Protect Your Succulents from High Heat and Sun

[@QueenofSucculents]

Have a question on ANYTHING to do with succulents? Go to debraleebaldwin.com and browse the menu or use the Search bar. Btw, my site is not monetized---no annoying pop-up ads. It's my gift to my followers and the culmination of my career as a horticulturist/photojournalist specializing in succulents. You'll find 100+ pages of tips and ideas; thousands of photos and must-know facts for specific varieties; curated design ideas for gardens, landscapes and containers; interviews with experts; seasonal info; and much more. Use the site as a research tool that also is entertaining---the same goal as my KZbin channel. Q's welcome!

[@IAMSUPREME22]

I want to be Debra's garden when I grow up. Edit: and I want Debra to speak to me in that soft reassuring tone for hours on end.

[@QueenofSucculents]

Aw, thank you!!

[@DemonBunnyQueen]

I absolutely love you. The way you speak, your plants, they way you speak about your plants, and the peacefulness of your videos. I love you!!!

[@QueenofSucculents]

My goodness, DBQ, how extremely kind of you. Thank you!

[@DemonBunnyQueen]

Debra Lee Baldwin 😊💕 Yw! Keep uploading!!

[@AdrienBCaldwell]

What a gorgeous succulent garden! I love succulents. I now live in the Palm Springs area. It can get up to 123 degrees in the summer. I put most of my succulents in bright shade and most survived. My christmas cacti in pots suffered the most. Even in bright shade all but one out of six died. I bought some shade fabric that provides 50% sun reduction and plan to use it in the south facing area of my garden come this summer. I hope this does the trick because our south facing area of our home is where we can enjoy the view of our garden the most.

[@QueenofSucculents]

Sounds like a good plan. Christmas cacti are tropical so it's unlikely they'd survive in your climate.

[@reneekroyer5104]

We have our rabbit ear cactus out in full sun, morning and afternoon sun, and it does well. We even had it in SW Utah in extreme heat/sun. It seemed to love it and never got burnt or scorched. (We now live in Valley Center, CA.)

[@QueenofSucculents]

Thanks for letting us know, Renee!

[@nicogs97]

Wait, string of pearls can’t have direct sun? Mine do and they are doing just fine.

[@QueenofSucculents]

In a mild, coastal climate, string of pearls is fine in full sun for half a day, morning or afternoon, but will need protection from summer sun in temps above 85F.

[@nicogs97]

@@QueenofSucculents gotcha

[@nannetteaustin2308]

Thank you for such an amazing video. It is unbelievably helpful!

[@QueenofSucculents]

Thank YOU, Nannette!

[@rhondakutche1892]

Thank you for sharing this video! It's so reassuring to see that even Debra Lee Baldwin has plants that aren't perfect! I learned so much!

[@QueenofSucculents]

Very few of my in-ground succulents are perfect---too difficult to control the environment. I'm just happy if they look good without my glasses.

[@dodorik7114]

Love this long informative tour of your gorgeous garden! The giant agaves look incredible! 🤗

[@janetac1738]

i know this is an older video, but i have to say, i absolutely LOVE your agaves! they are the most eloquent plants i have ever seen. isnt it weird how succulents and aloe and agave are all desert plants but still get sun scorched? you are the one who inspired me to get one. i have a very tiny agave americana pup growing now. i live in connecticut so idk what i will do when it gets too big, but i will enjoy it thats for sure!! beautiful garden as always Debra.

[@QueenofSucculents]

Thank you so much!

[@AdrienBCaldwell]

You can sort of "dwarf" most agaves by not potting them up. Meaning, don't keep repotting your agave america in bigger pots over time. You can basically stunt them by limiting their space for roots to grow. A woman on craigslist gave me an Agave Americana Variegata. We lived in the Pacific Northwest. I kept it in the same 16" pot for four years and it never grew or got bigger. It stayed around 2.5 x 2.5 tall and wide. Now that I moved to the southern California I planted it in the ground and it's starting to get bigger in just a few months. Also, even when you stunt agaves by not potting them up they still grow pups. I have given so many away and have kept about eight that are growing quite fast. Lastly, my tip for making them less dangerous (those deadly pointed edges!) is to take nail clippers and cut those spikes off. It is a lot safer to handle when you're dealing with a nearly 3ft tall and wide agave in a pot you need to move around from time to time.

[@patroach4072]

Your video is informative, helpful and timely with our Southern California heat wave. Such helpful tips! Thanks again!

[@steveandpaula3541]

Beautiful tour of your garden. Thanks so much!

[@QueenofSucculents]

You're very welcome!

[@dearisboykins9126]

Beautiful flowers 😍

[@DarleneDeMayo]

That is a lot of loveliness... thanks for the tour! Loved it *:D

[@cactuszach1367]

Interesting carved prickly pear, and your right, it seems to be doing just fine. Love your vids Debra!

[@QueenofSucculents]

Thank you, CZ!

[@oknahh]

It's 142°F in my green house while its a sunny 60°f outside..i have the fans on and door open but nights are still freezing so my collection cooks every spring

[@QueenofSucculents]

I'm curious where you're located. Is it possible to vent the roof?

[@oknahh]

@@QueenofSucculents I'm in MO. in USA. I have a vent in the upper backside, 4 windows and a shade cloth. The issue is it's freezing at night so if i leave the vents open id have one mega electric bill bc the heat would run all night. As soon as the sun comes out it heats up rapidly even when I have all vents open. Surprisingly this year I've only lost one out of a few hundred to extream heat

[@anthonycooper3174]

I wish I could be at home 🇬🇧 right now but on vacation in St Kitts and Nevis. UK is experiencing the hottest temperature ever today and tomorrow reaching 102f where I live and have a south facing garden. Home on Thursday and see how things have held up 🤞 🌵 ☀ 🌵 ☀ 🌵 ☀

[@QueenofSucculents]

Hi Anthony -- It's crazy isn't it? I sure hope your plants survive. Can you ask a neighbor to throw a sheet over them? It's sun + heat that does the damage.

[@anthonycooper3174]

@@QueenofSucculents I wish I could get the neighbour to help but unable to contact them. It will have to be what it is. Record temperatures that the UK has never experienced ever before. Especially with the long days we have. Sunrise 5'04am, sunset 9:11pm. Thank you so much for your concern though. I think I have to find a way to shade them more when I get back. There is a grape Vine that grows over but only protects from midday sun. It is the late afternoon when it gets hot.

[@conniebeal6000]

I am gong to put my new Agaves under shade for sure! I live in Paso Robles and for the next 2-3 days it will be 100+ degrees!

[@QueenofSucculents]

Yes! Agaves can get ugly beige patches when sunburned. Good thinking.

[@alexlandry9062]

Loved Paso Robles! Great town!

[@alexlandry9062]

Austin, TX is also going to be triple digits

[@zap4980]

Thanks for sharing 🙏🏼😍🙏🏼

[@Nhoj31neirbo47]

Very valuable advice. Thanks!

[@kellypywtorak5166]

What per cent sun shade do you recommend for those of us in a zone 9A with days over 90 degrees often? My patio where I keep the majority of my potted succulents faces northwest and my tiny front entryway with just a couple of succulents faces due east.

[@QueenofSucculents]

I talk about sun and shade for succulents in my recent video on shade, and also on my website debraleebaldwin.com/types-of-succulents/shade_succulents/

[@kellypywtorak5166]

@@QueenofSucculents Thank you! We covered one pergola over the patio with 70% shade cloth and some folks are saying it's probably too high of a percentage. I can move them to the other uncovered pergola if they start to stretch too much I guess.

[@carlporter]

Great garden and video!

[@chadh9457]

Can anyone tell me the species of grass @7:25 in the midground with heavy tassels?

[@QueenofSucculents]

Sure thing, CH. It's good ol' Mexican feather grass.

[@trevorpeterson8433]

Beautiful yard

[@ybe7011]

I have temps that can get up to 104 already by may and june. But average at around 93 all summer. I'm so confused because I thought they thrived like this. I guess its time to get some shade.

[@BettieSurfer]

Beautiful garden 💚

[@janetang5327]

at which temperatures in which aeonium are not dormant

[@QueenofSucculents]

Aeoniums may not go dormant in mild, maritime climates or when grown in bright shade and watered regularly.

[@AnimalsAndReports]

Nice tour 🐼

[@QueenofSucculents]

Thanks!

[@moileboi2947]

So what's the name of that cute aloe that's in bloom?

[@QueenofSucculents]

Ah, Matt, I wondered who would be the first to notice that I lauded the plant and then failed to identify it. (Actually I did in an original version, then inadvertently deleted it.) The umbel-flowered aloe is A. distans.

[@alexlandry9062]

I was going to ask you the name too!

[@pugazhsakthey8418]

Debra Lee Baldwin i do no anything else about succulents and can u say I'm having a single succulent what will happen to it. it will spread into many succulent from the single succulent or it will grow only when v probogate it???😢😢😢

[@QueenofSucculents]

There are thousands of varieties of succulents, so it's impossible to generalize. My book, "Succulents Simplified", gives a good overview of readily available varieties and is an excellent place to start. debraleebaldwin.com/succulent-books/

[@anthonyhunt8302]

Debra! Love you! But not all of us in SD have AC.

[@QueenofSucculents]

I grew up inland without it. Much easier as a kid!

[@janetang5327]

my agave nizandensis is sending up a bloom spike

[@QueenofSucculents]

I'd love to see a photo!