[andrewsloan]

I am into my 2nd year of cultivating aloes, agaves and other succulent plants and need some advice on how and when to transfer the plants germinated from seed last year and other plants discovered in different places to the ground I am currently preparing.
It has been over 40 in the shade here this summer and generally pretty hot, so I have the plants inside a high white walled garage open to the East, where they receive morning sun until 11 am and then shade but good light the rest of the day.
It might be a shock to the plants to plant them straight out into the garden receiving sun all day long in September/October so I was wondering if I should gradually expose them to more sun or whether this is not so important in the autumn? This is what I am not sure about.

[Alisdair]

I'd be inclined to give them a day or two of longer sunlight if you're planting them out in September, just to be on the safe side, but by October I'd have thought they'd be OK to go straight out. When we bring (generally less succulent and therefore more vulnerable) plants out from UK to southern Greece in October/November, they face much the same sort of culture shock but seem to take it in their stride.

[David Bracey]

I suspect you are getting little comment since there are few members with hands-on experience.  Suggest you try info"jardinsdumaroc.com  and ask them for their experience,  There is also the Spainish supplier of succulents who should be able to help.

My arabesque is not working.

[John J]

Andrew, this may not be of immediate help to you but the Cyprus Cactus & Succulent Society is currently working on producing a web-site (www.ccss.org.cy). It is not yet up and running but, hopefully, won't be too long. Some of their members are also members of the MGS, including their current President, Mary Michaelides. If you look on the Members section of this forum you should find Mary's profile with e-mail address. I'm sure that she and her fellow members would be happy to help with any queries you may have regarding succulents.
I believe Alisdair saw the presentation that Mary gave at the 2009 AGM here in Cyprus and could possibly vouch for her enthusiasm and energy when talking about her subject.

[Alisdair]

Yes John, I can certainly vouch for her enthusiasm! The website should be excellent if she has anything to do with it!

[andrewsloan]

John thank you very much for that info. I shall get in contact with Mary.

[Trevor Australis]

  John did you get an answer about trasplanting succulent seedlings? I'd appreciate knowing as I have a number of aloes germinating but think they are far too small to be put in the garden at least for two yrs growing on in pots. tn

[John J]

Trevor, I haven't seen Mary for quite a while, even on such a small island our paths don't cross very often. I don't know if Andrew got in touch with her at all.

[andrewsloan]

Yes I did contact Mary and have been looking at lovely photos of succulents in Cyprus. She advised me to try and put in some shade giving bushes/trees and also to harden up the plants before planting out. I am planning to plant out some more aloes in the Spring, after any very cold weather has passed and so currently have them in a South facing position with some shade so they are receiving exposure to the elements but covered up with plastic at night.
I was a little unlucky when I planted some items out in the autumn as we had 400 litres of rain per sq metre in the following 6 weeks (annual rainfall averages 500) and so some of the small aloes and agaves melted! However ones that survived are obviously hardier and more suitable for the ever increasing climate extremes we are getting.