Can succulents be left out in the sun freely on hot days? Here comes the summer care guide

The weather has been getting hotter day by day lately. Are you succulent lovers still letting your succulents take full sun and sunbathe freely? Does seeing the blazing midday sun make you feel anxious?

Succulents in their growing period and dormant period need to be treated differently. Once the temperature reaches 30°C, some succulents begin to go dormant, their leaves close up, and the growth activity of their leaves and roots slows down or pauses, which helps them resist the harsh external environment. But because they no longer take in nutrients from outside, they start to consume their own leaves. Dormant succulents should not be exposed to blazing sun, as they will speed up the consumption of their own leaves to resist the harsh environment. Usually you pull up a shade net, or move them to a cool, ventilated spot for care.

Succulents that are not dormant can still receive normal sunlight if they have always been grown outdoors. For succulents grown semi-outdoors on a balcony, shade is needed during periods of high temperature and strong ultraviolet rays, and normal care can continue the rest of the time. For succulents that have always been grown in shade, do not change their sunlight environment for now, as they are extremely prone to sunburn.

In addition, when the maximum temperature reaches 35°C, even summer-growing succulents will slow down their life activities and enter dormancy, so at this point no succulents should be allowed to receive sunlight freely anymore.

Besides caring for them in a cool, ventilated spot, you should also reduce or even stop watering. You can occasionally spray water to keep them moist, but remember not to let water accumulate. Because succulent roots have little activity and low water demand, water that cannot drain away is bad for the succulents' condition, and moreover, a high-temperature, high-humidity environment easily breeds large amounts of black rot pathogens.

Strengthening ventilation also helps succulents get through the summer. Good ventilation can carry away excess moisture, carry away heat, and lower the temperature to a certain degree. Strengthening ventilation is simple, and a fan is usually enough to achieve it.