Succulents require a drastically different care regimen during the winter months compared to their active growing season due to a natural seasonal dormancy that many species enter when light duration and temperatures drop. To keep your plants healthy, you must mimic the dry, cool, and dormant conditions of their native environment, shifting the focus from growth to pure maintenance and survival. Making the wrong assumptions about their needs during this time is the most common reason for a plant’s decline.
Managing Temperature and Placement
Protection from frost is the immediate concern, as moisture stored in the leaves will freeze and rupture the plant’s tissues if temperatures fall to 32°F or below. If plants were outdoors, they must be moved inside before the first hard frost to prevent irreversible damage. The ideal winter placement is not necessarily a warm spot, but rather a cool, consistent one.
Many popular soft succulents, such as Echeveria and Crassula, benefit from experiencing cooler temperatures, ideally ranging from 45°F to 55°F, which encourages a healthy and deep dormancy. This cooler environment signals the plant to slow its metabolic processes, conserving energy for the spring. When placing them indoors, keep them away from drafty windows and doors, which can subject them to sudden blasts of freezing air. Conversely, avoid placing them directly next to heat sources like radiators or heating vents, which can dry out the plant too quickly and cause leaf shriveling.
Adjusting Watering Frequency
The most crucial adjustment for winter succulent care is a significant reduction in watering frequency, directly linked to the plant’s dormant state. Since the plant is no longer actively growing and its metabolic rate has slowed, its need for water drops dramatically. Continuing a summer watering schedule will almost certainly lead to root rot because the soil takes much longer to dry in cooler, darker conditions.
During winter, water dormant succulents sparingly, often reducing the frequency to once every three to four weeks, or even less. Instead of sticking to a rigid schedule, check the plant itself for signs of thirst. The most reliable indicator is a slight wrinkling or softening of the lower leaves, which shows the plant is drawing on its internal water reserves. When you do water, soak the soil thoroughly, allow all excess water to drain out, and then wait until the soil is bone dry before watering again.
Meeting Winter Light Requirements
Even while dormant, the plant requires light to prevent stretching, but the reduced intensity and duration of winter sunlight present a challenge. To maximize natural light indoors, place succulents in the brightest location available, typically a south-facing window. Even in this ideal spot, the plant may still receive less light than needed, leading to a condition called etiolation.
Etiolation is recognizable by the plant growing pale, thin, and stretched out with increased spacing between the leaves as it reaches for a light source. To combat this, especially in regions with many cloudy winter days, supplemental lighting is necessary. Affordable LED grow lights with a color temperature between 5000K and 6500K can be positioned a few inches above the plants for 10 to 14 hours per day. This extra light ensures the plant maintains its compact shape and healthy color until spring.
Avoiding Common Winter Mistakes
A dormant succulent should not be fertilized, as it is not actively using nutrients for growth. Adding fertilizer during this period can burn the roots and lead to damage, so cease all feeding until the active growing season returns in spring.
Before moving plants indoors for the winter, inspect them thoroughly for pests like mealybugs, which often hide in crevices between leaves. Bringing an infested plant indoors can quickly lead to an outbreak that spreads to other indoor plants. Finally, avoid subjecting plants to sudden temperature shocks, such as placing them near an exterior door that is frequently opened.