Echeveria and other non-hardy succulents look amazing in patio planters. Echeveria are originally from Mexico and Central America. They aren’t used to the cold and will die in freezing temperatures. Just because you live where winter is a real winter doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy these colorful plants.
Like they’re used to in their native growing grounds, Echeveria like full sun. However, try to avoid these two things: drastic sunlight changes and summer afternoon full sun.
Echeveria, indoors or outside, don’t like to be kept too wet, but they also don’t like to be kept too dry. We typically find that succulents like more water than most people think. In a house the dry home temperatures dry things our even faster. You don’t want your soil to be bone dry or it will wither the plant’s roots.
Like all succulents, Echeveria need soil that drains quickly. This helps prevent moisture from rotting the roots. Many growers will create their own special mixture of soil and perlite. However, good quality potting soil, or a cactus mix will work fine. As a rule of thumb, when you squeeze a handful of moist soil together, it should crumble apart again when released.
Fertilizer is not a continual requirement for Echeveria.