The Beauty of Succulents
Succulents have become the hottest trend setter with their unique textures, colors, bold forms and easy care maintenance. One of the trends that seem to be very popular is their use for weddings, from the bouquets to the centerpieces and the latest craze is making your fingernails into gardens.
These versatile plants can be a great addition to any home décor. Choose from a wide variety of color, from tones of purple to shades of green that perfectly match your decor. You can display these plants in low profile bowls, terrariums, wall hanging planters and other interesting containers. Grouping them together is a great way to bring a slice of summer color inside during the long winter months.
The best care for succulents is to leave them alone. Don’t overwater. The rule of thumb is to water thoroughly once a week in summer, twice a month in spring and fall, and monthly during their winter dormancy. Give succulents full sun or bright light. Many of the most fanciful succulents are not hardy in the colder parts of the country. To carry them through the winter, bring them indoors and place them in a window with bright light. Fertilizer is not a continual requirement, just use a slow-release fertilizer at the beginning of Spring or Bonide Cactus fertilizer diluted according to the directions. Fertilize lightly or not at all during winter.
Succulents don’t like wet feet. When planting your succulents use a well-drained soil medium such as Espoma Cactus soil. Use a container with drainage holes. If using one without, such as tea cups, mason jars, old coffee tins or terrarium bowls, use a layer of stones in the bottom for the excess of water.
Succulents are the ideal plants for mixing and matching. They are available in all shapes, sizes and color. Don’t be afraid to get creative with scale and composition when crafting your container garden. The more variety you infuse, the more interesting your creation.
To create interest, accessorize with rocks, shells, pieces of colored glass or aquarium gravel on top of the soil, just to name a few. A little trick, if you are giving the plants as gifts, mix in some Elmer’s glue as you top dress. This will help keep them in place, but still allow water to penetrate.
Succulents can be enjoyed for many years to come with very little maintenance.
Enjoy