Can You Plant Succulents in the Ground? An Outdoor Growing Guide

You absolutely can plant succulents directly in the ground, transforming your garden into a low-maintenance oasis. If you’re worried about them surviving outdoors, the secret lies in picking the right plants and giving them a proper start.

I’ve made my share of mistakes with in-ground succulents over the years, and I’ll guide you through everything you need to know, including choosing the perfect location, preparing your soil, step-by-step planting, and ongoing care for a thriving garden.

Preparing Your Garden Bed for Succulent Planting

Getting the soil right is the single most important step for successful outdoor succulents. I learned this the hard way after losing a beautiful agave to soggy soil-proper drainage is non-negotiable.

Most native garden soil is too dense and holds onto moisture for far too long. Succulent roots need to dry out quickly between waterings.

How to Create the Perfect Gritty Soil Mix

You don’t need to buy expensive bags of specialty soil. I always amend my native soil with a few simple ingredients to create a fast-draining environment.

Here is my go-to recipe for amending in-ground garden beds:

• Start with two parts of your existing garden soil.
• Mix in one part coarse sand or poultry grit (this is crucial for creating air pockets).
• Add one part perlite or pumice to further improve drainage and prevent compaction.

This simple 2:1:1 ratio transforms heavy, water-logged dirt into a succulent paradise that mimics their natural, rocky habitats.

The Critical Steps for Bed Preparation

1. Clear the Area: Remove all weeds, grass, and rocks from your chosen planting spot.
2. Loosen the Soil: Use a garden fork or tiller to break up the soil to a depth of at least 12 inches. This is vital for root development.
3. Mix in Amendments: Spread your coarse sand and perlite evenly over the loosened soil and mix everything together thoroughly.
4. Create a Mound or Berm: For extra insurance against water pooling, I often shape the prepared soil into a slight mound. This encourages water to run away from the plant’s crown.

Taking the time to prepare your bed properly is the best gift you can give your outdoor succulents, setting them up for years of healthy growth.

Choosing the Right Outdoor Location and Climate

Picking the perfect spot in your garden is like finding the best seat in a movie theater—it makes all the difference to the experience. Most succulents crave sunshine, but the intensity and duration matter immensely. Proper sunlight is just one aspect of what succulent plants need to thrive.

Assessing Your Garden’s Sun Exposure

Watch your yard for a full day to see how the sunlight moves. I use this simple breakdown:

• Full Sun (6+ hours of direct sun): Ideal for many Sedum, most Agaves, and Echeveria. Their colors will be the most vibrant here.
• Partial Sun/Afternoon Shade (4-6 hours of sun, protected from harsh afternoon rays): A safer bet for many succulents, especially in hotter climates. It prevents sunburn on delicate leaves.

If you notice your succulents’ leaves turning pale or brown, they might be getting too much direct afternoon sun and need a shadier retreat. Proper care during hot seasons can help prevent this.

Understanding Plant Hardiness Zones

Your local climate dictates which succulents can survive your winters outdoors. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is your best friend here—it tells you the average minimum winter temperature for your area. Understanding cold hardiness helps you pick succulents that tolerate outdoor winters.

Once you know your zone, you can select cold-hardy succulents that will thrive in your landscape year-round.

• For colder zones (like 5-7), look to resilient varieties like Sempervivum (Hens and Chicks) and many Sedum species. They can handle freezing temperatures and even snow.
• In warmer zones (8+), your options expand dramatically to include stunning plants like Agave parryi and sprawling Lampranthus (Ice Plant).

I always check a plant’s cold tolerance before buying it for my garden to avoid heartbreaking losses during a surprise frost.

Top Drought-Tolerant Varieties for Xeriscaping

If you want a beautiful, low-water landscape (xeriscaping), these are my top workhorse succulents that laugh in the face of drought.

• Agave: Architectural and incredibly tough, they are the statement piece of any dry garden.
• Sempervivum: These form charming colonies and are nearly indestructible in well-draining soil.
• Delosperma (Ice Plant): A fantastic ground cover that explodes with colorful flowers and requires minimal water once established.

Planting drought-tolerant succulents is one of the easiest and most beautiful ways to create a water-wise garden that saves you time and money. In our complete guide on bottom watering techniques for succulents, you’ll learn how to apply this method effectively. This simple approach helps prevent overwatering while keeping roots hydrated and thriving.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Planting Succulents in the Ground

1. Pick the perfect spot. I always look for a location that gets at least six hours of bright, indirect light or morning sun. Full, harsh afternoon sun can scorch some varieties, so a little protection is a good thing.

2. Dig a hole that’s just right. The goal is to match the depth of the nursery pot. Dig a hole that is as deep as the root ball and about twice as wide. This gives the roots loose soil to expand into without sinking the plant’s crown.

3. Gently remove your succulent from its pot. Squeeze the sides of the plastic pot to loosen the soil, then tip it sideways and coax the plant out. Avoid pulling on the stem or leaves. If the roots are tightly wound (root-bound), I gently massage them to encourage them to spread outward.

4. Place the plant and backfill. Set your succulent in the hole so the base of the plant sits level with the surrounding soil. Never plant it deeper than it was in its pot. Backfill the hole with your prepared succulent & cactus soil mix, gently firming it around the base to provide support.

5. Give it a strategic first drink. Water the plant thoroughly right after planting to help settle the soil and eliminate air pockets. Then, let the area dry out almost completely before you even think about watering again. This first soak helps the roots acclimate to their new home.

Watering and Ongoing Maintenance for In-Ground Succulents

• Your watering schedule is dictated by the weather, not the calendar. I stick my finger a few inches into the soil near the plant. If it’s bone dry, it’s time for a deep, soaking drink. Water deeply but infrequently, mimicking the desert rains these plants are built for. In the summer, this might be every 7-10 days; in the winter, it could be once a month or less.

• Overwatering is the fastest way to kill an in-ground succulent. Soggy soil leads to root rot, and that’s a death sentence. When in doubt, it’s always safer to wait a few more days before watering. To avoid common succulent watering mistakes, check soil moisture before each watering and adjust for rainfall and season. This helps prevent both overwatering and underwatering.

• Mulch is your best friend for a low-maintenance bed. A layer of mulch suppresses weeds and helps regulate soil temperature. I always use inorganic mulch like small gravel, crushed granite, or pebbles. Gravel mulch allows water to drain instantly and doesn’t hold moisture against the plant’s stem like bark or wood chips can.

• Apply a thin, one to two-inch layer of your chosen gravel around the plants, keeping it away from directly touching the stem. This creates a clean, finished look while providing all the practical benefits. You’ll spend less time weeding and your plants will have happier, drier feet.

Protecting Your Outdoor Succulents from Frost and Winter Weather

I’ve lost a few beautiful echeverias to surprise frosts over the years, and let me tell you, it’s a heartbreaking sight. Seeing those once-plump leaves turn to translucent mush is what taught me to always have a winter plan for my in-ground succulents. The good news is that with a little prep, you can shield your garden from cold damage.

My Go-To Methods for Frost Protection

When the weather forecast hints at a freeze, I swing into action. My strategy is simple, fast, and effective.

• Frost Cloth is a Lifesaver: I keep a roll of breathable frost cloth (also called row cover) in my shed. Drape it directly over your plants before nightfall and secure the edges with rocks. It traps ground heat without smothering the plants.
• Improvised Covers Work Wonders: Don’t have frost cloth? I’ve used old bedsheets, burlap sacks, and even lightweight buckets with great success. Just remember to remove them first thing in the morning so your plants get light and don’t overheat.
• Create a Mini Greenhouse: For smaller, prized specimens, I place a clear plastic storage bin upside down over them. This acts like a tiny greenhouse, trapping warmth incredibly well.

Choosing the Toughest Succulents for Cold Climates

If you live in an area with chilly winters, your first line of defense is plant selection. Some succulents are naturally equipped with a kind of internal antifreeze, making them far more cold-hardy than others. From my experience, these are the champions that can handle a serious chill. Later in this guide, we’ll explain which hardy varieties are truly cold resistant and how to care for them. This way you can choose succulents that survive winter conditions with confidence. For more details, consult our guide on cold resistant succulents explained.

• Sempervivum (Hens and Chicks): These are the undisputed kings of cold. I’ve seen them buried under snow and emerge perfectly happy in the spring. They’re virtually indestructible.
• Sedum (Stonecrop): Many sedum varieties are extremely cold-tolerant. ‘Autumn Joy’ and ‘Dragon’s Blood’ have survived multiple freezing winters in my own garden with zero protection.
• Agave parryi and Agave utahensis: While most agaves are desert lovers, these specific types can handle temperatures down into the teens (°F) once established.

Propagating and Expanding Your Succulent Garden

One of my absolute favorite things about in-ground succulents is how they naturally fill in spaces all on their own. Your garden can literally grow itself with just a little encouragement, and it’s incredibly rewarding to watch. I let my plants do most of the work for me. For a living succulent wall garden, this same idea translates into a compact, living feature. This quick care guide will walk you through choosing plants, mounting, and ongoing maintenance.

Effortless Propagation Techniques

You don’t need a fancy setup to make more succulents. The ground itself is the perfect nursery.

Leaf Propagation

This is the easiest method for many types like echeveria and graptopetalum. Simply gently twist a healthy leaf from the stem. Lay the leaves right on top of the soil in a shady spot of your garden and forget about them. Don’t bury them. Mist the soil lightly every so often if it’s very dry. In a few weeks, you’ll see tiny pink roots and a new baby plant emerging.

Offset Division

Plants like aloe, sempervivum, and many haworthias produce “pups” or offsets around their base. Once these pups are about one-third the size of the mother plant, you can carefully separate them with a clean, sharp knife. I then plant them directly into a new spot in the garden, water them in, and they establish themselves quickly.

Stem Cuttings

For leggy succulents like sedum or some crassulas, stem cuttings are the way to go. Snip a piece of stem, let the cut end dry and callous over for a day or two, then poke it directly into the garden soil. You can also propagate succulents from leaf cuttings, which is another reliable method. Remove a healthy leaf, let it callous for a few days, then lay it on well-draining soil to root. I often do this right at the base of the parent plant to create a fuller, bushier look.

Encouraging Natural Growth

To really let your garden thrive, I adopt a slightly hands-off approach. I often let dropped leaves lie where they fall around the mother plant; many will root and grow right there, creating a beautiful, natural colony. A light top-dressing of small pebbles or gravel around your plants helps retain soil moisture for these new babies and keeps the leaves clean and dry, preventing rot.

Companion Planting and Landscape Design with Succulents

One of my favorite parts of gardening with succulents is designing a tapestry of textures and colors. Grouping plants with similar thirst levels is the golden rule for a thriving, low-maintenance garden. This prevents you from accidentally overwatering one plant while trying to quench another.

I’ve had great success pairing my ground-planted succulents with other sun-loving, drought-tolerant champions. Lavender is a fantastic companion, offering a beautiful contrast with its spiky purple flowers against the rosette shapes of echeverias. The aromatic foliage also helps deter pests.

• Lavender: Provides vertical interest and a lovely fragrance.
• Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’: A larger sedum that offers stunning pink flower heads in late summer.
• Ornamental Grasses: Blue fescue or Mexican feather grass add movement and a soft, wispy texture.
• Rosemary: Another culinary herb that thrives in the same hot, dry conditions.
• Yarrow: Its flat-topped flower clusters attract pollinators and come in vibrant yellows and reds.

When I design a bed, I think about playing with different heights and forms. Place taller, structural plants like agaves or yuccas in the back or as a focal point, and let trailing succulents spill over edges. A combination of blue, green, and burgundy succulents creates a cool, calming palette, while adding plants with yellow or orange flowers injects warm energy.

Using Succulents for Erosion Control

If you have a sloped area in your yard that’s difficult to mow or water, succulents can be your best friend. Their mat-forming and spreading growth habits are perfect for holding soil in place on a hillside. I’ve used creeping sedums, like Sedum spurium, to transform a problematic, eroding bank into a beautiful, living carpet.

Their shallow, fibrous root systems knit together to form a net that stabilizes the soil. Once established, this succulent groundcover will drastically reduce water runoff and soil loss during heavy rains. It’s a gorgeous and practical solution that requires almost no upkeep once the plants have settled in.

FAQs

Can succulents be grown outdoors in the ground?

Yes, many succulents thrive when planted directly in well-draining garden soil.

What drainage is needed for ground-planted succulents?

Ensure the soil is amended with coarse sand and perlite for fast drainage to prevent waterlogging.

How long does it take for ground-planted succulents to establish?

Most succulents establish their roots within a few weeks to a couple of months after planting.

How to prevent rot for succulents planted in the ground?

Plant in well-draining soil and water only when the soil is completely dry to avoid excess moisture.

Are there cold-hardy succulents for ground planting?

Yes, varieties like Sempervivum and Sedum can withstand freezing temperatures in many climates.

Can you mix succulents in the ground with other plants?

Yes, pair them with other drought-tolerant plants like lavender or ornamental grasses for a cohesive garden.

Ready to Plant Your Succulents Outdoors?

From my years of growing succulents, I can confidently say that planting them in the ground outdoors is a fantastic way to create a low-maintenance, eye-catching garden—just focus on providing well-draining soil, the right sunlight, and minimal watering to help them flourish. Remember, the key steps are: choose a sunny spot, amend the soil with sand or gravel, and water deeply but infrequently. For more detailed information, check out our outdoor succulent care guide.

Keep checking back on our site for more hands-on advice tailored to your plant journey. You’ve got this—succulents are resilient and will reward your care with stunning growth and vibrant colors. Explore our guide to the best succulents for beginners—the top 10 easy-care varieties. They’re ideal for new plant parents and low-maintenance charm.

Further Reading & Sources

• Outdoor Succulent Garden with Cold Hardy Succulents | Succulents and Sunshine
• 25 Outdoor Succulent Container Ideas that Resist Heat and Drought
• 59 Catchy Outdoor Succulent Garden Ideas – DigsDigs
• Best Outdoor Succulents | Mountain Crest Gardens®