassulaceae, etc., just as it is a good thing to remove the dried flowers of the cacti, which with watering they soak in water and can feed molds and fungi.

Seasonal cures in detail

If you want a complete picture of seasonal care, with everything you need to do in spring, summer, autumn and winter to take care of cacti and succulents in the best possible way, you can consult this summary article.

The site shop

 SUBSCRIBE TO THE SITE  – If you liked this article, subscribe to the site to have access to all the contents for one year or three months depending on the formula you choose. Here you will find terms and conditions.

 SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER  – If you want to receive the free newsletter every time new content is published (even if you have not subscribed to the site), fill in the fields at this link!

Correlated articles

Watering cacti and succulents: when and how
How to repot cacti and succulent plants
Substrates for cacti and succulents
The correct soil: the materials you can use

© The texts, videos, photos and graphic elaborations of the site “Il fiore tra le spine” are original material and are covered by copyright. It’s forbidden to reproduce them in any way.

L'articolo Towards summer: useful tips for taking care of cacti and succulents and avoiding nasty surprises proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

A spring that is struggling to establish itself, temperatures that fluctuate continuously with sunny and very hot days and gloomy days with the thermometer plummeting. Above all, heavy rain almost every day for at least a week, at least here in the North Italy. Many of us have already moved their cacti and succulents outside, or have removed the winter protections (non-woven fabric or transparent sheets). Many are worried, some run for cover by bringing the plants indoors, others are undecided about what to do… Is it really the case to worry about the combination of low temperatures and persistent rain?

In this article, here are some reflections and the answer to the question that many of you are asking me these days, as always based on what I have learned in years of cultivation (…).

Per proseguire nella lettura dell'articolo Accedi o Abbonati
To continue reading the article LogIn or Subscribe

L'articolo The cacti, the spring that doesn’t come and the rain that doesn’t stop: should we be worried? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

The topic is a classic and the question is among the most frequently asked among cactus and succulent growers: until when can I water my plants? In other words, given that – as even less expert growers know – it is advisable to keep cacti cold and dry during the winter months until they can be watered, when exactly should we stop watering? And again: should watering be suspended completely or will it just have to be reduced? Are there cacti that can or should also be watered in autumn and winter? Are there any non-cacti succulent plants, especially those with leaves, which need to be watered even in the winter months, otherwise the branches and leaves will wither? It is clear that part of the answer to these questions can vary according to the place where we grow plants (there is a big difference, just to give an example in the Northern hemisphere, between Sicily and Great Britain, Spain or Germany), but in principle it can be said that there are many fixed points that every grower must know and respect in order for his succulents to grow healthy and robust and to flower profusely. Above all, there are some fixed points that must be respected to avoid, quite simply, rotting our cacti and succulent plants during the winter or early spring.

And since the period in which most of the cacti and succulents will go into vegetative stasis is approaching, it is advisable to deepen these fixed points and learn to at least distinguish the macro-water needs of the various families of succulents. This is exactly what we will do in the following article (…)

Per proseguire nella lettura dell'articolo Accedi o Abbonati
To continue reading the article LogIn or Subscribe

L'articolo Summer is at the end of the line: until when can we water cacti and succulent plants? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

In this article, we see what you need to do this month for keeping cacti and succulents in perfect health, even preparing them for winter diminishing the risk of rot and loss. (…)

In August, for several years now, I suspend watering altogether. In the greenhouse, temperatures easily exceed 40 degrees Celsius, and many cacti slow down or stop growing because of the phenomenon known as “estivation”. Many species keep to flower regularly (e.g. Gymnocalycium, Ferocactus and some Mammillaria), but it doesn’t mean that the growth’s rate has not slowed down. That’s why I prefer to avoid watering all my plants, except the leafy succulents, and let them follow their natural rhythms. This prevents the soil from staying wet for too long when the plant is in dormancy, and it causes root or collar rot.

Watering

The last watering of the summer is usually at the end of July for all my cacti, especially for those with particular growth rates, such as Copiapoa and Neoporteria, for which I stop watering even earlier, in mid-June. At the beginning of September, I start watering all my plants again, thinning them throughout the month and watering them every ten days at the most. The actual cessation of watering usually coincides with the beginning of October to give the soil time to dry out totally and for the cacti to reduce their internal water reserves and start preparing for autumn and winter. This is true for adult plants: for seedlings and one or two-year-old plants, I extend the watering period until mid-October, but water sparingly. I pay particular attention to plants of the genus Ariocarpus, which I water until mid-September at the latest. These plants, which have tap roots, are sensitive to humidity and have considerable water reserves, and I have learned that with the climate of Northern Italy, characterized by very wet and often cold winters, it’s suitable to stop watering earlier. The plants are not affected at all and do not deflate until late in the winter. Moreover, they bloom abundantly from mid-autumn to the first half of December.

Fertilizations

In September, as far as fertilizing is concerned, it’s better to give the last coat with a specific product (here is an article dedicated to fertilizers for cacti and succulents). You can have a first watering at the beginning of September with only water and add fertilizer in low dosage at the second watering, after about ten days. Fertilizing in September is helpful for the plants: it gives them the nutrients they need to get stronger before the winter break and helps the blooms when they resume in the spring. I generally limit myself to single fertilization in September, but it is possible to fertilize a couple of times before the watering stops, as long as low doses are used. Again, the situation is slightly different for seedlings and young plants (one or two years old): for these, I add fertilizer during the last watering in October to “push” them a bit and strengthen their growth.

Treatments

September is also the month of preventive treatments against parasites and diseases. Since the plants start to vegetate again, it is not recommended to use copper-based fungicide (which slows down the growth), which should be sprayed instead in the autumn months and only on warm and windy days. Some spray with copper fungicide throughout the winter, once or twice a month to prevent the proliferation of fungi or “rust”, but for several years I limit myself to a couple of passes in October and a couple of passes in February, just before the recovery. In September, however, it’s advisable to add a broad-spectrum fungicide to the water for watering and spraying the plants a couple of times with an acaricide or Neem oil, a preventive measure against aphids, mealybugs and other pests.

Checks

It’s important to carefully check the plants to identify those suffering and isolate them immediately to prevent them from spending the fall and winter months in contact with healthy plants. In this way, you can preclude the risk they may transmit diseases that can spread with the humidity that usually there’s in autumn.

Repotting

Finally, stop repotting. For several years now, I have avoided repotting (except for plants in severe pain) in September when cacti and succulents are vigorously vegetating again and in October and November. While repotting can generally be done almost any time of the year, I prefer not to “disturb” my plants at this time of year to avoid the stress of repotting in the crucial phase of preparation for autumn and winter. On the other hand, repotting can be done without problems when the plants are in stasis, i.e. in late winter or, better yet, towards the end of winter, just before vegetative recovery.

All about the repotting in this section of the site.

Also, by repotting plants before the end of winter, we will be sure that several weeks will pass between repotting and the first watering, thus giving any roots that may have been damaged or cut during repotting plenty of time to heal before wetting the soil.

Plants in outdoor

The plants I keep outside the greenhouse during the growing season finally stay in place, exposed to direct sun and weather, until mid-October if the early fall is not particularly rainy. At that point, I move everything back inside the greenhouse, which I leave open until the end of November. In fact, if the temperatures are not too low, it’s essential to give the plants all the air possible even in autumn and winter, opening the greenhouses for a few hours on the hottest and most ventilated days. This simple expedient very much reduces the risk of onset and spreading of fungal pathologies. The “toughest” plants, such as Ferocactus and Echinocactus, will return to the outside of the greenhouse from the middle of March to help them get used to the direct sun gradually and avoid sunburn.

Succulent plants and summer: everything you need to know.

 SUBSCRIBE TO THE SITE  – If you liked this article, subscribe to the site to have access to all the contents for one year or three months depending on the formula you choose. Here you will find terms and conditions.

 SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER  – If you want to receive the free newsletter every time new content is published (even if you have not subscribed to the site), fill in the fields at this link!

© The texts, videos, photos and graphic elaborations of the site “Il fiore tra le spine” are original material and are covered by copyright. It’s forbidden to reproduce them in any way.

L'articolo September is a brilliant month for all cacti, but pay attention to proper care ahead of autumn proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Now let’s see everything we can do at this time of the year, especially if we don’t have a greenhouse and we grow on the windowsill, on the balcony, on a terrace or in the garden. With a warning: whatever you have to do, with succulents and cacti, you must not be in a hurry: hurry to water, hurry to treat, hurry to move the plants… Getting caught up in the rush, the anxiety, the fear of doing something wrong, is the best way to run into mistakes. So let’s see how to avoid them. (…)

Check the plants

The first fundamental action in spring is to check the plant carefully for detecting any traces of bacterial diseases (dark spots caused by fungi) or parasites (particularly the mealybug/cochineal). In the first half of mid-March, even with healthy plants, it’s however advisable to carry out some preventive treatment by spraying stems and leaves with a specific pesticide (against mealybug and spider mite) and, about ten days later, with a broad-spectrum fungicide (attention: copper oxychloride should be used only when the plants are in stasis, so from March should be suspended). Both treatments – pesticide and antibacterial – must be repeated a fortnight after to ensure complete coverage of the plants.

Give as much air as possible

When the minimum temperatures have settled at 10/12 degrees, it’s essential to give succulents as much air as possible. Plants that have overwintered indoors (except for some species, a thing to avoid!) or in cold but closed environments such as a basement, a garage or a veranda should be moved outdoors and placed on windowsills, terraces, balconies. If plants have been overwintered outdoors, protected by sheets or layers of non-woven fabric, they should simply be uncovered so they can benefit from all the possible air. In these cases, it’s necessary to pay attention to the weather because prolonged rains in a period characterized by not yet high temperatures can be dangerous for succulents, which do not tolerate water stagnation in the soil and excessive humidity. The plants must be placed on a balcony or terrace protected from the rain or covered by a roof.

The sudden changes in temperature that characterize spring, with daytime highs above twenty degrees and nighttime lows that can drop sharply below ten degrees, should not worry: in nature, almost all succulents are exposed to similar conditions and indeed greatly benefit in terms of growth and flowering. Exceptions are succulents coming from areas close to the Equator, such as those from Madagascar (Adenium obesa, but also Uncarina, Alluaudia and Pachypodium) or some cacti coming from tropical regions of South America, such as Melocactus, Discocactus, Epiphyllum, Schlumbergera, Rhipsalis: these species need minimum temperatures not lower than 15-16 degrees and to be moved outside only later, in late spring.

Air is of fundamental importance for any plant, even more so for succulents, which do not tolerate environmental humidity nor water stagnation in the substrate. In open-air, the soil dries faster, the stems can transpire effectively, and the risk of bacterial attack is significantly lowered. Tight, closed environments without air exchange are to be avoided, especially in spring and summer, when succulents are in full vegetation, and their tissues are swollen with the water that constitutes their water reserve, and it is, therefore, necessary that the soil dries quickly after the plant has absorbed the liquids it needs.

Exposure: getting plants used to it

Closely related to air is exposure to the sun. In spring (in march), it’s necessary to provide succulents with more light to encourage proper development of tissues, leaves and thorns and at the same time encourage flowering. Be careful, though: as with all plants, succulents (including Cactaceae) need to be grown gradually. Moving a plant that has spent the winter indoors outdoors and immediately placing it in full sun can be dangerous even for the most “fierce” and thorny cactus, which will suffer sunburn and stem discolouration. We will have to gradually accustom the succulents to the light, which becomes more and more intense in spring, exposing them to direct sun a little at a time. From the middle of March, it will be sufficient to place succulents on a windowsill exposed to the South or Southeast (exposure to the North is to be avoided because it does not provide enough light), or on a balcony, a terrace or directly in the garden, taking care, however, to place them in the shade of outdoor plants that will act as a screen to sunlight. Alternatively, it is possible to protect succulents with a simple gardening net or with a piece of mosquito net properly fixed to braces or supports and able to screen at least 30-40% of sun rays.

In the shade of other plants or screened by shade netting, succulents will gradually get used to direct sunlight, and within a month to a month and a half, you can bring them to the foreground or remove the shade netting. As far as exposure is concerned, it’s still important to know the needs of our succulents since there are genera that tolerate intense sun and others that prefer a little shade (like many species of Euphorbia or Haworthia, for example). When in doubt, it is good to provide succulents with bright light all day long, exposing them to direct sun rays only during the morning, not later than midday. In this way, it’s possible to avoid sunburns and to guarantee the necessary light for the best growth. Particularly for cacti, which will continue producing “important” and not stunted thorns and at the same time keep compact and harmonious stems. When we have a better knowledge of our plants and have learned their needs, we can be more “targeted” when they come to exposure and give the various specimens the right amount of direct sun (for example, in the case of almost all cacti).

To learn how to distinguish succulent plants and know their needs, you can read this article dedicated to classification.

Resume watering

As the exposure to light, which should be gradual, watering should be increased little by little. During the winter, watering should be suspended for almost all succulents, while in spring it’s necessary to accompany the resumption with initially moderate and then more sustained watering. As spring approcaches, in March (weather permitting) a couple of waterings will be enough, while in April, it will be possible to go up to one watering every ten days, making sure to wet well all the soil. From May, you can further increase the watering, reaching one per week. Be sure that between one watering and the other, the loam can dry completely. As always, the advice with succulents is not to overdo it: it’s easier for a succulent plant to die from too much water than from thirst. Consider that these plants are xerophytes, evolved to deal with long periods of drought: when in doubt, it’s a good idea to postpone watering. For regulating the frequency of watering, it’s fundamental also the composition of the soil: here, you will find the “recipes” of various substrates that I have tested over the years.

Fertilize: which products to use

With the arrival of spring and the increase in watering, it’s beneficial to fertilize (or “manure”) succulent plants to promote balanced growth and encourage flowering. As for any other plant, fertilizing is essential to replenish the soil with nutrients that are lost. However, you have to use a specific fertilizer for succulents and not rely on universal products or, worse, calibrated for other plants, such as orchids or horticultural. Wrong fertilization, both in terms of the type of product and frequency, can cause severe damage to the plant and compromise its growth, arriving, paradoxically, to weaken it, as well as deform the stem. Therefore, it’s necessary to limit fertilization (I am very stingy in this regard: two or three fertilizations per year, at most), to be administered by simple watering diluting the product in water, to a maximum of once a month from April until mid-June at the latest, with a further pass in September, before the plants slow down the vegetation.

As for the product, on the market, there are specific fertilizers for succulent plants, and generally, high-quality products have correct ratios between the various macroelements. Knowing how to interpret the label, however, is the first step. Basically, it is sufficient to verify that the level of Nitrogen (indicated with the initials “N”) is considerably lower than that of the other two macro-elements that make up all fertilizers for plants, namely Phosphorus (indicated with the letter “P”) and Potassium (“K”). As an indication, a good fertilizer for cacti and succulents should have 1 part Nitrogen, 2 or 3 parts Phosphorus and 4 or 6 parts Potassium. The dosages indicated by the various manufacturers are variable, but it will be enough to keep these proportions in mind to choose the correct product. According to the most commonly used formulations, we can have a ratio of 6-18-36, or 5-15-30, where 5 stands for the Nitrogen dosage, 15 for the Phosphorus one and 30 for the Potassium one. Balanced fertilizers are to be avoided, those with equivalent dosages of the three macroelements (for example, 10-10-10). In addition to the three macroelements, a good fertilizer for succulents should not lack the so-called mesoelements and microelements, such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, boron, copper, zinc, iron, which contribute to a balanced development of the plant in various aspects: root system, stems, thorns, flowering, disease resistance.

For the dosage, it will be sufficient to refer to the indications on the package, taking care to halve the quantities in order not to overdo the fertilization, since succulents are extremely adaptable plants with few needs in terms of nutrients, many of which are already present in the growing medium.

If you want to learn more about fertilization, you can read this specific article.

Don’t be in a hurry

In closing, by my experience and the constant contacts I have with readers and enthusiasts who ask me for advice, I would like to reiterate the concept expressed at the beginning of this article: with cacti and succulents, don’t be in a hurry, never anxious. Our plants are more robust and tolerant than we think: let’s make their time our own and not let ourselves be led by the frenzy of wanting to give them excessive attention. Let’s limit ourselves to the correct care and respect their times, which are decidedly less hectic and anxious than ours, remembering that the border between passion and obsession can be thin…

 SUBSCRIBE TO THE SITE  – If you liked this article, subscribe to the site to have access to all the contents for one year or three months depending on the formula you choose. Here you will find terms and conditions.

 SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER  – If you want to receive the free newsletter every time new content is published (even if you have not subscribed to the site), fill in the fields at this link!

Video

Here is a video of me moving some of my plants outside my greenhouse:

Correlated articles

How to repot cacti and succulent plants
Substrates for cacti and succulents
The correct soil: the materials you can use

© The texts, videos, photos and graphic elaborations of the site “Il fiore tra le spine” are original material and are covered by copyright. It’s forbidden to reproduce them in any way.

L'articolo Preparing cacti and succulents for spring: exposure, fertilizing, here’s what to do proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

From the highest peak to the lowest, about thirty degrees Celsius passes. This is the sudden change in temperature to which my succulents (90% cacti) have been exposed in recent weeks, almost all kept in the greenhouse which is still rigorously open 24 hours a day. All the Agaves remain outside the greenhouse, some Aloes, various Opuntia, Tephrocactus, Pediocactus, some Echinopsis and some cacti that I placed in the ground for experimentation. Can such sudden changes in temperature damage plants? Are nighttime lows starting to get too low for cacti and succulents in general?

There are many who wonder and, since I have received several messages in this sense, I have decided to write this short article to answer these questions. (…)

Per proseguire nella lettura dell'articolo Accedi o Abbonati
To continue reading the article LogIn or Subscribe

L'articolo Sudden changes in temperature and first colds: with cacti and succulents there is nothing to fear proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.