Harry

Thank you very much for remembering (older) question :) I never grew any Delosperma, I should try some hardy ones.

Maybe you can answer some more questions - not really appropriate time to ask, but I am wondering...you keep your succulents in quite cool room if I remember correctly, during the winter. How low are temps there? And how much light or sunlight? I remember you said they do not get water for months. Then, in early Spring, you take them to the greenhouse and start watering. Eventually, they are placed outdoors in your rock garden. Am I remembering it correctly?

goodmorning Rina,

About end november, beginning december I bring all the plants into in what we call the 'serre'. I think you call it the sunroom. A month before that (or so) I stop watering with practicly all plants.

Winterview from some years ago:

The temp is about 10 Celcius; the light is depending on the weather. There are sunny days - so temp is higher - but there are many darker days, so temp is never lower than 10. These pictures are a bit old. These years I have many more plants and the 'serre' cannot be used by the rest of the family. In this period I do not water. Everything is dormant (or suffering and shrinking). The losses are at a minimum.

Somewhere by the end of februari/ beginning march the real day- and night frosts are over and I bring them to the greenhouse. First the stronger, hardy plants; later the more vulnerable. This is a bit a tricky part, because suddenly there is sometimes a nightfrost. I cover during those night the planttables with collected newspapers. (can't find a picture now) The daily temp is not much higher than in the serre, but on sunny days the greenhouse warms up till -say - 20 ore more Celcius. In that period I slowly start watering. First the more hardy ones and (gamble) the plants that look the most thirsty; later everything.

If the spring really starts I bring my plants to the plantshed.

and some of them are planted out in the garden. Not to many - that could be more - but that has to wait till may. The results are often great and sometimes very disappointing. We do have nice, mild springs, but some years it rains way to much. I had many failures, but one learns and these years I have more luck.

At this moment half of my herd is outside in the plantshed and half is still in the greenhouse. For this week the weatherprediction is some light nightfrost. After that everything goes outside.

I hope this answers your questions. You are welcome if you have more.

harry

ps. my back get's broken now and then. It's my way to move the old body :). I hate sports like biking, running etc.

I found this picture of a Cleistocactus straussii. For 5 or 6 six years I planted this one during summer in the garden and the plant did very well. Suddenly one summer it was completely rot and I had to throw it away.

Harry

Thank you very much for detailed answer and photos. I asked, since I have an unheated room (can't call it really a sunroom since it doesn't get as much light as yours does). I got a portable heater just after New Year, and kept that room at (lowest temp) about 4-6*C. It gets warmer during sunny days, as there are few windows. I am planning on keeping all succulents in there next winter, and can warm it little more with a portable heater - just trying to figure out if I should just have heating ducts from central heating extended there or not (it would be less expensive to heat that way)...they could be kept partially closed since I would prefer to keep plants in cooler conditions (not over 10*C).

I do not plant any tender succulents in ground since it is only about 6mo they can stay outdoors in my climate. Keep them all in their pots. It is still too cold here for plants to go outside - there was thin ice in the bird bath this morning!!!

Too bad your C. strausii didn't make it, looks like really nice specimen.

>>>>I do not plant any tender succulents in ground<<<<

The first year(s) I experimented with plants that were looking bad in pots. Some had an amazing progress when planted out; some died even sooner. Since then I dare to take more risk. Started for instance with Echeveria agavoides. They survived about everything and really did well.