Succulents have long been the darling of both the garden and design world — they are easy to grow, offer unbelievable colors and forms, and are readily available in most areas of the country. As we move into fall, however, their care is a bit different depending upon where you live. So, let’s highlight the basics, and then enjoy some design ideas for these spectacular plants.

Fall Succulent Care

Most, but not all, succulents need to be protected from frost or hard freeze (although sedums and sempervivum are much more frost tolerant). Know what kind of succulents you have and be prepared to protect them using the tips below:

• Year round mild climate? Your succulents are likely just fine where they are.
• Milder climate with occasional cold snaps? Place them against a structure that radiates a bit of warmth, such as a south-facing exterior wall of your home.
• Regular freezing temps? Bring them in to your home, garage, basement, or greenhouse, always ensuring they have adequate light.
• Err on the side of less water as they enter this more dormant season — water just enough so that the roots don’t totally dry up.
• The kiss of death for succulents is a combination of too much moisture and cold temps, so be on the lookout for either (or both!) of these conditions.

Fall Design Ideas for Succulents

Succulents offer such a rich range of design opportunities year round, but especially around the harvest season. Do an internet search on various tutorials and how-to’s for any of these projects and more — but let us know which one is your favorite!

• Succulent-topped pumpkins: Gather your pumpkins and small succulents (mostly 2” – 4” sizes and tiny clippings, but depending upon the size of your pumpkin, you may use larger plants). There are lots of how-to videos online, but the idea is to hot glue succulent clippings onto a bed of moss on the top of your pumpkins — the succulents root into the moss and need very little (if any) water or care.
• Succulent wreaths: Grab a wire wreath form, stuff it with moss, and insert succulent clippings with hot glue. These wreaths last forever with just a little misting every now and again.
• Succulent terrariums: Succulents are beautiful additions to terrariums provided it’s an open environment with no lid, as these plants need adequate air circulation. If you’re simply putting together a temporary feature for a table centerpiece, however, closed terrariums are fine. Add succulents, moss, driftwood and other decorative elements to create a cozy woodland theme.
• Succulent place settings: This is a darling idea for any holiday gathering you may be planning. Gather a variety of 2” – 4” succulents (one for each place setting) and small containers (teacups, ceramic pots, small silver cups). Pop a succulent into the container (you needn’t even remove it from its nursery pot), tuck in some moss around the edges, and finish with a place card with your guest’s name.

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