文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月19日
Many people prefer succulent plants for outdoor garden and indoor decoration. For those places which experiences dry and hot weather, these plants can be excellent for growing in those areas. Many people have started growing succulents indoors because they don’t require much sunlight and can grow well indoors.
Maintenance of these plants are very easy, especially when grown indoors, the succulents in pots won’t be a lot of trouble unlike other indoor plants. The ones that grown in pots will remain in a perfect size because of the smaller place they will be getting from the container, however if grown in flower beds outside, their size will be much more, however they may require more water since they will be under direct sunlight. If you are a person who enjoy care-free living or are busy most of the time and at the same time love having plants indoors then growing succulents in containers is the best option for you. These plants may even produce flowers, which could be your indoor fresh flower bouquet in your house.
Some of the most common succulent houseplants are Burro’s Tail, Christmas Cactus, Crown of Thorns, Jade Plant, Panda Plant, Snake Plant, and many more. What many people don’t know is that how to plant succulents indoors? Planting these amazing plants indoors is very easy. With proper guidance and research you can grow some healthy and beautiful succulents indoors in different containers and pots. You can line them by your stairs indoors, in your kitchen, living room and other places you like. Unlike cacti, other succulents may have a variety of colors and when it is the blooming season; your interior will look pretty with all the flowers around. Here are 10 tips for growing indoor succulents:
1. The best place for keeping your succulent plants indoors is somewhere near the window, especially on the eastern side. The sun rises from the east, in this period the intensity of the rays are less and so will be excellent for the plants. Keep in mind that excessive sunlight can cause yellow spots on your plant which is also known as the sunburns.
2. Many people would think that they have to provide a lot of water to the succulents. Just like any plant, watering succulents should be kept to normal range. Between the watering periods the soil should be dry so that they can grow well, moreover, during the winter season they shouldn’t be watered much (only once a week).
3. Without any doubt, the glass containers or pots look very pretty, however they are not recommended for planting the succulents. This is because the glass container won’t be able to drain water or let it evaporate, however the clay pots or containers can help the moisture to evaporate or excessive water to drain. Succulents don’t like sitting in soggy or damp soil, they just require normal moisture content or water.
4. There is hardly a chance you may get bugs in your small indoor plants, but if by chance you do, avoid using the chemical because they are kept indoors can be hazardous to your health. Make a solution of diluted alcohol, water and dish soap liquid to kill the bugs. Bugs are usually attracted to those succulents whose soil is moist and soggy.
5. Add fertilizer to the indoor succulent plants only once in a year.
6. Many people don’t know how to grow succulents indoors and what type of soil to use. Unlike other plants they don’t use the same soil. The soil needed for the succulents should be well draining and porous, 70% of sand and 30% of soil is the best combination for them.
7. If you have kept the succulent plant in a place which doesn’t receive any sun light, then you might have to move your plants on at least weekly basis outside so that they can get some sunlight to grow better.
8. Avoid using chemical based liquid fertilizers and sprays on the succulent plants kept indoors. Not only it will ruin the plant but also be hazardous for you.
9. You can trim succulent plants only once in a year, if kept in small pot or containers, they might not even need any trimming.
10. Succulent are dessert plants and so can withstand both the hot and cold temperature, you don’t have to worry about the season change.
Maintenance of these plants are very easy, especially when grown indoors, the succulents in pots won’t be a lot of trouble unlike other indoor plants. The ones that grown in pots will remain in a perfect size because of the smaller place they will be getting from the container, however if grown in flower beds outside, their size will be much more, however they may require more water since they will be under direct sunlight. If you are a person who enjoy care-free living or are busy most of the time and at the same time love having plants indoors then growing succulents in containers is the best option for you. These plants may even produce flowers, which could be your indoor fresh flower bouquet in your house.
Some of the most common succulent houseplants are Burro’s Tail, Christmas Cactus, Crown of Thorns, Jade Plant, Panda Plant, Snake Plant, and many more. What many people don’t know is that how to plant succulents indoors? Planting these amazing plants indoors is very easy. With proper guidance and research you can grow some healthy and beautiful succulents indoors in different containers and pots. You can line them by your stairs indoors, in your kitchen, living room and other places you like. Unlike cacti, other succulents may have a variety of colors and when it is the blooming season; your interior will look pretty with all the flowers around. Here are 10 tips for growing indoor succulents:
1. The best place for keeping your succulent plants indoors is somewhere near the window, especially on the eastern side. The sun rises from the east, in this period the intensity of the rays are less and so will be excellent for the plants. Keep in mind that excessive sunlight can cause yellow spots on your plant which is also known as the sunburns.
2. Many people would think that they have to provide a lot of water to the succulents. Just like any plant, watering succulents should be kept to normal range. Between the watering periods the soil should be dry so that they can grow well, moreover, during the winter season they shouldn’t be watered much (only once a week).
3. Without any doubt, the glass containers or pots look very pretty, however they are not recommended for planting the succulents. This is because the glass container won’t be able to drain water or let it evaporate, however the clay pots or containers can help the moisture to evaporate or excessive water to drain. Succulents don’t like sitting in soggy or damp soil, they just require normal moisture content or water.
4. There is hardly a chance you may get bugs in your small indoor plants, but if by chance you do, avoid using the chemical because they are kept indoors can be hazardous to your health. Make a solution of diluted alcohol, water and dish soap liquid to kill the bugs. Bugs are usually attracted to those succulents whose soil is moist and soggy.
5. Add fertilizer to the indoor succulent plants only once in a year.
6. Many people don’t know how to grow succulents indoors and what type of soil to use. Unlike other plants they don’t use the same soil. The soil needed for the succulents should be well draining and porous, 70% of sand and 30% of soil is the best combination for them.
7. If you have kept the succulent plant in a place which doesn’t receive any sun light, then you might have to move your plants on at least weekly basis outside so that they can get some sunlight to grow better.
8. Avoid using chemical based liquid fertilizers and sprays on the succulent plants kept indoors. Not only it will ruin the plant but also be hazardous for you.
9. You can trim succulent plants only once in a year, if kept in small pot or containers, they might not even need any trimming.
10. Succulent are dessert plants and so can withstand both the hot and cold temperature, you don’t have to worry about the season change.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月19日
Once you’ve got your plants home, if you’re going to plant them in the garden, you need to do it right. By “right,” it means to create a succulent garden or add them to your garden using the same principles as an English garden.
A way to achieve a natural-looking succulent garden is to create a rockery. Rockeries — sections of the garden landscaped with rocks of various sizes — are especially effective on slopes or terraced areas where they help that area become a focal point in the landscape. In the case of succulents, this also mimics many of their native habitats.
Creating an English garden look simply means to plant succulents in groups or plant communities so they have a natural look in the landscape.
Don’t put one here and one there. Another mistake home gardeners often make is planting in rows, which leads to a boring look in the landscape.
Because virtually all succulents prefer well-draining soils, it’s a good idea to mix sand and gravel into native soils if you don’t have well-draining soil in your garden. Some can go for days and weeks without water, but some prefer more regular moisture. But, despite their moisture preferences, none like standing water against their crowns or for soil to stay too wet for very long. That’s where the well-draining soil comes into play. You can water normally, even onto the crowns, and the proper soil for succulents will wick the water away.
Growing Succulents in Pots
A good pot-soil combination for growing succulents in containers is to choose a porous terra cotta pot and a soil mix that will drain quickly. A general mix that works well for many succulents is one that combines one part of organic matter with one part of sand or a gritty medium.
Perhaps the biggest danger in growing succulents, especially in pots, is loving them too much — gardening code words for overwatering. Both indoors and outdoors, succulents actually require little care and water. At most, folks might want to prune them back or take cuttings to propagate.
Succulents are also ideal for pots and over wintering indoors because they can easily adapt to the dry humidity and lower light found in most homes.
Pests
Succulents are generally pest resistant. When there are problems, the main outdoor pests tend to be scale and aphids with inside pests usually being fungus gnats, mealybugs, woolly aphids and, maybe, spider mites, she explained. Neem oil or horticultural oil work well in controlling unwanted visitors in both situations.
A way to achieve a natural-looking succulent garden is to create a rockery. Rockeries — sections of the garden landscaped with rocks of various sizes — are especially effective on slopes or terraced areas where they help that area become a focal point in the landscape. In the case of succulents, this also mimics many of their native habitats.
Creating an English garden look simply means to plant succulents in groups or plant communities so they have a natural look in the landscape.
Don’t put one here and one there. Another mistake home gardeners often make is planting in rows, which leads to a boring look in the landscape.
Because virtually all succulents prefer well-draining soils, it’s a good idea to mix sand and gravel into native soils if you don’t have well-draining soil in your garden. Some can go for days and weeks without water, but some prefer more regular moisture. But, despite their moisture preferences, none like standing water against their crowns or for soil to stay too wet for very long. That’s where the well-draining soil comes into play. You can water normally, even onto the crowns, and the proper soil for succulents will wick the water away.
Growing Succulents in Pots
A good pot-soil combination for growing succulents in containers is to choose a porous terra cotta pot and a soil mix that will drain quickly. A general mix that works well for many succulents is one that combines one part of organic matter with one part of sand or a gritty medium.
Perhaps the biggest danger in growing succulents, especially in pots, is loving them too much — gardening code words for overwatering. Both indoors and outdoors, succulents actually require little care and water. At most, folks might want to prune them back or take cuttings to propagate.
Succulents are also ideal for pots and over wintering indoors because they can easily adapt to the dry humidity and lower light found in most homes.
Pests
Succulents are generally pest resistant. When there are problems, the main outdoor pests tend to be scale and aphids with inside pests usually being fungus gnats, mealybugs, woolly aphids and, maybe, spider mites, she explained. Neem oil or horticultural oil work well in controlling unwanted visitors in both situations.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月19日
If you’re on a mission to find the perfect plant to grow in your home or garden, chances are you’ll find it in the succulent section of your favorite plant nursery. It would be hard to fine one. But it won’t be hard to find a succulent you’ll love, no matter where you live.
You’ll only have about 20,000 choices. This very large plant group includes varieties that range from hardy types that will survive winter freezes to tropical ones that work well outdoors in warm climates and can be overwintered in pots indoors in regions where the temperature begins to plummet in the fall. There are kinds that do well in full sun and others that prefer shade. In other words, there are succulents for all types of growing conditions.
What is a Succulent?
While such diversity in so large a plant group sounds great, you might be wondering exactly what to look for when you go to the nursery. That’s not as simple as it might sound. Botanists don’t agree on the definition of a succulent.
One thing they do agree on is that succulents are much more than cactus. Perhaps that’s why succulent growers are fond of this saying: All cactus are succulents but not all succulents are cactus. To keep it simple, perhaps the best way to think of succulents is to think of them as plants that store water in their tissues.
How to Decide What’s Hardy
With that thought in mind, perhaps the best way to decide which succulents to grow is to divide them into two main types:
Hardy, those that can be grown outdoors year round
Not hardy, those that can be grown outdoors in pots during the spring and summer and perhaps early fall but would need to be moved indoors during cold weather
Hardy comes with an asterisk of sorts — be sure to choose succulents for the landscape based on their hardiness for your USDA zone.
There are several ways to determine which ones will make it through the winter where you live. One way is to visit your local nursery or the plant section of a box store and ask the people working there. They can advise you about which of the succulents can go in the landscape and which should be grown in pots. They can also tell you the lowest temperatures the varieties can tolerate.
You’ll only have about 20,000 choices. This very large plant group includes varieties that range from hardy types that will survive winter freezes to tropical ones that work well outdoors in warm climates and can be overwintered in pots indoors in regions where the temperature begins to plummet in the fall. There are kinds that do well in full sun and others that prefer shade. In other words, there are succulents for all types of growing conditions.
What is a Succulent?
While such diversity in so large a plant group sounds great, you might be wondering exactly what to look for when you go to the nursery. That’s not as simple as it might sound. Botanists don’t agree on the definition of a succulent.
One thing they do agree on is that succulents are much more than cactus. Perhaps that’s why succulent growers are fond of this saying: All cactus are succulents but not all succulents are cactus. To keep it simple, perhaps the best way to think of succulents is to think of them as plants that store water in their tissues.
How to Decide What’s Hardy
With that thought in mind, perhaps the best way to decide which succulents to grow is to divide them into two main types:
Hardy, those that can be grown outdoors year round
Not hardy, those that can be grown outdoors in pots during the spring and summer and perhaps early fall but would need to be moved indoors during cold weather
Hardy comes with an asterisk of sorts — be sure to choose succulents for the landscape based on their hardiness for your USDA zone.
There are several ways to determine which ones will make it through the winter where you live. One way is to visit your local nursery or the plant section of a box store and ask the people working there. They can advise you about which of the succulents can go in the landscape and which should be grown in pots. They can also tell you the lowest temperatures the varieties can tolerate.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月19日
It is possible to include garden-quality outdoor succulent plants in any landscape, anywhere in the country. The unique but commonly-grown plants, which usually have fleshy leaves or plump stems or roots for storing water in dry seasons, come in a wide array of shapes, sizes, foliage colors, flowers, and often unique frills and bristles. And many can tolerate hard freezes.
Use them as stunning single-use focal point plants, durable groundcovers for difficult slopes, patio accents, or grouped in colorful combinations. Some are suitable for living fences, brush fire defense, and even home-grown burglar protection.
In-ground succulents can be combined with container-grown species for added emphasis, especially with those which may need moving seasonally out of adverse weather.
What Garden Succulents Need
There are three major considerations for growing succulents outdoors: Temperatures both winter and summer, amount and timing of natural rainfall, and duration and intensity of sunlight. Get around them all by choosing the right plants for your area, preparing soil for better drainage, and protecting some from hot mid-summer sun.
Temperature
Many popular garden succulents will tolerate mild freezes, even teens and lower, including certain Aloes and Senecios, Golden Barrel Cactus, Cholla (Cylindropuntia), Pincushion Cactus (Mammillaria). Echeveria, and Graptopetalum. At least half a dozen types, mainly certain species of Yucca, Agave, Sempervivum, Delosperma, Opuntia, and Sedum, can easily survive being left outdoors in USDA Zone 4 or 5, which can get to -30°F (-35°C). Also keeping container plants close to buildings will help protect borderline species from cold injury. Some extremely cold tolerant alpine succulents, including London Pride Saxifrage (Saxifraga × urbium) will simply melt in warm climates.
Sun
In general, all succulents do best in sun; many will get leggy and weak without at least six hours of sun daily, and many get more colorful and flower better in eight or more hours of direct sun. Plants with colorful foliage tend to take more intense sun than green or variegated varieties.
However, some will fade, spot, or even burn in the intense heat of full sun, especially in humid climates and when temperatures remain above 90°F (32°C) or so; these need to be shaded from mid-day and afternoon sun by buildings, lattice, arbors, shade cloth, or trees with light, fine-textured foliage.
Rainfall
Succulents are able to tolerate dry conditions for a long time, but usually grow and flower better with regular watering during the active growing season. Though quite a few, including Opuntia, Yucca, Aloe, Echinocereus, Cylindropuntia, Mammillaria, Agave, and Delosperma, can survive in most arid or summer-dry parts of the country on rainfall alone, most will need watering at least every few weeks, often more in very hot areas.
Still, too much water is worse than too little, so most gardeners keep outdoor succulents on the dry side during rainy weather, especially in winter, to both help reduce rot and help them survive lower temperatures; this may mean covering them from rain, or keeping them in pots to be moved under a protective porch roof.
How to Plant Succulents Outdoors
Plant as early in the season as possible to allow succulents to become established before winter, but be prepared to protect cold hardy kinds the first winter.
In most cases, native soils and container soils alike will need amending with other materials to increase water drainage during rainy seasons. Add a little compost or other organic matter, and up to fifty percent total volume with coarse sand, pumice, grit, or kitty litter-like soil amendments used by professional turf managers to loosen soils. Till these into at least the top six or eight inches of native soil.
Firm soil mix carefully as you plant, firming it as you go, and cover the area with coarse sand or gravel. Allow them to settle in for a day or two before watering, and fertilize lightly in the spring with a low-nitrogen garden fertilizer.
And again, supplement in-ground succulents with container-grown ones, plus natural accents such as small boulders, gnarly driftwood, glass sculpture, or a section of fence made of weathered wood, adobe, or stone.
Use them as stunning single-use focal point plants, durable groundcovers for difficult slopes, patio accents, or grouped in colorful combinations. Some are suitable for living fences, brush fire defense, and even home-grown burglar protection.
In-ground succulents can be combined with container-grown species for added emphasis, especially with those which may need moving seasonally out of adverse weather.
What Garden Succulents Need
There are three major considerations for growing succulents outdoors: Temperatures both winter and summer, amount and timing of natural rainfall, and duration and intensity of sunlight. Get around them all by choosing the right plants for your area, preparing soil for better drainage, and protecting some from hot mid-summer sun.
Temperature
Many popular garden succulents will tolerate mild freezes, even teens and lower, including certain Aloes and Senecios, Golden Barrel Cactus, Cholla (Cylindropuntia), Pincushion Cactus (Mammillaria). Echeveria, and Graptopetalum. At least half a dozen types, mainly certain species of Yucca, Agave, Sempervivum, Delosperma, Opuntia, and Sedum, can easily survive being left outdoors in USDA Zone 4 or 5, which can get to -30°F (-35°C). Also keeping container plants close to buildings will help protect borderline species from cold injury. Some extremely cold tolerant alpine succulents, including London Pride Saxifrage (Saxifraga × urbium) will simply melt in warm climates.
Sun
In general, all succulents do best in sun; many will get leggy and weak without at least six hours of sun daily, and many get more colorful and flower better in eight or more hours of direct sun. Plants with colorful foliage tend to take more intense sun than green or variegated varieties.
However, some will fade, spot, or even burn in the intense heat of full sun, especially in humid climates and when temperatures remain above 90°F (32°C) or so; these need to be shaded from mid-day and afternoon sun by buildings, lattice, arbors, shade cloth, or trees with light, fine-textured foliage.
Rainfall
Succulents are able to tolerate dry conditions for a long time, but usually grow and flower better with regular watering during the active growing season. Though quite a few, including Opuntia, Yucca, Aloe, Echinocereus, Cylindropuntia, Mammillaria, Agave, and Delosperma, can survive in most arid or summer-dry parts of the country on rainfall alone, most will need watering at least every few weeks, often more in very hot areas.
Still, too much water is worse than too little, so most gardeners keep outdoor succulents on the dry side during rainy weather, especially in winter, to both help reduce rot and help them survive lower temperatures; this may mean covering them from rain, or keeping them in pots to be moved under a protective porch roof.
How to Plant Succulents Outdoors
Plant as early in the season as possible to allow succulents to become established before winter, but be prepared to protect cold hardy kinds the first winter.
In most cases, native soils and container soils alike will need amending with other materials to increase water drainage during rainy seasons. Add a little compost or other organic matter, and up to fifty percent total volume with coarse sand, pumice, grit, or kitty litter-like soil amendments used by professional turf managers to loosen soils. Till these into at least the top six or eight inches of native soil.
Firm soil mix carefully as you plant, firming it as you go, and cover the area with coarse sand or gravel. Allow them to settle in for a day or two before watering, and fertilize lightly in the spring with a low-nitrogen garden fertilizer.
And again, supplement in-ground succulents with container-grown ones, plus natural accents such as small boulders, gnarly driftwood, glass sculpture, or a section of fence made of weathered wood, adobe, or stone.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月19日
Creating your own succulent garden is a lot of fun and much easier than you might expect. Here’s an easy guide to becoming a green-thumbed succulent expert in the comfort of your own home.
Choose Different Types of Succulents
Succulents come in many varieties of striking shapes and textures to suit every taste and achieve your desired look. These low maintenance water-savers are sturdy enough to experiment using different combinations, so don’t be afraid to choose different types of succulents for your garden. Here are some of our favorite succulents for outdoor gardens:
Rosettes: The evergreen leaves of rosettes form a unique flower-like aesthetic and are a popular choice for groundcover.
Flowering Succulents: There are many types of succulents that contrast their green foliage with beautiful blooms in various colors.
Cacti: The thick trunks of cacti can add some tree-like density to your desert oasis. Be careful to plant this succulent away from areas where the kids may play—the thorns are sharp!
Mix and Match Succulents
Try and mix new combinations to let your inner landscape artist shine. Once you choose your succulents, get out a pen and paper to sketch out your ideas first. Take a look at websites like Pinterest or Houzz for inspiration. You can also place plants next to each other in their planters before you plant in order to see which textures and combinations play nicely off each other. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
Try laying rows of ground cover succulents, such as Autumn Joy and rosettes, in your entryway. Plant these amidst garden rocks to create a Zen-like pathway to your front door.
Mix different color blooming succulents in your backyard to experience a kaleidoscope of color come spring.
Use cacti and Agave americana on the outer wall of your garden to act as a gate and give you privacy.
Expert Care
Your succulents need just the right amount of water. Knowing just the right amount of water to give each of your succulents will keep your plants living longer and healthier in the long run. The hardy plants normally need water only once per week. Your plant will show you if it is drinking the right amount, which can vary depending on the time of year and if you live in a humid or dry area.
If you are overwatering, the plants can easily rot and lose their petals.
If you are underwatering, the petals will get that shriveled “prune” look.
Always water your succulents less in winter months when there is less sunlight and more rain.
If you live in a humid area, water your succulents less often.
Succulents like just the right amount of bright filtered light. When planning where to create your succulent garden, make sure the spot has bright filtered light without direct sun for long periods of time. Your succulents will also show you if they need more light or if they are getting a little “sunburned”.
If your garden is getting too much light, the leaves will get white or brown with burned-looking spots. If you see this, move the plant to a spot with less light.
If your garden is getting too little sun, the plants will lose their color and stretch out, as if they are reaching and looking for light. If this happens, pinch the leaves back to their normal height and move them to a spot with more sun.
Choose Different Types of Succulents
Succulents come in many varieties of striking shapes and textures to suit every taste and achieve your desired look. These low maintenance water-savers are sturdy enough to experiment using different combinations, so don’t be afraid to choose different types of succulents for your garden. Here are some of our favorite succulents for outdoor gardens:
Rosettes: The evergreen leaves of rosettes form a unique flower-like aesthetic and are a popular choice for groundcover.
Flowering Succulents: There are many types of succulents that contrast their green foliage with beautiful blooms in various colors.
Cacti: The thick trunks of cacti can add some tree-like density to your desert oasis. Be careful to plant this succulent away from areas where the kids may play—the thorns are sharp!
Mix and Match Succulents
Try and mix new combinations to let your inner landscape artist shine. Once you choose your succulents, get out a pen and paper to sketch out your ideas first. Take a look at websites like Pinterest or Houzz for inspiration. You can also place plants next to each other in their planters before you plant in order to see which textures and combinations play nicely off each other. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
Try laying rows of ground cover succulents, such as Autumn Joy and rosettes, in your entryway. Plant these amidst garden rocks to create a Zen-like pathway to your front door.
Mix different color blooming succulents in your backyard to experience a kaleidoscope of color come spring.
Use cacti and Agave americana on the outer wall of your garden to act as a gate and give you privacy.
Expert Care
Your succulents need just the right amount of water. Knowing just the right amount of water to give each of your succulents will keep your plants living longer and healthier in the long run. The hardy plants normally need water only once per week. Your plant will show you if it is drinking the right amount, which can vary depending on the time of year and if you live in a humid or dry area.
If you are overwatering, the plants can easily rot and lose their petals.
If you are underwatering, the petals will get that shriveled “prune” look.
Always water your succulents less in winter months when there is less sunlight and more rain.
If you live in a humid area, water your succulents less often.
Succulents like just the right amount of bright filtered light. When planning where to create your succulent garden, make sure the spot has bright filtered light without direct sun for long periods of time. Your succulents will also show you if they need more light or if they are getting a little “sunburned”.
If your garden is getting too much light, the leaves will get white or brown with burned-looking spots. If you see this, move the plant to a spot with less light.
If your garden is getting too little sun, the plants will lose their color and stretch out, as if they are reaching and looking for light. If this happens, pinch the leaves back to their normal height and move them to a spot with more sun.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月19日
True grit and beauty can be a tough combination to achieve, especially in the garden. If you want unique, colorful, and textural plants that handle the heat and won’t bust your water bill, look to the world of succulents.
Not to be confused with cacti, most of which require a true desert climate, succulents are supremely versatile, occurring naturally in a broad range of climates. High on style and substance, they are found in just about any size, shape, or color you can imagine. Once established, succulents are incredibly water-wise and require minimal care to look their best.
There is hardly a better plant for creating a dramatic focal point than the sculptural Agave. Hardy Agaves, especially those with silver-blue foliage, will steal the show in any landscape. Varieties of Agave americana and Agave ovatifolia offer up just such desirable foliage color. Agave grow large, so provide adequate space for them. They can also be planted in large containers and set into dense garden beds.
Mangaves, cousins of the Agave, are fleshy succulents that have the appearance of being a cross between Agaves and Manfredas. Their foliage is often purple or specked with burgundy spots. These large succulents make excellent specimen features in garden beds or large container specimens.
Many new species and varieties of Aloe are also available, such as Aloe polyphylla, which grows in a spiral pattern and sports spikes of orange blooms.
Dramatic and showy containers can also be created using a variety of smaller succulent plants. Because most succulents need to dry out a bit between watering and require good drainage, they are perfect for tucking into small containers that may not support thirstier plant material. Strawberry pots and other pocket planters make good homes. Graptopetalum paraguayense, also known as Ghost Plant, grows soft rosettes in shades of silver and lavender and makes a perfect container specimen. Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum spp.), which form star-shaped rosettes of foliage, are excellent in pots paired with Echeveria and Aeonium.
Succulents are the perfect garden solution for areas near concrete that suffer from reflected heat. Sedums are tough-as-nails succulents that make particularly excellent ground covers and edging plants. Sedum spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’ has small rosettes of burgundy foliage and a creeping growth habit. Sedum spurium ‘John Creech’ makes a low-maintenance ground cover, while Sedum reflexum ‘Blue Spruce’ is perfect for growing over a retaining wall.
As an added bonus, succulents are one of the few groups of plants you can plant during this intensely hot time of year. Most thrive in sunny conditions but will also tolerate late-afternoon shade. Good drainage is key for all succulents, so amend soil with organic matter and decomposed granite, or use a loose potting mix in your containers. Be sure not to overwater your succulents, and you’ll enjoy a gorgeous and low-maintenance garden year-round.
Not to be confused with cacti, most of which require a true desert climate, succulents are supremely versatile, occurring naturally in a broad range of climates. High on style and substance, they are found in just about any size, shape, or color you can imagine. Once established, succulents are incredibly water-wise and require minimal care to look their best.
There is hardly a better plant for creating a dramatic focal point than the sculptural Agave. Hardy Agaves, especially those with silver-blue foliage, will steal the show in any landscape. Varieties of Agave americana and Agave ovatifolia offer up just such desirable foliage color. Agave grow large, so provide adequate space for them. They can also be planted in large containers and set into dense garden beds.
Mangaves, cousins of the Agave, are fleshy succulents that have the appearance of being a cross between Agaves and Manfredas. Their foliage is often purple or specked with burgundy spots. These large succulents make excellent specimen features in garden beds or large container specimens.
Many new species and varieties of Aloe are also available, such as Aloe polyphylla, which grows in a spiral pattern and sports spikes of orange blooms.
Dramatic and showy containers can also be created using a variety of smaller succulent plants. Because most succulents need to dry out a bit between watering and require good drainage, they are perfect for tucking into small containers that may not support thirstier plant material. Strawberry pots and other pocket planters make good homes. Graptopetalum paraguayense, also known as Ghost Plant, grows soft rosettes in shades of silver and lavender and makes a perfect container specimen. Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum spp.), which form star-shaped rosettes of foliage, are excellent in pots paired with Echeveria and Aeonium.
Succulents are the perfect garden solution for areas near concrete that suffer from reflected heat. Sedums are tough-as-nails succulents that make particularly excellent ground covers and edging plants. Sedum spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’ has small rosettes of burgundy foliage and a creeping growth habit. Sedum spurium ‘John Creech’ makes a low-maintenance ground cover, while Sedum reflexum ‘Blue Spruce’ is perfect for growing over a retaining wall.
As an added bonus, succulents are one of the few groups of plants you can plant during this intensely hot time of year. Most thrive in sunny conditions but will also tolerate late-afternoon shade. Good drainage is key for all succulents, so amend soil with organic matter and decomposed granite, or use a loose potting mix in your containers. Be sure not to overwater your succulents, and you’ll enjoy a gorgeous and low-maintenance garden year-round.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年09月19日
Common Houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum), also known as Hens and Chicks, are low growing evergreen succulent plants that look a little like rubbery roses. They are considered alpine or rock garden plants, because of their hardiness and drought resistance. The original rosette, the “Hen” produces tiny rosette offsets that are known as the “Chicks”.
The name for the genus “Sempervivum” is Latin for “live forever”. They don’t really live forever, but since they produce the ‘chicks’ or plantlets, they seem to last forever.
Growing Conditions
Light: Common Houseleeks require full sun and well drained, even gritty soil.
Water: As succulents, Common Houseleek plants are accustomed to very little water.
Temperature: The ideal temperature for Hens and Chicks is between 65 and 75 °F (18 and 24 °C). When temperatures zoom upwards or plummet down, the plants become semi-dormant and will cease growing.
Soil: Common Houseleek as with most succulents, need excellent drainage. Poor, sandy soil would be just fine. You could work some peat into heavier soil, to lighten them and improve drainage. Soil pH should be in the neutral range, 6.6 to 7.5.
Growing Tips
Common Houseleek can be grown from seeds, seedlings or by dividing offsets.
Don’t plant your Common Houseleeks too deeply. Dig a shallow hole and spread the roots. Cover to the crown of the plant and tamp the soil gently so that the plant is firm in the ground. Water lightly, but you don’t need to water newly planted Common Houseleek every day, the way you would with non-succulents. Common Houseleeks need to let their roots dry out between waterings.
Seeds can be sprinkled on top of a soil, gravel mix and kept moderately moist until they germinate. Once they sprout, sprinkle some fine gravel around them as mulch. Seeds are usually started in pots and then transferred to the garden as seedlings. You can start your seeds in the fall and transplant in the spring.
Common Houseleeks will spread by underground roots. Each plant multiplies by at last 4, in a growing season, by producing little offset plantlets all around the perimeter of the “Hen”. These are the “Chicks”. The Chicks can be snapped off and replanted elsewhere at any time.
Once established, maintenance of Common Houseleeks is minimal. You’ll need to remove the old hens, after they flower, and divide chicks as needed. Except in extremely hot, dry situations, you won’t even need to give them supplemental water.
Pests and Diseases
Crown rot will occur in wet soils. Some varieties can get Endophyllum rust, a fungus disease. Both problems can be prevented if grown in dry conditions.
The name for the genus “Sempervivum” is Latin for “live forever”. They don’t really live forever, but since they produce the ‘chicks’ or plantlets, they seem to last forever.
Growing Conditions
Light: Common Houseleeks require full sun and well drained, even gritty soil.
Water: As succulents, Common Houseleek plants are accustomed to very little water.
Temperature: The ideal temperature for Hens and Chicks is between 65 and 75 °F (18 and 24 °C). When temperatures zoom upwards or plummet down, the plants become semi-dormant and will cease growing.
Soil: Common Houseleek as with most succulents, need excellent drainage. Poor, sandy soil would be just fine. You could work some peat into heavier soil, to lighten them and improve drainage. Soil pH should be in the neutral range, 6.6 to 7.5.
Growing Tips
Common Houseleek can be grown from seeds, seedlings or by dividing offsets.
Don’t plant your Common Houseleeks too deeply. Dig a shallow hole and spread the roots. Cover to the crown of the plant and tamp the soil gently so that the plant is firm in the ground. Water lightly, but you don’t need to water newly planted Common Houseleek every day, the way you would with non-succulents. Common Houseleeks need to let their roots dry out between waterings.
Seeds can be sprinkled on top of a soil, gravel mix and kept moderately moist until they germinate. Once they sprout, sprinkle some fine gravel around them as mulch. Seeds are usually started in pots and then transferred to the garden as seedlings. You can start your seeds in the fall and transplant in the spring.
Common Houseleeks will spread by underground roots. Each plant multiplies by at last 4, in a growing season, by producing little offset plantlets all around the perimeter of the “Hen”. These are the “Chicks”. The Chicks can be snapped off and replanted elsewhere at any time.
Once established, maintenance of Common Houseleeks is minimal. You’ll need to remove the old hens, after they flower, and divide chicks as needed. Except in extremely hot, dry situations, you won’t even need to give them supplemental water.
Pests and Diseases
Crown rot will occur in wet soils. Some varieties can get Endophyllum rust, a fungus disease. Both problems can be prevented if grown in dry conditions.
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