I have a friend who has a nice collection of succulents. Can you give me some tips on how to create a successful home collection where I can relax indoors and step out onto my porch when the weather warms up?
Succulents are the most attractive indoor plants to grow outdoors. They are low maintenance and relatively easy to grow. They're even a good choice for kids who are learning to appreciate plants while learning responsibility.
Forks are plants with thick, fleshy, scaly leaves. Like cacti, they need a more limited water supply. They are mainly grown for their colorful leaves, but some have attractive flowers.
If I'm starting a new dessert collection, I choose a large jar about 12 to 18 inches in diameter. I make sure it has good sized drainage holes, preferably with a saucer attached to catch any runoff. Fill in the prepared soil for cacti. If not available, add sand or vermiculite to regular potting soil to increase drainage. As long as you're careful not to overwater, the seedlings will thrive in regular potting soil. I recommend using a time release fertilizer like Osmocote.
Plant tall trees in the center and short trees outside. You can create a pattern by placing two plants of the same type on top of each other or at equal intervals around the outside. Leave room as the plants multiply and grow.
For children, a small 4-5 inch pot with a plant would be more suitable. You can see the plant growing with daughter plants.
An ideal place to plant succulents outdoors is in rock gardens and stone walls. They grow well when stuck in the gaps between stones. Some sands or rocks make good ground covers.
Echeveria is the most popular succulent species. The plants grow in the form of a rosette. They are often called "chicken chicks" because they develop short side shoots. Colors from blue to pink, red and purple. Morning Beauty has a light blue color with pink tips. Chroma is pinkish red. The lipstick has green leaves with red edges. The black knight has dark purple leaves.
Sempervivum has a similar rose shape. Kalanchoe, crassula, aevium and sedum have attractive flowers. The Christmas cactus (schlumbergera) is indeed a multi-flowered delight.
At nurseries and full-service garden stores, you can usually find a variety of succulents year-round. I recently noticed a nice selection of succulents at Minnehaha Hardware High School. A wide selection is available online.
