My Succulent Garden
I have been a little obsessed with succulents lately. Unlike the others plants that I have attempted to cultivate over the years, my succulents do not die (as often) - or should I say, I do not kill them. They are beautiful and nearly indestructible.
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Multiple Succulents[/caption]
A succulent is any plant with thick, fleshy (succulent) water storage organs. Succulents store water in their leaves, their stems or their roots. These plants have adapted to survive dry conditions throughout the world, from Africa to the deserts of North America and now - my home.
Here's what I have found out about succulents - they prefer bright light, like a south-facing window. My townhouse is a bit dark, so I rotate them on a weekly basis - one week in side, one week outside on the balcony.
It's important to watch the leaves for indications that the light level is correct. I have found that some species will scorch if suddenly exposed to direct sunlight. The leaves will turn brown or white as the plant bleaches out and the soft tissues are destroyed.
If a succulent plant does not have enough light for a prolonged period of time, it will begin to stretch, with an elongated stem and widely spaced leaves (it gets leggy). It helps to prune the plant back to its original shape.
One of the problems I had with my previous gardening efforts is that I could never gauge their water needs. I would either water them too much or too little. With succulents, you need to water them more in the summer allowing them to dry between watering (Once per week seems should do the trick). During the winter, when the plants go dormant, cut watering back to once every other week - if you live in South Florida. Over watering can lead to plant rot, this is the single most common cause of plant failure.
My favorite part of my new found gardening success is combining my latest succulent find into mini succulent or cacti gardens.
I also enjoy finding cute containers for my succulents. Sometimes I will use a simple clay pot,
A brightly painted fancy clay pot - I love bright colors,
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Cacti[/caption]
A beach bucket/pail - I prefer metal to plastic. I also love anything cobalt blue.
I got these pails at Tuesday Morning for $1.29 - they only had 2 in stock. I keep going back hoping to find more. No luck so far.
I have found some great flower pots at Ikea - bold colors like I like.
I like adding birds to my creations - I pick them up at the dollar store. They stock them during Christmas and spring. You may find them at craft stores as well
I still need to figure out the best fertilizer for my plants - I am told that adding a low nitrogen, water-soluble fertilizer at ¼ the recommended rate is ideal, I have not tried this recipe yet - I let you know.
Multiple Succulents[/caption]
A succulent is any plant with thick, fleshy (succulent) water storage organs. Succulents store water in their leaves, their stems or their roots. These plants have adapted to survive dry conditions throughout the world, from Africa to the deserts of North America and now - my home.
Here's what I have found out about succulents - they prefer bright light, like a south-facing window. My townhouse is a bit dark, so I rotate them on a weekly basis - one week in side, one week outside on the balcony.
It's important to watch the leaves for indications that the light level is correct. I have found that some species will scorch if suddenly exposed to direct sunlight. The leaves will turn brown or white as the plant bleaches out and the soft tissues are destroyed.
If a succulent plant does not have enough light for a prolonged period of time, it will begin to stretch, with an elongated stem and widely spaced leaves (it gets leggy). It helps to prune the plant back to its original shape.
One of the problems I had with my previous gardening efforts is that I could never gauge their water needs. I would either water them too much or too little. With succulents, you need to water them more in the summer allowing them to dry between watering (Once per week seems should do the trick). During the winter, when the plants go dormant, cut watering back to once every other week - if you live in South Florida. Over watering can lead to plant rot, this is the single most common cause of plant failure.
My favorite part of my new found gardening success is combining my latest succulent find into mini succulent or cacti gardens.
I also enjoy finding cute containers for my succulents. Sometimes I will use a simple clay pot,
A brightly painted fancy clay pot - I love bright colors,
[caption id="attachment_1270" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Cacti[/caption]
A beach bucket/pail - I prefer metal to plastic. I also love anything cobalt blue.
I got these pails at Tuesday Morning for $1.29 - they only had 2 in stock. I keep going back hoping to find more. No luck so far.
I have found some great flower pots at Ikea - bold colors like I like.
I like adding birds to my creations - I pick them up at the dollar store. They stock them during Christmas and spring. You may find them at craft stores as well
I still need to figure out the best fertilizer for my plants - I am told that adding a low nitrogen, water-soluble fertilizer at ¼ the recommended rate is ideal, I have not tried this recipe yet - I let you know.