Delosperma (Ice Plant) indoors during winter

Question

I live in Canada and it will soon be time for me to bring in my succulents and cacti. Last year I brought in two Delosperma plants and within less then a month they both died. they were both very healthy and had amazing growth throughout the summer.

One of the things I suspected is that I had watered them too much before bringing them in and the soil was too moist for the first week that they were indoors.

This year I got a new Delosperma plant in the spring and I will be moving it indoors soon. Here are the steps I plan on taking this year when it goes indoors to *hopefully have a better outcome:

1) I have heavily pruned the plant so that there is less active green growth and flowering. Hopefully this will allow it to conserve more energy and require less water.

2) I will make sure the soil is very dry before bringing it in (most likely late September) and will water very sparingly until November (usually after November the moisture in the air is much less)

3) I will get a small fan and direct it at my cacti to increase airflow and help the soil dry faster after watering.

If anybody has experience keeping these plants indoors successfully I would really appreciate any advice. Any comments are suggestions from other succulent keepers are also appreciated

Answer 1

Many growers from northern climes put their plants in a cellar or basement where they get little to no light and very little water and the temps remain above freezing. They've overwintered their plants successfully for a number of years.

Now, the one guy I'm thinking of in particular had mostly cactus, not non-cactus succulents, so ymmv.

His biggest problem is deciding when to put them away in the fall and take them out in the spring. You don't want to be too late or too early...

Keeping them indoors at normal house temperatures with short, weak photo-periods can make them grow poorly.

I don't have this issue (I'm in Arizona), but I know a number of people who do.

Good luck!

Answer 2

You need to acclimate a plant that has been growing out of doors to the indoors. You do that in little steps. Bring inside for half an hour and take back to its regular spot outside. Next couple of days same thing. Then increase the time indoors to an hour for 3 days. Then 2 hours for 3 days then 4 hours for 3 days then 6 hours for 3 days then half a day for 3 days and then your plant should be acclimated. Are these plants in pots or are they in the ground? I am guessing in pots. Did you use potting soil? Fertilizer? Do not water until the plant and pot are light to lift.

Please send a picture. Need to see the size of plant in relation to pot. Potting soil JUST potting soil is critical. You need to give your plant as much light as possible such as a south window sill. I wouldn't use tap water. These plants store their own water and over watering is a death sentence.