Garden Tips by Month
April Gardening Tips
The temperatures are rising, the birds are singing and the sun is shining- Spring is here! The weather, rather than the calendar, dictate when to start working in your garden.
April 1, 2024
make life beautiful
Decorating with Succulents
Succulent plants are a wonderful choice for decorating your home. They make beautiful additions to any space, adding vibrant color and texture to the indoors. Use them individually to brighten an area, or group them together for a bigger impact.
The word succulent comes from the Latin word succos, which means juice. Succulents are characterized by their superb ability to retain water – in its roots, stems or leaves. Being so drought-tolerant, you can go away for a week, and they’ll require no care while you’re gone!
Succulents aren’t picky, but they do like a few things. Pay attention to the pot you plant them in, the type of soil you use, the amount of water they receive, and sun exposure. If these areas are addressed, your succulents will be set to go!
Containers
There are many containers in which you can grow healthy succulents. They do well on hollow bark, boot trays and old wooden crates… as long as they can establish their roots and are properly drained. If you’re using a tried-and-true pot as your container, make sure it has a hole on the bottom for drainage. Succulents are prone to rot, so if they’re left in standing water, this will likely happen.
Soil
Any sort of well-draining potting soil mix will work for the plants we’ve highlighted here. Succulent-specific potting mixes, such as Hoffman’s Cactus and Succulent Mix or Espoma Organic Cactus Mix, will provide optimum aeration and drainage. Other mixes, such as Miracle Gro Potting Mix or Espoma Potting Mix, are great too! If you’d like, adding a bit of sand or grit to these mixes will contribute to good drainage.
Jade Plant
The Jade Plant comes from a succulent family called Crassula. It’s admired for its smooth jade-green foliage and star-shaped pink or white flower. This species of succulents widely varies in size, shape and color.
Light: Bright direct light (a south-facing window is best).
Water: Allow soil to dry moderately before watering again. Keep soil dry in Fall and Winter.
Fertilize: Monthly Spring to early Fall with a balanced water soluble fertilizer.
Sempervivam
Light: Full sun to bright light (a south or west-facing window is best).
Water: Drought tolerant, water as needed. Never let stand in water.
Fertilizer: Feed sparingly during growing season using a water-soluble fertilizer diluted half the recommended rate, such as Jack’s Classic Water Soluble Plant Food.
Echeveria
One of the most commonly grown succulent varieties is Echeveria. Ranging in very pale jade green, to bright purple to nearly black, this plant will add variety to any arrangement (in a pot on their own, they are equally beautiful). Available in a large variety of colors, textures, sizes and shapes.
From the Crassulaceae family, these succulents are native to Mexico, Texas and South America. They often grow in higher elevations in Mexico where the humidity is low and the temperature is rarely exceedingly hot. These plants grow in rosettes of colorful leaves and have wonderful texture.
Light: Full sun to bright light (a south or west-facing window is best).
Water: Drought tolerant, water as needed. Never let stand in water.
Fertilizer: Feed sparingly during growing season using a water-soluble fertilizer diluted half the recommended rate, such as Jack’s Classic Water Soluble Plant Food.
Echeveria ‘Morning Light’
Echeveria Shaviana
Echeveria Glauco
Echeveria Topsy Turvy
Echeveria Rubromarginata
Echeveria Rosea
Echeveria Alfred Graf
Agave
A beautiful rosette-forming perennial succulent that is native to grasslands, desert shrub and oak woodlands in Arizona, New Mexico and northern Mexico. These plants are popular for their beautiful blue-gray to gray-green evergreen leaves. Consider moving it outside during the summer, so it can enjoy full sunlight!
Light: Full sun to bright light (a south or west-facing window is best).
Water: Drought tolerant, water when dry. Never let stand in water.
Fertilizer: Feed sparingly during growing season, using a water-soluble fertilizer diluted at half rate, such as Jack’s Classic Water Soluble Plant Food.
Aloe
Light: Full sun to bright light (a south or west-facing window is best).
Water: Drought tolerant, water when dry. Never let stand in water.
Fertilizer: Sparingly during growing season using a water-soluble fertilizer diluted half the recommended rate.
Fuzzy Wuzzy Kalanchoe
Light: Sun to partial shade (a south or west-facing window).
Water: Drought-tolerant, water when dry. Never let stand in water.
Fertilizer: Feed sparingly during growing season using a water-soluble fertilizer diluted half the recommended rate, such as Jack’s Classic Water Soluble Plant Food.
Selection may vary by store.
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