Can Succulents Live Outside for the Whole Year?

Succulents are some of the hardest plants you will ever encounter.

They are extremely popular in the world now as they are low maintenance, so you don’t have to look after them to a great degree, which is why so many people opt for them.

These succulents are especially popular with college students who want to brighter up their dorm room or add a little more nature to it overall.

However, some succulents are much more extensive; thus, many people enjoy having these succulents outdoors instead of inside.

However, the question many ask with more giant succulents is how to take care of them.

Succulents have different requirements than other plants, which is why many gardeners or people who keep their succulents outside question how they can care for them all year round.

The article below will inform you whether succulents can live outside all year round and how you may care for them.

How do Succulents Survive?

Succulents are plants much like any other. However, they are xerophytes, which means they store water in thick and uniquely shaped leaves, making them all the more drought-tolerant.

These succulents are available in all kinds of interesting textures and shapes, meaning there’s a lot of variety in the way they are.

Succulents are like cacti because they don’t require much water to survive.

Can Succulents Survive Outside?

The simple answer is yes; they can. You will have to take care of these succulents well, but for the most part, they’re excellent at surviving outside.

They can grow exceptionally well in environments that are sunny and dry.

The best thing about succulents is that you don’t need to take care of them to a great degree.

A little bit of neglect doesn’t hurt succulents, which allows them to survive outside with a lot of ease.

You can grow succulents outdoors in any way. You can raise the succulents in the ground or pots as you would like.

However, it’s necessary to take proper care of these succulents, especially when there are so many variables in play as they are when you have succulents growing outside.

It’s important to note that succulents cannot survive frost.

If you’re in a country where the winters are frigid, and snow is frequent, you have to understand that you likely won’t have your succulents at the end of the winter if you leave them outside.

Ways to Take Care of Outside Succulents

 Now that we know that succulents can survive outside, just not in the winter, we can take specific measures to ensure your succulents stay. Some of these measures we have mentioned below:

Deciding between Ground vs. Pots

As we have mentioned before, you can always decide whether to place your succulents in the pots or if you want to place them in the ground.

Many people would place the succulents in the ground as it allows them to water them along with the other plants.

However, some succulents can survive the extreme cold, and others can’t.

Most succulents can’t survive frost, so if you live in an area that faces snow and frost, you should prevent them from laying succulents in the ground.

Instead, it would help if you opted for pots and planters to move indoors in the winter.

Using pots for succulents also gives you greater control over the amount of water you give to these plants.

If water is too much, it could be the issue of water over-saturating the roots of the succulents, so they get completely rotten.

If you live in an area where it rains too much in the summer or even in the winter, then chances are you will have to bring your pots inside.

Ground 

If you live in a mostly hot or warm area, you may find it easier to plant your succulents inside the ground.

Succulents are used in hot climates as they are most commonly found in deserts which is why they can tolerate extreme weather.

It’s necessary that when you’re planting these plants into the ground that you’re much more careful with how you decide to provide drainage for them.

You must provide them with easy-drain soil, so they don’t rot.

It would be best if you created a special soil mix before placing the succulents in the ground, as this allows your succulents to grow easily in the ground.

We suggest you create a six-inch mound using a soil mix that is beneficial to your succulents and allows them to grow.

If you’re placing succulents that take up more area, leave ample space between the different plants.

Even small plants can take up a lot of space as they grow, and it’s necessary to provide the space they need.

Pots and Planters

Succulents are best kept in pots as these pots are easy to move around. If you have succulents that you only keep indoors, then you must keep them in pots.

If you have pots outdoors, these are also beneficial as it’s easier to bring them into the house when you have heavy rains or during winter frost.

Thus, when placing succulents in pots, you must pick pots with many drainage holes, so rot doesn’t persist.

It’s best to have terracotta pots as they can easily remove any moisture in the soil.

Succulents that are in pots need watering once a week during summer. During winter, you only need to water them every 21 to 30 days.

Succulents can do wonderfully in the sunshine, but if it’s a hot day, you can move them in positions that allow for indirect sunlight instead.

Other Ways of Caring for Succulents

Move Them Indoors During Winters

The best way to care for succulents is to move them indoors during the winter and ensure that frost doesn’t settle on them.

When you have potted plants, this is much easier to do. For plants you’ve kept in the ground, you’ll have to make whole pots to move them forward.

Bring the succulents indoors and move them to a sunny spot since succulents do amazingly well in light and heat.

It would help if you tried to move the succulents indoors before the fall temperatures hit; otherwise, the succulents will start to get worse.

Raise Them Away from the Cold Ground

Suppose succulents are in the containers. Then you know to move them away from the cold winter areas and into sunnier spots.

But as far as winters go, you would have to move the succulents away from the ground so they can remain better protected.

If they are outside, you should move them away from the cold ground to take them away from the roots and leaves from the overall frost they may have.

Get Rid of the Dead Leaves

Another important thing to do is remove the dead leaves from the plants.

Taking care of the succulent comes with knowing how to rid the succulents of any dead leaves that remain on the succulent. If you let them be, it may cause rot later on.

Place a Horticultural Fleece

If you’re looking to find other ways to protect your succulents, then you may go as far as placing a horticultural fleece to protect from the freezing weather that it has.

You can wrap the succulents in fleece when the cold weather settles in and protect them from all kinds of weather, including cold and wet conditions.

If you don’t protect your succulents from cold and wet conditions, they are more likely to rot.

The best part about this fleece is that it will require other things like light and air around the succulents.

However, you will find that the fleece protects from things like extreme frost and water.

Protect the Succulents with Gravel

One of the most important things you can do is protect the succulents with another layer of gravel.

If you place these containers with a good layer of gravel or pebbles, they’re more likely to come out on top.

Thus, this gravel can securely protect the succulents from frost and prevent any possibility of rot development.

Ensure the Drainage is Enough

One of the major problems with succulents, when placed outside, is the kind of drainage they may have.

You want drainage that provides major protection and doesn’t allow the plant to get rotten.

Thus, it would be best if you opted for pots or containers with enough holes in the bottom.

The plant will freeze if there is any water in these containers during winter.

Final Thoughts

Succulents are capable of staying alive outside all year. However, it’s necessary to have the right measures in place to take care of your succulents outside.

Yes, they are very low-maintenance plants but still require extreme care in winter as these are not natural conditions.

One major way to protect succulents from withering away is by bringing them indoors during winter.

We have also mentioned a couple of other ways that you can do so in this article so you can take care of your succulents in the best way possible.