These plants are not all cacti; although all cacti are succulents. Basically succulents store water in their leaves, which makes them a wonderful drought-tolerant plant that can be ignored by you in maintenance, but won’t be ignored by anyone for its beauty and shape.
Drought Tolerant
These plants will hold water in their leaves, so you don’t have to water regularly. Drought tolerant succulents in the garden can get by on rain water, unless it’s an extremely dry year, then they should be watered about once a month. If it’s extremely hot in summer it’s best to water succulents about once a month in the garden. That being said, you can also water them regularly if they are mixed in a garden with other consistently watered plants, and they will thrive. Container plants should be watered on a regular schedule.
Potting Soil
Add a potting soil that promotes quick drainage. Plant them in a pumice-based potting mix that’s nutrient rich and doesn’t let the plants sit in wet soil. They love sun but will grow in shade and indoors as well.
Container Gardening
Succulents love containers and will eventually outgrow most of them, but it will take awhile. Meantime, pick up pottery, buckets and urns that complement your garden or home style and your color scheme. If the plants are in a small container outside, move them around to decorate. Put them on a patio, or place them inside on a table by the front door. Visitors will thrill over the beautiful colors and interesting shapes. They are great for centerpieces on the dining room table.
Easy to Transplant
Succulents are one of the easiest plants to transplant. Simply snip off the shoot of a branch, making sure you have about two inches of growth. Stick the offshoot in the new container or ground and wait a few months for the plant to start growing.
How to Plant a Container
If you are putting them in a container, depending on the size, start with an odd number of plants, either one big plant, three medium size or five small plants. Plant a succulent that has “weight” in the middle, surrounded by two taller succulents in back and two creeping succulents in the front.
Great Colors to Mix and Match
Think about a color scheme for your garden or containers and find succulents to match. In the blue-green and yellow-green shades, consider planting Echeveria, Crassula, Sedum, and Aloe. For pink and lavender tones choose Aeonium, Pachyphytum, Oscularia, Portulacaria, Echeveria, Kalanchoe, Crassula, and Graptoveria. If you prefer one plant, consider the Crassula ‘Hummel’s Sunset,’ that sports light yellow and green leaves and branches that turn bright red.
Succulents for the Garden
Consider planting succulents in pots or the garden for beauty and contrast. They’ll grow well with minimal care. They love shade and sun, but require well-drained soil.
Nellene Teubner Plouffe - My passion for writing was kindled in third grade when I entered – and won – an essay contest sponsored by the local fire ...
