I just learned recently WHY all my succulents (sedum, graptopetlaum, echeveria, crassula, etc) all die at the end of summer.
They are fine taking most of the heat in the day. But the reason they can do that is because they 'breathe' at night. When the temps climb up over 90 at night, they can't breathe and die.
Which means I get to haul in my potted plants (in various and sundry combinations) twice a year. Once for the annual dip below 32 degrees at night, and once for the week or more that the temps are over 90 at night.
While I'm happy to know my plants at least have a chance this year, my spousal unit gets grumpy with the house starts to resemble 'a jungle'.
Can't. Win.
They are fine taking most of the heat in the day. But the reason they can do that is because they 'breathe' at night. When the temps climb up over 90 at night, they can't breathe and die.
Which means I get to haul in my potted plants (in various and sundry combinations) twice a year. Once for the annual dip below 32 degrees at night, and once for the week or more that the temps are over 90 at night.
While I'm happy to know my plants at least have a chance this year, my spousal unit gets grumpy with the house starts to resemble 'a jungle'.
Can't. Win.
Explain to the spousal unit how much money your saving by bringing the plants in so they can live and don't have to be replaced. Maybe that will help?
Posted by: Loree/danger garden | January 25, 2013 at 01:10 AM
Loree - I did that with I think some success - I've got aloes in the front that are just now blooming - they were acquired as offsets or picked up at Home Depot in their 2 or 3 dollar pot collection... time has given them value.
When I went looking at large plants at the local nursery the other day, I was impressed at HOW MUCH value.
So I told him, look, I've done the work on these and am about to get my reward (first year of blooms) IF they die, I want to replace them with similarly sized specimens, and that will cost between 40 and 80 dollars per plant.
He stopped grumbling about the $40 spent on frost cloth, clamp lamp and spot light...
Posted by: Jenn | January 25, 2013 at 12:06 PM