AUTUMN / FALL CACTUS CARE - How I Prepare My #cactus & #succulent Collection for Winter Dormancy Pt1

The Autumn / Fall period has arrived and our cactus & succulent plants now, very importantly, need to be prepared for the upcoming winter dormancy period. How to go about this, and what are the most important things to remember and to do? I explain these points based on my own cactus & succulent collection and greenhouse setup - and hopefully there are many important points in this video that are also very relevant to your own collection and setup.

PART 1:
1:33 Mid-August to Mid-September: a 2nd & final growth phase
3:33 Why a good transition from growth to dormancy is so important!
4:50 My four key themes of preparation for winter dormancy
5:36 Weather & outside temperatures - beware of frost!
8:14 Preparing the location & space for overwintering
9:09 Finding an adequately "cool" location
10:56 Grouping plants by winter temperature requirements
12:15 Checking & installing heating system and thermostats
13:34 Extra insulation to save on energy costs
14:51 Extra plant lighting?
15:41 Wrap-up and look-ahead for Part 2 (Watering, Nutrients, Plant health & Pest control)

Happy transitioning!
Joe

#cactusjoe #cacti #cactusbloom #cactus #succulents #succulent #greenhouse #collection #kakteen #sukkulenten #happygrowing #cactuscare #succulentcare #succulentes #succulentsforbeginners #cactaceae

[robertjohnston]

Hello Joe. As a 77 year old, new to cacti/succulent growing, I am fortunate to have discovered your channel. Your presentation and information is very interesting and helpful to me as I learn about a new hobby for me. After 50+ years propagating and growing our home vegetable garden, it’s never too late to learn about something new and interesting. In a few weeks I’ll start bringing in my fifty odd new friends for their winter dormancy. Thanks again from Salem, Oregon, USA.

[Cactimania]

Another excellent and informative video, Joe. Definitely an important time of year now and I’ll have to start deciding which plants I’ll be bringing indoors and which ones will be left in the greenhouse for winter. Temperatures here are already dropping off and by midweek next week we could have a couple of nights of temperatures a few degrees below 10c. Looking forward to part two. Thank you for sharing with us my friend. Have a wonderful day from Edith & myself and as always, happy growing 👍🏻🌵☀️🌺🌼🌸🏜

[CactusCaffeine]

Another informative video, Joe! My biggest dilemma is also space! Every winter I ask myself how did my collection get so big over the summer?! Hahaha. It is interesting that you are one of those that used to overwinter in complete darkness. I’m always amazed at how that works. I’m not looking forward to winter as I dread the big move. But oh the things we do for our plants! 😉

[morrisparkintheozarks]

Yes, I'm in the middle of fall exodus now!! Getting in all the large cactus & Euphorbias now. Also a very large cycas revolotia which on the largest plant in the container has a trunk about 8 inches wide!! Two grow in the same container, a faux whisky barrel planter. Very heavy!! Still have my Euphorbia zigzag, large milli trained into a tree, a few agaves, ficus benjamina, fig trees & lemon trees & rose tree. All have to be inside by the end of the month!! Doing a lot of moving around as you said, to fit everyone in. Then on a cooler night, test the wood stove. Wood is at the ready!!! Great video Joe!!! Thanks for sharing!!! From Morris Park in the Ozarks, out to Bavaria, Germany 🇩🇪 have a wonderful week ahead!!! Peace, Love, Plants!!!✌💖🌵🌷🌳🌻🌴🌺🌿🏵🌲😃👍

[desertplantsofavalon]

Another really INCREDIBLE video Joe :-D and perfect timing for the upcoming Winter rest, AWESOME info you have shared about how to prepare plants for their Winter, in the Winter our house is packed full to the top of plants that we have to bring in haha, we overwinter the cacti and succulents that are more cold hardy at 5c in the Winter in the polytunnel, but move inside all our Euphorbias and cacti that need winter warmth, but I am very nervous for the Winter this year as I know Hans and I wont be able to have the greenhouse heater on as regular as we normally do due to the high electricity increases, but we will be double bubble wrapping the roof and sides even more this year, luckily our polytunnel dehumidifier gives off quite a bit of heat and keeps the air dry in the polytunnel, and uses much less electricity compared to our heater, and if the Winter is mild we can get away with just the dehumidifier, and we can cover many of the tables with fleece cloth on any extra cold nights, we are lucky in Ireland that we rarely get frost thank goodness, thanks so mcuh for sharing this amazing info and video Joe, and Hans and I are sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER to Bavaria for a super Sunday afternoon XXXX <3

[DavidRodriguez-jtns]

Hey Joe, I live in Florida and it's the end of the rainy season over here and around the end of October we get the temperature change, but as you said, I've noticed the days getting shorter. I will start applying your advice on getting my cacti ready for the cold time ahead. I was actually really excited in seeing this video from you, Your advice and insight into cactus husbandry is invaluable to all of us cactus growing folks, thank you for sharing with us your knowledge.

[serpico]

Great video Joe. I live 900 meters away from the sea and we never get that type of frost. Snow; once every 3-4 years. Probably the main reason how i kept mines alive outdoors last winter. I did give each pot 1 expresso cup of water for 180 days. This winter “0” watering :)

[cheryllemons]

Hello Joe! I am about to do a watering of almost all of my cacti today. I won't be bringing them inside until the end of October. The 29th is the cut off date. That way I am sure there won't be frost until after this time. I don't know how you have room to move any of your cacti and succulents! Looks like your greenhouse is quite full. Thank you for this informative video...I look forward to your part 2. Have a wonderful weekend!!

[justinmorrison]

Perfect timing for your video. Great info that I'll put to use.

[LadyLee]

Greetings from Canada Joe! I am a new subscriber, after Lyn recommended your channel in one of her videos. I am also a cactus and succulent enthusiast, and both you and Lyn (you are both my favorite channels) have some of the most beautiful cacti I have ever seen! I love your videos, they are so interesting and informative too. You are doing an amazing job with your videos! This is a great one as I have been overdosing on Lyn's winter prep videos, and now yours! :) At 2:34ish in your video, what is that stunning cactus to my left, it's right at your shoulder!!?? It is so thick, and the spines are simply gorgeous! Keep up the great work, I really love watching your videos! :)

[flowerszoneforever]

Thank you for sharing with us this amazing informative video! And thank you for your way of speaking! Like a teacher! 👏👍
Greetings from Flowers Zone Albania 🇦🇱

[zcoanmcoan]

I usually water a week or two weeks before the first frost. Which is around november.

[ZiggySearchfieldCactus]

Very useful Joe 😎I've got an Opuntia that lies down on the floor all winter 😄

[michellechapman]

It's October....it's still 60 ish temps in my area. When should I stop watering my cactus plants? They're indoors.

[andersnrregren]

I use a biogreen mini gas heater this year to get the cost down i hope it will work out well. It only have an output of 300w- 340w(gas) but will cost the same as a electrical 50w heater to run, everyting here is going up but the 11kg proban gas is not going up and i got 10 bottles of 11kg (266€) that should last me 160days to 200days i should only need 90days (5 bottles at 133€)

[newmanmansell]

Great video Joe🙏🌵On average, how many sunny days there a month in winter? The lowest temperature there in winter is 5℃?

[dougberry]

Hi Joe. Great video. I keep learning from others experiences.
You mentioned melocactus and I have read they don’t like to be below 10c and they don’t want to be totally dry in even winter. So how do you care for your melocactus? I live in coastal N Calif so it seldom freezes, and 40’s are common.

[katerinanikolakopoulou]

Wonderful video, thank you for all the info. Do you have experience with winter growing plants? For the first time I was able to purchase a dioscorea elephantipes and I cannot decide what to do in winter. I live in a country warmer than yours and we only see 0-3 Celsius once or twice a year if any at all. I have my plants on a balcony covered in three sides and the roof with a tent . So they stay there for the winter. Only if we have snow I will bring some inside and the rest I will cover with bubble wrap. This happens once in 5 years or so. Any ideas about the dioscorea would be appreciated. 😊

[XtianApi]

I think I've asked this before, but if you had nothing but a warm-ish house for cacti during winter, how would you ensure dormancy, avoiding etiolation? I dont want to ruin my collection. I moved and don't have the same wonderful options.
Garage with a grow light?

I know you went through all of this. And I learned a great deal. But I'm asking if you think this specific setup of a garage with a grow light would be good and if so how many hours do you think on average for, let's say a basic San Pedro, although I have many species and I'll have to research all of them, do you think you would have the grow light on for a day? I want to keep them as dormant as possible with basically no water, so as to not have streeched growth.

Thank you.

Gosh, I'm terrified of this winter.