Everything's covered now or brought inside. It's suppose to get down to 44F. I know that's not as cold, but it rained yesterday.

Sorry the pics are grainy. It is dark here;).

There are plants outside covered and scattered everywhere. I just finished:).

Rina, you just reminded me I need to bring in my Euphorbia milii:). I only have two, but I need to take better care of them. Last year my big guy had so many rotted stems from me not protecting it from all the winter rain. It bounced back, but I can't help but think it would look twice as good if the darn plant didn't have to repair itself.

Kara, I had no idea you brought a lot of your plants inside! How do you keep them? I would expect you don't use any lights?

Yep, all tucked away, almost, until next spring. Have to find space for these guys.

Cant go here!!!!

Somehow I will re-arrange the greenhouse

I do keep most outside covered. I just bring in the sensitive or young ones in. I find I don't need lights. They don't stay in all winter. I bring them in and out depending on the forecast. Sometimes I will get lazy and they will stay inside for a few days, but usually I will put outside in the morning. I still have a bit of organizing to do because some of the plants you see that I've brought inside I will put on my porch. My porch is a few degrees warmer and everything stays completely dry. So there won't be as much inside.

I also have a huge south facing window that things like my Desert Roses and Melocactus will go. Last night I just was worried because of the cold night and the rain the day before. When it's light out I will take a pic of how I keep most of my plants outside.

Howard,

you have quite the collection. It has really grown. Thanks for sharing

Sharon

Hey Sharon been like forever. Hope things are good with you. We should meet at the greenhouse this summer

Let’s do it!

Howard, don't worry about finding space for the haws: you have my address, they can overwinter in my greenhouse ;-)

Thanks, Conny but you've got a greenhouse full of your own beautiful Haws.

All mine are in and the shade cloth is off the frame--not making that mistake again :-) Don't you think this is the most stressful part of our hobby?

Everybody's plants look lovely!

I bought few plants and I didn't repot into bigger pots (even though I should have), but I still didn't have enough room for everything???????????!

I left the few Echeverias I have in the southeast corner sunroom window and put the jades and Haworthias upstairs. I'll see how that goes this year.

Howard, I LOVE the lights and your idea..Beautiful job and so nice and neat!

Kara, why can't you come up with a plan to put a cover over them for the coldest nights and put a space heater under it? I sure the heck would. So much work. Nice job though.

Rina, I am still looking for that e-mail...Ha

Dave, what a beautiful set up you have there! For all your true Cactus, do you continue to water them all winter or do you stop? Do you provide lights for those that can not be in direct sun in the window? Looking very nice! Love the glass shelves..

Mike

Hope you find it - sent you bunch of photos!

We have not hit under 40 yet. We will hit 38 on Thursday night so I have got to have everyone in by then. I have maybe half of them in now, but am a little worried about all the rain the past 2 days and counting. Rain makes the great migration inside that much more unpleasant.

odyssey

It also depends on what plants you have and if they are potted in fast draining mix. Plants I just brought in (picture posted in previous post) were all in open, and in quite a bit of rain. I am 2 zones lower than you. I still have about 30 or so succulents outdoors, but they are under plastic sheet - not protected from temps but from rain. It is not a GH or tunnel, just plastic sheet overhead.

That is amazing Rina! I have all my succulents in Lechuza pon, so fast draining. I have honestly been surprised that they uave all been ok out in the 40s. I can't figure out the exact reasons, but sometimes i get stem rot on the idolated plant, even though it is treated like the others. Does that still happen to you? Maybe some varieties are more susceptible.

What is your temperature where you bring everything in? I just read you have some things out at 28!

Yes, many nights are quite cold. I usually do not worry about cold temps if they last only hour or two, but lately, overnight temps stay low for 3-6 hrs. Last night was 'warmer' - temps between 39*F to 32*F by 8am. I do not see any damage - what I brought in, was now 3 days ago. I am sure some var. are more cold-hardy than others. I had few pots of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana out there that are looking much better now! Here is one that rooted itself in a pot of Bay leaf - I see only water spots on it:

What plants do you find are rotting easier - or is it very random?

Right now, those are still in unheated breezeway - temps do not go below freezing there, yet. But it gets cold in winter, below freezing. But I would keep some in there if I can figure out some kind of heating (not too expensive!) to keep it around 32-35*F...and they would likely get hardly any water. Obviously, daytime temps would rise a bit. Eventually, I keep most succulents in my basement and that is warmer.

Just brought in: E. milii and TC. Euphorbia's flowers clearly didn't like cold and rain - they are all blackish:

But there are new inflos growing on each of 3 stems:
TC - I see some slug damage, but so far no other damage and some new pink growth:I wonder what was chewing on the leaves - slugs and maybe a chipmunk:
These plants were outside from Spring until just now, in spot unprotected from any rains and winds. I do not think I ever watered them - if, maybe just coupe of times, they were rained on.

Overnight is down to 2C, so everything has gone inside to the loft or office. Collection of Mesembs and mostly high light succulents:

Trays of Haworthia:

More trays (it's hard to photograph) with some Cotyledon, Crassula, Gasteria hiding many more Haworthia in the back:

And even more trays of primarily Haworthia along with a few Crassula, Cotyledon, Anacampseros:

Will have to take a photo of my office window when I get a chance. =)

beautiful

Thanks Dave! And thanks for sharing your indoor collection too.

Managed to snap a few photos at the office before the sun finished for the afternoon:

Ewwmayo, you have a very beautiful collection, and your haworthias are stunning.

I've been meaning to update my comment that I left earlier because after reading it I realized I made myself sound like a lunatic;). Like every morning and evening I bring my plants in and out, and that's not true. The night I brought those plants in and took those pics above was me in a panic and unorganized mode;). It had rained the day before and that night it was going to be chilly. I wasn't prepared. So I just brought everything that I thought needed it inside the house/garage just to be safe:).

Usually the first couple days it rains I'm not prepared, but by the time winter comes everything is where it's suppose to be and I'm not running around putting plants outside/inside every morning and night:).

I put my not so sensitive plants, but I do want to keep dry in my garage window. They stay there till late winter. Usually by the end of February I can bring my plants out. February 2016 I could bring them out early Feb. because it was already getting really warm.

I will squirrel away plants under the eave of my home or in little corners. if the forecast calls for it I will cover, but the house protects them pretty well tbh.

This gets covered with plastic when rains and then uncovered when stops. Every once I awhile I will cover with frost cloth.

Everything else that's in pots that are too big to move around. I bunch together and cover when the forecast calls for it. For example like my Firestick and a few otherplants get bunched together and covered as one. These only need to be covered pretty much the two coldest and wettest months Dec-Jan.

Then this is covered during the rains and cold nights. I uncover to let things breathe. When it's really stormy I put a tarp over it for extra protection. All cactus in there:).

Then there's my my in ground stuff that's in ground for a reason because it can handle the frostiness or rain. Like my Trichocereus, Ferocactus, Opuntia, Agave/Mangave, Aloe, Sedum, Aeonium, and some Echeveria. Those fend for themselves. They don't get any help from me;). The only things that are in my house now are my Melos, Desert Roses, and couple little Euphorbias.

My porch has some plants to where they stay dry and protected:).

So in reality I'm not running around all that much. I definitely have more to do in the spring/summer. This time kind of bums me out because most my plants are put away and I can't play with them for 3 months:(.