Hi,
They should be ok for tonight with the porch protection. But I'd have someone move them inside tomarrow, least till you get back home.

Just put newspapers over them for the night. Then plastic to keep them dry. We get temps down into the 20tys and they made it for 5 nights with temps down that low. Cactus are able to handle it and it actually helps them to flower next spring. There is other ways to protect them as well, this was just the fastest and easiet for me to explain. Norma

If possible, bring in the Austrocylindropuntia and Ferocactus at these temperatures. I don't think they will die if left outside, but the F. latispinus might get brown marks (it has a reputation for that, and I have seen it myself), and the Austrocylindropuntia can lose its leaves.

If there is no cloud cover overnight and air movement is low, then frost is definitely a possibility at mid 30'sF ambient air temps.

A light frost should not be harmful to those plants as long as they are healthy and the pots are not in the open.

X

Just got home. Everything looks good. I'll move them in in a little bit. I DON'T think we got frost here, though we definitely did up on campus.

I think it got up to 60ish today, too. Weird weather.

We don't take any cactus in during our winters. We do get cold burn on the Kalanchoe leaves. But they come back. Try Echinopsis, keep them dry. Rebutia we leave out also all winter, we do not water them. Most catalogues don't tell you if they are cold hardy or not. This one is supposed to be very cold hardy. O. linguiformis. Try your college library, I know there is a cold hardy cactus book. See if they have it. Call up nurseries and check with them. Here is another one that I found. Opuntia
Floccosa This is the best I could do tonight. Catalogues seldom put in the cold tolerance, because they don't know the size of the pot, the soil mix or who is receiving their catalogue. Fast draining mix. size of pot, air circulation, protection. etc. makes the difference. Regards Norma

Actually, I wasn't asking for recommendations on cold hardy cactus, but thanks anyway! I'll keep those in mind.

I have a variegated yucca which is planted in a pot. Will it be alright this winter on a partially covered patio?
New to the area
Thanks
Sharon

gardendiva, what kind of yucca is it? If it's just a green-and-yellow, pointy kind with the white strings on the leaves, it's hardy to your area. You just need to insulate the pot.

anyway, the agave attenuata is still outside because I'm out of room in the house, and it's large. Do these have any sort of winter dormancy requirements, or something that would make them need very reduced sun needs? In other words, could I overwinter it in my garage, or am I going to have to make room in the house?

(I'd HAVE space for it if my pineapple hadn't decided to get like, three feet in diameter this summer. And the sad thing is, I want it to get *bigger*. Do you develop a sense of practicality with age, or is this just an unfortunate side-effect of plant addiction ;])