We have relatively mild winters here, with freezing down into the teens, and lots of rain. Seldom snows here.

I have been out cleaning up the containers that will stay outdoors. Zone challenged ones will be against the house for a little more protection. Adding just a little more soil to some of them, gravel to others. Cleaning out old plant material while adding some spring bulbs to some. I love this time of year. It gives me something to look forward to during the long winter months.

I have added some systemic to the ones that will be coming indoors, so I won't have any surprises from gnats and such.
I also wonder, would this be a good time to renew the soil in the ones that have not had soil changes in about 4 years? Or should I wait until next spring?

I also wonder if this Echeveria nodulosa might make it through the winter on my covered deck?

Lynn, I can't help with overwintering question re: the echeveria. I just want to complement you on the lovely container combo. The size of your nodulosa is impressive. Nicely done.

Can't help with the echeveria but I always re-new soil in the early spring.

Lynn that is a beautiful Echeveria nodulosa. It is hardy for zone 9 - 11. I do not think it will survive any temps below 40s.

Thank you Debbie. I brought it home in June in a 4" nursery pot. It stated growing almost immediately. The photo was taken the middle of Sept, it is even bigger now. I did not know they would grow that fast. The hummingbirds are crazy about the blooms. It started blooming the end of July and is still blooming.

Julia I will take your advice and repot things in the spring. I can see the wisdom in that, that is when most plants would start actively growing again.

Cinta, I am going to try putting the container against the house on the deck, which has a roof. It would be interesting to see if it will survive. It might die back to the ground but it is possible if kept almost dry, it might come back from the roots and base of the stalk.
I will report back on whether this approach is successful or not.

I hope it survives. It is the pretties one I have ever seen. I have brought it twice and twice I have killed it. I brought one a month ago and hopping I do not kill this one.

You have a beautiful specimen I did not know they would get that big. Mine was never any larger than a little 4" pot size before I killed them dead. It probably wants water and you know I do not water plants in the winter.

It is planted in sandy loam soil and top dressed with chicken grit. I water it very seldom, even with out heat and drought. I think the faux cement container may have something to do with it.

Lynn, it should be okay as long as kept cool and dry. It is one of my echeverias that is happiest here when our temps cool down, and since temps are cool it enjoys all the sun it can get. Pouts big time when it gets too hot here. We get brief episodes of 21 to 25F here in Jan, just have to keep it dry. At least you have a covered deck for it, in case an errant rain event comes by.

Thank you tarev. I am going to try it. The rest of the plants in that container are winter hardy here, so we will see how this goes. Would love to see a recent photo of your E. nodulosa. How old is it?

Thank you Lynn. When I repot it I will put it with the cactus. They are the only plants that I use a very lean soil, I thought since it was an echeveria it wanted more water.

Let me know how it does Cinta.
Tarev has spent a lot of time teaching me how to grow the tender succulents. I think it is starting to pay off.

Lynn, my Echeveria nodulosa is ratty looking right now having endured our super dry and hot summer. But it is hanging in there. It is due for a repot, just going to do it after tomorrow there is a forecast of rain, then I will repot. This echeveria is over a year old, I got it last May 2014.

But for purposes of showing how ratty it can look, showing it here. It really wants more light seeing how tall it grows but our heat is so intense here during summer, so it really dries bad. Have set it aside during summer, letting it rest in the shade.

Taken this morning: still has the old bloomstalks, and older leaves

But I know it is still okay, I see the fresh part under the older leaves, where I can chop off and repot:

There are roots growing at the other end, so it is ready to do some growing, our temps are cooling down now:


Early part of the year during winter:
Jan 2015

Just testing this leaf in Feb if it will make roots..it does!


April 2015


It was trying to make some blooms in early July, but it was a battle with some mites, have been spraying that stalk then.

Great information tarev, thank you.
I did have a problem for awhile with aphids on mine. But the Lady Bugs took care of them.