Succulent Fun!

OK, I might have a slight attraction (addiction?) to growing succulents. They are weird and funky-looking and so easy to grow and propagate. Just stick a leaf of a jade plant (or one of the many other species) in the soil, or even leave it on top of a pot of soil and you will soon see new growth.

A Few Cacti

I do grow some cacti but some of them are spiky and dangerous. I have a Fishhook cactus  (Mammillaria tetrancistra) in a clay pot, and I once picked it up by the rim of the pot to move it. One of the thick, curved “fish hooks” dug into my thumb and I couldn’t put the pot down. I finally-very carefully-eased the whole plant out of the pot and was able to get free. It was such a well-behaved, cute little guy when I bought it in a 2 inch pot on a trip to Arizona!

I also have a Prickly Pear cactus (Opuntia species) that I grew from seed. You do not want to mess with these guys! They have groupings of tiny spikes called glochids that will get you if you get too close. The glochids are so small and hard to remove with a tweezers and can be a skin irritant. According to Wikipedia, “Glochids or glochidia (singular “glochidium”) are hair-like spines or short prickles, generally barbed, found on the areoles of cacti in the sub-family Opuntioideae.” The bigger needles in the picture do not come loose but you only have to brush against the finer needles to get a handful.

Keep in mind that all cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. Succulent simply means juicy, like when you bite into a peach and the juice runs down your chin. Yum!

Growing Succulents

So cultivating succulents isn’t that dangerous, except for their addictive nature.

One of my favorite sites for sourcing  succs is Mountain Crest Gardens (https://mountaincrestgardens.com). There you will find good information for ordering and caring for your plants. I joined their Succulent of the Month Club a few years ago and received four small potted plants per month, plus cuttings. In the Winter you can request a heat pack for shipping and I had very good luck with plant survival in the cold months.

I have pretty much settled on planting my succulents in groups in bonsai pots, rather than individual pots. The bonsai pots may be made of ceramic or resin, and may be round or oval, but I was given several rectangular ones and they work great for grouping small plants and cuttings. And there WILL be cuttings! Some succulents will elongate and become unattractive. Just take a 2-3 inch tip cutting and stick it in soil and there you go! Add a toy dinosaur and you have a Jurassic world. I added a favorite quartz rock to one of my dish gardens.

Soil mix

I use one part Black Gold Cactus Mix  (mineral soil for structure and drainage) and one part Promix or your favorite potting soil. You can experiment with the ratios, but this formula works for me. Most pots have drainage holes, which I cover with landscape cloth (aka weed mat). I do this for all my potted plants to keep soil in and critters out.

So why do you make cuttings of succulents? Because, truthfully they outgrow themselves and need refreshing periodically. Especially the upright-growing types. The rosettes are better behaved. It’s up to what you think looks good. I’d rather have a small, fresh-looking tip cutting to watch over than an overgrown plant that’s outlived its pot.

Much more information can be found on the Mountain Crest Garden site. Make sure to explore this site for ideas on plants, containers, soil etc. But keep in mind the Laidback way and don’t stress. Propagating and raising succulents is easy. Enjoy the journey (but don’t blame me if your collection gets out of control).