Succulents Abound

It is time to thin out the succulents! This is just one plant!

There are at least eighty plantlets in the front yard.

Depending on the location, I like

to keep them the size of an iceberg lettuce!

As you can see, they like to mound!

I carefully dig out the entire plant then gentely remove the plantlets.

Be sure to wear rubber coated gardening gloves to protect against the sharp thorns.

Make sure that there are no air pockets when you replant by tamping the soil.

Lambs Ear Propagation

Mum planted these Lambs Ear leaves at the beginning of the summer. They have been really slow to grow, but there are signs of new leaf production.

Recently, Mum picked up these plantlets on the door step where they were dropped by the large mother plant. She is planning to grow these plants for the Daughter's of the British Empire June Faire in Sierra Madre.

Sunday Trip: South Coast Botanical Gardens for a Workshop on Succulents

My Mum and I went to a talk succulents this Sunday. It was a great idea since I have all ready planted and propagated like crazy. I changed my front yard from overgrown hedged lavender to (work in progress) mostly succulents, lantana and roses. My policy has been not to purchase any new plants, just to rearrange and propagate them from different parts of the property. I have bought some cinder blocks to make granite benches and of course, good potting soil.

What We Learned:

1. Mum and I live in different climate zones. She can put plants in unglazed pots because she lives by the coast. I live near Pasadena so I should put my plants in glazed pots to help retain moisture.

2. Leave room in the garden for succulents to clump. Luckily, these plants can handle being almost nomadic so they don't mind being moved around when a certain person changes her mind.

3. Watering should be set for twice a week for 30 minutes not everyday for 5 minutes. Five minutes of water only penetrates about 2 inches deep and most of it evaporates.