HA! Not like that. Orchard Supply Hardware is going out of business so I got some proper trays for when I bring my Adenium inside once it drops down to the 50's. That's about the extent of my preparation and readiness.

Lucky you. Cali has the perfect weather for this hobby. Not for me. I’m in New England I lost my biggest aeonium pot last winter after I was complacent last Halloween and temps dipped to freezing. This was last year’s casualty.

I'm looking at about a month before I need to bring my plants in. Have you used mylar before? I was leaning towards aluminum flashing as a reflective surface but mylar is an interesting idea.

Ash, this would be the first time for me to attempt using a reflector. I got the idea from another succulent enthusiast from Facebook. I want to give it a try as it is cheap and I would need to buy one for the car for emergency.

Rob, whats your zone? I am waiting for temps to dip to the low 40s before I bring them in.

7b or maybe 7a. The rain starts mid September so pack them up for that. This is Puget Sound country, Seattle. It doesn't get that cold, but it sure is rainy.

Nope not yet, but yesterday around dusk I felt a chill in the air that I haven’t felt in awhile;). My plants have made me a weather checking maniac. Luckily I only have to be that maniac from Oct-March. Another thing my plants have done is made me really pay attention to where the sun is in the sky during the year.

Ferocactus latispinus starts blooming around now. I had it planted in a spot where last year’s buds were aborted because the sun disappears in that spot around this time:(. Unpotted and now it gets stronger sun.

California is funny. October 1st is on Monday and the forecast calls for cloudy all day, which is something I have not seen since mid April. Tuesday Oct 2 rain is in the forecast. No water for 6 months once the calendar changes to October the sky opens up and the rain falls. Mother Earth is a beautiful magical lady;).

The nights shouldn’t go below 53F for the next 10 days so my plants won’t be moved yet. Maybe a few things after the rain like the Adeniums because they’re so sensitive to the cold. I probably should start getting organized before Tuesday tho, and so the succulent shuffle begins;).

The Aeoniums are going to look good again;)!

Kara, I have an aunt is San Lorenzo, CA. She never brings any of her succulents in. i visited her one time 5 years ago on a New Year’s Day. Her jade was cold stressed to a beautiful red color. It was in a pot and sitting out in her back patio. I remember that time a thin sheet of clear ice encasing my car which I parked along the street. I had to score the ice so I can open the door. I was amazed how her plants didn’t seem to be affected by the cold weather.

Rob, I have lived in Chehalis, WA and in Mt Vernon, WA, and I hated the soggy winters there. Wenatchee had CA-like summers but it still get snow with winter. I hated the bush fires. LOL

Chris, all of mines are still outside too and I live in Ma. like you! They have all been doing ok, as long as they are getting some full sun. The one that get the most dry out faster than those that do not. So I stick the ones that need the full hot sun to dry out quickly for the very cool nights on my flat roof exposed to sun all day.

Chris, is that the first time you set up the lights like that? You only use one per shelf? I have the very same lights and I use two per self. I was wondering if the one is good enough and if you had success? Less I have to use the better on electricity cost) Did you use a timer? I did and thank God for those.

When I know it's going to be a cool cloudy day, I just leave them dry.

When it rains and it's cool, it doesn't seem to bother them, even the cactus.

I remember walking into a greenhouse full of succulents and cacti and the temps in there was below the 50's and they were all watered during the middle of winter.

I asked how in the world they did not rot, and they said that they were getting lots of sunlight and air movement. It made me a bit more bolder in leaving my plants out so late into the season now.

Kara, beautiful flower! Don't you typically run a very cool weather pattern ? Are you along the coast or inland. I do keep an eye on temps there in San Francisco and I noticed they run 50's and 60's for days on end, cloudy too. Not sure what it's like for you.

Mike

Chris

Maybe you should do some research on different light reflectors for plants. I am not sure, but IIRC white is great reflector. Not sure if color of lights make difference - anyone knows?

I used mylar and can't tell if plants were better off - hard to compare.

Growtent, LEDs, fans, heatmats, check.

Rina, thanks for the input. I’ll hold off on the Mylar for now.

Myermike, i used to set it up for two per tier. My wife let me buy another shelf so I’m spreading them out for now. I didn’t put in a timer yet.

Back to basement gardening again. In a couple of weeks the basement will slowly turn into Jumanji jungle. God help me as I descend into a state of horticultural madness. LOL

this is how I prepare for winter!

The magenta lights are very interesting. But like Stewart, I tend not to take plants inside during the winter, except for cattelaya orchids, and some of those I leave outside. I also leave Adenium outdoors, and they do just fine.

I love in Washington, and even though its zone 9, we've been getting frost for at least a month if not more. I'm kinda required to bring them in, and I dont have any hardy yet

My guys live outdoors all year in my frost free climate. They go into cold frames in the winter, to keep them dry.