Succulents relish hot, dry situations that mimic their natural arid homes. As well as being well suited to tough conditions in the garden, succulents look good planted together in containers to decorate your entertaining outdoor areas or as gifts.
They also work well planted into a vertical garden mounted in a warm sunny spot. Large succulents such as Agaves and Yuccas can be planted to create a bold statement in a large container as focal points in a garden.
Selecting Succulents
Rosette-forming succulents such as Echeveria, Sedums, and Sempervivum are well suited to containers as naturally compact. Also, try Senecio, Lithops, and Portulaca. Small cacti can also be included in a succulent garden.
For a larger container, select Aeonium, Crassula, Portulacaria, or Kalanchoe. For a garden effect, arrange a collection of pots of different heights, each planted with a different succulent.
Agave attenuata is a top choice for a large container or container grouping. Where spines are not an issue, Echinocactus make beautiful container plants.
Getting Started
Select several plants that complement each other but offer a contrast in plant shape, texture, and color. To make a garden in a single container, select a broad but shallow pot with drainage holes in its base. Fill it with potting soil mix for succulents, then water it well. Ensure the water drains away, leaving the mix moist but not wet. Next, place the plants in position still in their pots, arranging them to make the best effect.
Once you are happy with the picture you have created, remove each plant from its container, and plant it into its new position. Handle cacti with tongs or a piece of cardboard or folded newspaper to avoid contact with the spines.
Firm the plants into the potting soil, water gently, then add a layer of fine gravel as a mulch.
Caring for Your Collection
Although these plants tolerate dry conditions, they will establish more successfully with regular watering. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Reduce watering in winter, particularly in cold areas, but resume it in spring as plants begin to grow.
Inspect plants regularly, removing debris such as fallen leaves or twigs. Keep plants in check by removing unwanted growth and trimming away damaged or discolored leaves. Some growers also remove the flower stems to maintain the leafy effect of the planting. If a plant gets too big for its position, remove it and replace it with a smaller specimen.
These plants do not require high fertilizer levels but can be feed once a year in spring with slow-release plant food.
In frost-prone areas, place your succulent gardens in an area sheltered from frosts, such as beside a wall or patio. Although they are sun-loving, cacti and succulents tolerate light shade.
Source: flowerpower.com.au
Links
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus