Succulents are perfect for unlucky gardeners
Hens and chicks are hearty and low maintenance.
By DEAN FOSDICK
Associated Press
Whether you suffer from a brown thumb or are just looking for some
plant life in your home to enjoy as the weather cools, succulents are
a great solution.
Many succulents, including cacti, make great indoor plants as well
as great starter plants for those new to gardening.
They’re shallow-rooted plants, so if you’re already growing them
outside, it’s easy to scoop them up, set them in greenhouse flats or
some other shallow containers, winter them over on something like a
windowsill and then put them out again in spring, said Debra Lee
Baldwin, author of “Designing With Succulents” (Timber Press 2007).
Succulents do well in windowsills but, like many houseplants, may
tend to “reach out” toward life-giving light. Simply rotate the
plants’ pots a half-turn every few days or so to ensure even growth.
“Another thing about growing them indoors is that they don’t need a
lot of water,” Baldwin said. “You want them to go dry between
waterings. Succulents naturally go dormant during winter like most
plants, although there are some exceptions.”
Succulents and cacti vary in their needs, so it’s smart to know what
they require before choosing their growing areas, said Ray Rogers,
editor of “Crazy About Cacti and Succulents” (Brooklyn Botanic
Garden, 2006).
“Some can get too much heat, but most adapt to heat or dry. I have
some I don’t water for six months.”
They’re also fairly insect-resistant, he said, although a few may
attract mealy bugs. In that case, simply shake off the bugs, wipe the
plants down with a wet rag or use a basic natural spray made up of
non-detergent soap augmented with vegetable oil and liquefied onion
or garlic additives. There are many synthetic commercial
alternatives, as well.
“Jade plants, hens and chickens and bunny ear cacti are all pretty
easy to grow, making them good starter plants,” Rogers said. “Go for
the more difficult things and that’s when you get hooked. That’s when
it becomes attractive.”
With so many different kinds of succulents in nature, it behooves
the grower to do some research before buying. Succulents generally
are easy-care but some are harder to raise than others.
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SOME VARIETIES CONSIDERED AMONG THE FRIENDLIEST:• Lace cactus: Hardy, down to about 20 degrees below zero. Can
resist over-watering. Most varieties easily grow from seed, have a
wide range of bloom colors and generally remain small, a couple of
inches high to a couple of feet.• Lewisia: Another hardy, flowering succulent that can be nursed
along in rock gardens. Many rebloom through the summer. Named after
Capt. Meriwether Lewis, who returned home with several samples
collected in Oregon during the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They do
best in coarse soils and without much water.• String of Hearts or rosary vine: An easily rooted trailing vine
that can grow several feet long when placed in a pot near a sunny
window. Succulent, heart-shaped leaves of different colors.• Hens and chicks, or semps: Low-growing succulents. Hens are the
main plant; chicks are the numerous offspring. There are many
different species of this low-maintenance, hardy perennial, ranging
in color from green to purple.
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