Cactus care in winter

12 years ago

Apologies in advance if something like this has been posted. I searched for it in past threads and didn't see anything.

Last year, several of my cactuses in pots didn't survive the winter in Sacramento. I couldn't tell if it was because it got too cold or too wet. I don't believe the overnight lows around here typically get below the high 20s F. There was a decent amount of rain over the winter, but I'm not sure of the total. For certain the plants got far more water than what I usually give them. None of my plants are rare; just things that appeal to me at the local nursery.

Is it more likely to have been the cold or the wet that killed them? If cactuses can typically survive temperatures into the mid 20s, then I could just move them under a large covered area to keep them out of the rain. If the cold is the culprit, then I may have no choice but to bring them indoors for a month or so.

Thanks in advance for any information and advice.

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Comments (5)

chadec
12 years ago
What your describing is not ideal for potted cacti. They don't stand as good of a chance in a pot because the roots will freeze. And wet........

Now, some cacti can survive this but you have to know what you have and what their limits are. Everyone may be different. So I would start researching each cactus for its hardiness to determine where it will be spending winter.
User
12 years ago
Am guessing that below freezing is not a good idea.
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Dzitmoidonc
12 years ago
It very much depends on the species. Cactus from places like Brazil are not able to handle the cold (rule of thumb), and no matter how dry, cold will rot them. On the other hand, Mammillarias from Mexico will do fine into the mid 20sF if the soil is dry. Cactus from Brazil (and just about anything from Brazil [nod to PG]) whine and cry when temps drop into the low 40sF. :)
lzrddr
12 years ago
Rule of thumb may be correct, but I have several Brazilian cacti, and, although some are relatively cold sensitive, all have done great with temps into the low 30s down as cold as 28F without damage in our typically rainy winters. I have 3 species of Pilosocereus and several Melocacti that seem to do fine in winters here. When we did get our freak cold in 2007 when it got down to 24F I did lose a few Pilosocereus and burned the tips of all of them. So of the cacti, they are the wimps... but certainly not a problem with temps in the 30s or 40s. Of course I have not tried but three species of Melocactus and 3 of Pilosocereus. So that is hardly a majority of Brazilian cacti, but I always wonder about the ratings of some plants listed as zone 11 USDA ... most I have tried in my garden have done far better than the published predictions.

As for the rest of my cacti, they all sit out in winter and seem to do OK, but I do notice the ones I have under a roof so they don't get rain do very well, too. I have rotted a few larger clulmping cacti in winter if too many leaves and junk fall into them, perhaps keeping them from drying out between rains. Our typical winters get down to 30F every years, with some being a bit worse and some being a bit better than others (Los Angeles inland)
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
12 years ago
Know your species and learn about their cold hardiness requirements. Some will be better than others.
Leo Chnac has a list of cactus that will do good in climates much more challenging then yours. I think he is out of Denver. Book is called "Cacti & Succulents for cold Climates" . There are others but this one has many many species listed. It is on my short list of books to buy. I browsed it at a convention her in town.

Here is a link that might be useful: C & S for cold climates :by Leo Chance