Warm spring is coming, and we offer you a tentative daily plan for acclimatizing cacti and succulents to outdoor conditions in Bulgaria, starting from April 1st, when daytime temperatures are already comfortable, and nighttime temperatures are close to the permissible minimum.

Days 1–3 (April 1–3) Location: partial shade, under a canopy or a tree Time outdoors: if you have a few plants – 2–3 hours daily. If you have many – start with the larger and more resilient ones. Watering: do not water Nighttime temperature: ensure it does not drop below +8°C (if it does – bring them in for the night) Goal: to begin hardening, adapting to air and light

Days 4–6 (April 4–6) Location: partial shade, possibly with a little morning sun. We take the plants out under 40% shading net and nylon to protect them from rain. Cloudy days: most suitable for adaptation Watering: only if necessary – drip at the edge of the pot, if it hasn’t been watered for a while At night: if temperatures drop below 8°C – bring them in or cover them

Days 7–10 (April 7–10) Location: morning sun until 11:00 AM, then partial shade or shading with a net Watering: sparse and controlled At night: can be left outside, if it does not drop below +10°C Additional: check for burns and pests

Days 11–14 (April 11–14) Location: sun until 12:00 PM, then partial shade Time outdoors: all day Watering: moderate, only in warm and dry weather At night: can stay outside Goal: to observe the reaction to the sun – if all is well, transition to permanent outdoor cultivation

After April 15th Location: permanent, according to the species (sunny or partial shade), but necessarily under a net! At the end of April, there are days with high solar activity that can cause burns, even in acclimatized plants. Watering: after the substrate has dried, carefully, according to temperature At night: remain outside, if there is no risk of frost

Additional:

Do not rush with repotting – wait at least 2 weeks after moving them out to adapt.

Regularly inspect the plants – the appearance of spots is a sign that the sun is too strong.

By May–June, it’s good to protect them from rain with nylon to prevent overwatering and rot. In May, the nylon can be removed – the warm rain will replace watering.