I've shared my ability to kill a plant with simply a passing glance. Heck, I even posted pictures of my plant failures. This is one reason I was so excited to bring on my friend Gin as our Floral and Garden Contributor. I swear she could make plastic plants grow in the ground. She's got a great post about succulents to share with you today, and she promises that even a black thumb like me can keep them alive. (Two weeks in, and so far so good.)
Hi, everyone! It's Gin, your resident garden girl. As the weather gets warmer and summer approaches, there's only one thing on my mind-plants, plants and more plants! We move in two weeks, and I can't stop potting things (there are currently 8 pots on the front porch). Last week I potted an old favorite of mine, succulents.
Buying succulents is almost like collecting dolls for me; with variety names such as "baby toes", "little pickles", "violet queen", and "woolly rose" how can I stop myself? If the growing season ahead makes you discouraged, angry or depressed due to a black thumb, succulents are your answer to a successful pot of plants. They are able to withstand the hot months and do great inside with a sunny window during the winter. There are a few rules to follow (about 2), and if all goes well your pot of precious succulents will become nearly kill proof!
Rule #1: Lots of sun. Even during the heat of summer, these plants soak it up. When you move them indoors, a south-facing window works great.
Rule #2: Do not over water. I find myself having to fight back the urge to water them...these plants are fabulous for people who forget to water! If outdoors, water once every other week, and for indoor watering once a month or longer. Signs that you are over watering will show the leaves turning yellow and almost "rotting" off the plant. Under-watering succulents will show the leaves turning brown and shriveling.
What you will need:1. A shallow pot with a drainage hole on the bottom.
2. A well-draining soil mix (pre-made mixes for cactus & citrus plants work great).
Planting is easy, just make sure the roots are covered in soil…give it a smidge of water, set in sun, forget to water for another week, and voila! If you can handle these little green gems, then I have faith you can handle much more this season. Rule #2: Do not over water. I find myself having to fight back the urge to water them...these plants are fabulous for people who forget to water! If outdoors, water once every other week, and for indoor watering once a month or longer. Signs that you are over watering will show the leaves turning yellow and almost "rotting" off the plant. Under-watering succulents will show the leaves turning brown and shriveling.
What you will need:1. A shallow pot with a drainage hole on the bottom.
2. A well-draining soil mix (pre-made mixes for cactus & citrus plants work great).
Happy planting,
Gin
Love the gorgeous little pots? Well, Gin made them! Yes, I know...she is multi talented. She's about to launch a new Etsy shop, but if you just can't wait to get your hands on one of these ceramic beauties you can email her. She'd be more than happy to send one in the mail before the shop officially opens.
This is my first year for container gardening, I'm so excited about my flowers but find myself longing for succulents - what a great tutorial for a beginner like me, I'll be at the garden shop this morning! Hugs ~ Mary
ReplyDeleteOh I thought I could handle succulents. I think they are adorable and I picked out a cute echeveria for my desk at work. The problem is it no longer looks like a rosette because it shot up and is now is about 3.5" tall. What have I done? Haha. Any suggestions on how to fix this problem?
ReplyDeleteI don't think you have done anything wrong...if it has shot up, then it is happy! If you don't like the shape of the plant or if your pot is getting too crowded you can snip off leaves, let them "heal over" (until the ends are not gooey) and literally stick them in the soil and they will start a new plant. Even when the long stem shoots up with the tiny rosette on top, you can still cut it and let the end callous to start in another pot! Hope this helps, Gin
ReplyDeleteThank you! I think I've been over-watering mine too!! :)
ReplyDeletehttp://munchtalk.blogspot.com
Okay, I'm going to try succulents. I've only been able to keep one plant alive during my life. I don't have a lot of confidence, so wish me luck!
ReplyDelete~Jeannie
I LOVE this post. I am such a sucker for all secculents and I am so glad you shared all your tips and tricks for keeping them healthy and beautiful. Thank you for all the inspiration too!
ReplyDeleteGin, we all learned form this post, and I'm sure you've saved the life of one or two innocent plant lives from the perils of overwatering. (The most severe cases being in my home..)
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let you know that I wrote a post about succulents on my blog and linked it to this post of yours. Thanks again for all the helpful caring tips you shared from Gin.
ReplyDeletehttp://southonbroadway.blogspot.com/2012/05/flowers-are-florishing.html