Hey everyone, I'm new to taking care of succulents and I may have gone a bit overboard with my purchases! I moved a bunch of them outside recently after a week of rotating them in and out of sunlight indoors. I'm located in zone 7a, so I will definitely need to bring them inside for the winter. However, I'm trying to figure out how to manage them for the summer since my area in the mid-Atlantic experiences pretty humid summers with heavy rain. Right now, my plants are in the shade, but my deck isn't covered, so they'll likely get wet when it rains unless I decide to build a cover. All my succulents are potted in a mix of 60/40 BJG/cactus soil or 50/50 pumice/cactus soil. Any tips on how to handle rain and humidity for my succulents? I'd love to hear about any good resources for this, too! I've looked through some wikis but I'm eager to learn more. I found a few helpful posts here from others in similar climates, which is encouraging!
1 Answer
When it comes to taking care of succulents in humid and rainy conditions, a lot of folks say a very gritty soil mix is key to keeping your plants healthy. However, many of those tips come from people living in drier areas. I've noticed that in my area (Philadelphia), many serious succulent lovers prefer to keep their plants indoors year-round to avoid the unpredictable weather. If you're set on keeping them outside, try giving them some sun during the spring and fall, but be ready to bring them inside when heavy rain is on the way. The indoor option means you’ll need good lighting all year, but it might help to keep your plants happy without the weather stress.
I totally get that! I started off with some 100% BJG mix too, and I worry about the roots being too delicate. I think you're on the right track experimenting while your plants are still young. My roof deck is also a good size, so I want to take advantage of the outdoor space as much as I can without getting too attached at this point!