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Name: João V. Lisbon - PT (Zone 10b) Greetings from Portugal!  Wallknocker Feb 29, 2020 3:11 PM CST |
| Hey guys! So, I am from Portugal, getting my cacti trough their first winter and I was wondering when the best time was to start watering after overwintering them. I was thinking of doing it as soon as spring begins, in March 20'th, but I wonder if, as the days are warming rapidly and we don't have frost here, someone from this zone might do it sooner.  While I'm at it, I started reducing waterings in October and kept them to once a month from November forward, and I am also wondering if this was the best time to do so. Even if I did it wrong this winter, I hope I could do better in the next!  (EDIT: They are indoors, in a west-facing window) Thanks in advance! (Sorry for any eventual bad english! ^^") |
Name: Baja Baja California (Zone 11b)              |
| Are your cacti indoors? |
Name: João V. Lisbon - PT (Zone 10b) Greetings from Portugal! Wallknocker Feb 29, 2020 4:07 PM CST |
Baja_Costero said:Are your cacti indoors? Oh right! I forgot!  Yes, they are indoors. (Sorry for any eventual bad english! ^^") |
Name: Baja Baja California (Zone 11b) |
| Then the zone is irrelevant, and overwintering is probably unnecessary. It depends on the light that's available (ideally a southerly exposure), but if the situation is not cool or dark then withholding water is only holding back the growth of your plants. |
Name: João V. Lisbon - PT (Zone 10b) Greetings from Portugal! Wallknocker Feb 29, 2020 4:55 PM CST |
| They are in a west-facing window, so the light isn't the best, but is far from the worst. Apart from that, isn't overwintering, even indoors, important so that the cacti maintain an yearly cycle? And help them flower and such? (Sorry for any eventual bad english! ^^") |
Name: Baja Baja California (Zone 11b) |
| Not in my experience. |
Name: João V. Lisbon - PT (Zone 10b) Greetings from Portugal! Wallknocker Feb 29, 2020 8:06 PM CST |
A couple of things I forgot to mention: Even if the cacti are indoors, the houses here in Portugal are not as well insulated nor well heated as in the States, so even if they are never near freezing, the temperatures can be quite cold inside during the winter (basically we rely more on clothing and small heaters for comfort than central heating  ). They are also on a sunroom converted balcony, so it is colder there than the rest of the house. I don't know if this could change anything.(Sorry for any eventual bad english! ^^") |
Name: Baja Baja California (Zone 11b) |
| How cold does it get inside? How warm does it get during the day? The thread "Overwintering: Should I treat my indoor succulents differently during winter?" in Gardening Ideas forum |
Name: João V. Lisbon - PT (Zone 10b) Greetings from Portugal! Wallknocker Feb 29, 2020 10:05 PM CST |
| I'm not quite sure but would say that right now (4 a.m here) should be around 60ish ºF in the sunroom. During the day it has been quite warmer, especially during the afternoon, around 70ºF. But we had colder days and waaaay colder nights this winter, in January. This, I think, according to the post you shared (thanks for that btw) puts these temperatures within the acceptable ones for not needing to overwinter the cacti, as I doubt the night temperatures would ever get below 40ºF. The day temperature might however get below 60ºF for a day or two, a week max, but I think it would not matter much. (Sorry for any eventual bad english! ^^") |
Fort Worth, TX (Zone 8a)          javaMom Mar 1, 2020 1:43 AM CST |
| Hello friends, I keep most of my cacti and succulents indoor during late Fall and Winter, they are sitting on the shelves with LED light on about 10 -12 hrs everyday. I water them not as often as if they are outdoors during warmer temperatures but usually between once a week to every other week. I am using mostly terracota pots and my soil mix is quite gritty, so wiith heater running to keep temp around 68 F inside , the air is quite dry. I found that they are happier if I watered them, especially ones in smaller size pots. Here are few photos of them.       I also know a couple of gardening friends that keep their succulent in the basement or garage and hardly give them water the whole time they are there. I am still learning and just try to keep them alive until Spring comes. |
Name: Baja Baja California (Zone 11b) |
| That is a really impressive variety of succulents in a relatively small space. They look super healthy too. |
Name: João V. Lisbon - PT (Zone 10b) Greetings from Portugal! Wallknocker Mar 1, 2020 5:39 PM CST |
javaMom said: Here are few photos of them. Those look awesome! (Sorry for any eventual bad english! ^^") |
Fort Worth, TX (Zone 8a) javaMom Mar 1, 2020 9:40 PM CST |
| Thank you @Baja_Costero and @Wallknocker, These are mostly what I got this past couple of year, I killed quite a lot of them since I started this, didn't realize that they are not as low maintenance as I thought especially when they are new. Our North Texas weather is not the best weather for succulents, we have wet and freezing winter and very hot Summer. It's much better for Cacti here (except I killed some from leaving them uncovered outside and got they got rot from so much rains). Now I keep any eye by checking them every few days, so I can take care a problem before it's too late. Also using small terracotta pot and very gritty soil keep them dry between watering. I will be so happy when Spring started and no more freeze so I can bring them outside to get their pretty color from the morning Sun. Thanks again,  |
Maryland  LarryCrutchley Mar 1, 2020 10:34 PM CST |
| JavaMom They are beautiful.  |
Name: Deborah midstate South Carolina (Zone 8a) Don't Sweat the Small Stuff!         Deebie Mar 2, 2020 9:48 AM CST |
 JavaMom, you're a great plant mommy.  |
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