Pruning, pinching and thinning. Some gardeners consider these three of their least favorite words. Why does the thought of cutting a plant scare us so much, especially when all the experts say that what we’re supposed to do? For me, it used to feel wrong to cut what you’ve coaxed to grow. It felt cruel and wasteful. I had trouble… Read more »
When rosette-type succulents get leggy and stretched, what do you do with them? Chop off the healthy rosette at top and replant it, right? Maybe take the remaining leaves and propagate? Well, I saw this post on Fat Plant Farm’s Instagram feed earlier this week that showed another alternative: removing the lower leaves, creating a tree form. Succulent trees! And… Read more »
Why can’t I get a sempervivum (also known as hens and chicks) to survive? I’ve grown succulents like jade and haworthia plants that have propagated many new plants. They’re all over my house. But I’d just about had it with failure after failure with hens and chicks when I reached out to Altman Plants for help. Bob Reidmuller is resident horticulturist at… Read more »
It makes me crazy not knowing the names of plants I own. It is much more difficult to find care recommendations. And inevitably someone will ask me the names of these unnamed mystery plants. My lorem ipsum plants. A few weeks ago, I picked up 35 gorgeous, beautiful succulent cuttings. No names. Now I’m working on piecing together genus/species on them…. Read more »
The colors in this photo mean spring to me. Succulents have started to grow again, and a few leaves dropped off my jelly bean plant/pork and beans plant/Sedum rubrotinctum. The plant these fell off of is about a year old and have become leggy and not so pretty. I have visions of six new healthy, strong plants dancing in my… Read more »
I’m a sucker for the succulent display at The Home Depot. I always stop to see what’s new for sale while I’m picking up my sheets of drywall and two-by-fours. This week, I found Portulacaria aura ‘Variegata,’ a succulent with tiny leaves on sturdy stems. I thought, “Eh, pretty cute.” Then I read the rest of the pot label: “Drought tolerant when… Read more »