California Gardeners' Succulents

How about hanging it from a tree? The eave of the house? An old BirdBath? Don't get me started. LOL!
How about a four x four post with pots suspended from a t top? I'm sure you can squeeze one in someplace.
WIB,
SW

SW, do NOT cut your spring of pearls, it will take forever to grow back! Don't be affraid to separate the roots, just be delicate, grab a couple of strings and find where their roots are, then gently dig and pull the roots and strings with your fingers.

I love that car!

Okay, I won't cut the strings of pearls. I will separate them out. So, do I do the same for the Horses Tails?
Mom, has been wanting to help, perhaps this is a task she can help with. Since she isn't supposed to get down and play in the dirt, I'll give her a potted plant with dirt in it and let her get her fingers dirty. LOL!
Really might make her feel better, and it is a sit down job.
WIB,
SW

What are horses tail?

Calif_Sue,
See photo. Probably have the name wrong, but that is what I grew up hearing it called. Will have to go look at the label and see if there is another one. They can trail down for feet. Really lovely cascading effect!
WIB,
SW

We call it "donkey's tail" over here. I love it! Soooo easy to propagate, even by leaf cuttings, did you know?

Ah, donkey tails! Sedum burrito: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/63861/

rob, what works best? I'd like to start them donkey's tails in the fountain a size smaller than the hanging basket I've got. Does the rooting enzyme help? Or do you just take a piece and stick it in the ground and ignore it?
Thanks Sue for the hyperlink. What can I say, except you guys sure are patient and helpful! ^_^
Worked on the planter/fountain today. Here's where I started, view towards the house.
WIB,
SW

This photo is overlooking my raised planter, which I just noticed has a bad puppy in it. Bad Boy Spirit! Another chore raise the planter higher or fence it off for now. You can see a sad looking Honeybird/Tecoma stans right behind the fountain. It looks great so far in the H.bird/B.fly garden.
WIB,
SW

Looking good!
No rooting hormone needed, just break off a piece and stick it in the dirt, you can even leave them laying around for a day or two to seal the edges before planting, helps prevent rot. I rarely do though because I get so easily distracted when outside I may forget them.
As you see how these grow, you may move them around or out of their containers as some may get too big too fast while other are perfect pot sized plants. When I first stared making mixed containers, I had no clue what they would look like as they matured and they were such hodge podges. Still learning but now I am repeating ones that do well for me.

I just picked up this sweet tiny sedum dasyphyllum, love the tiny rosettes.

Hubby took me to the same Half Moon Bay nursery on Sat. that Kell went to. (he stayed in the car reading)

Nice simple combo

This was a beauty!

Great big collections

And wild looking echeverias!

Thanks for the advice Sue. Stick 'em in the ground and forget about them. I'm good at that. I took photos like the one I posted, and was showing Mom on the computer and we both decided we liked the rosettes on the sedum dasyphyllum. I have one on the top tier of the fountain/planter.
I'm already figuring out how to turn it into a frost shelter and Christmas tree of lights for our possible frosts next winter. LOL. I really like succulents but had no idea how many different kinds there are. It's a real eye opener and a surprise with each kind.
WIB,
SW

Look at what Smashed Cactus found. http://www.gardeners.com/Living-Wall-Outdoor-Planter/PatioPlanters_Cat,37-001RS,default,cp.html

So you know I need one. LOL

Oh Sue, did you get any plants from HMB? Weren't those echeverias amazing, so big and heavy? I have noticed that mine of those hate the rainy weather and the cold here. Wouldn't make it out all winter at all. Your husband is so nice!! Mine would never let me go in, well maybe if I took 1 minute. Did you go eat at Pasta Moon? I keep meaning to bring Tom to eat there. Were your ears red today? Kassia and I have been talking about you on and off all day. LOL


SW, run run run. You will have echeveria madness soon! I started with aeoniums and have moved all over the succulent world now but really am collecting echeveria. Everyday I go out I bring home more.

I keep walking by this one everyday and it is doing great in the winter. I just love it so!

PS Sue Did you notice the pots the combo succulents were in? I thought the plants looked good in them. I lifted one up and it was so light. Made from some form. What do you think they made them out of? Looks like concrete but way to light.

Oh Kell, you'll have to get that panel and trial it out for us, I so love it!

I only got two small plants, I am trying so hard to limit myself. I have most of my echies pulled under the patio cover to avoid the rains but they stay out all winter. Some are planted in the ground, the tougher ones like E. x imbricata. They do get a little rough looking but improve once it warms. I love the coloring on yours! Where are you keeping it to get that color? Just gorgeous!
We did't eat at Pasta Moon, we went to a beach side place just a bit north of HMB in a town called Miramar.

Yeah, Kassia said she was going to contact you to finalize plans for cramming in as much as possible!

I love aeoniums a lot, they are real tough, most of mine are in the ground. Here's a big beauty at the nursery.





This message was edited Mar 3, 2009 8:00 AM

Kell yeah, I looked at them, like them a lot! I wonder if they are hypertufa or are those heavy too? Don't know.

Did you see this odd crested grafted thing?

This message was edited Mar 3, 2009 7:59 AM

These colors must come from growing them in greenhouses

This message was edited Mar 12, 2009 10:34 AM

What unique specimen they had!

Wow---I'm going to have to get up to HMB soon. Thanks for posting the eye candy!

Those pots are definitely hypertufa. The "Hypertufa & Concrete" forum has recipes and a ton of great ideas & info on making them. Like I need more planters (NOT).

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/795463/

SW your fountain is looking great---love the combination of plants & colors you chose!

OMG, guys, I would go NUTS in this nursery! ahhhhhh!!! How can one stay in the car reading??? I think my hubbie would do the same, and he would have to call the firemen or the police to get me out of there, lol!!!

SW, just like Sue said. No need for hormone whatsoever, and I also like to let the edges dry a bit for a couple of days to seal the cut. Just make sure you remove a few of the bottom "leaves" so you have enough to stick in the dirt. You can even get the leaves to root. Just lay them on the dirt, they'll root too! That's why I like succulents..they're SO easy!

my DH would definitely NOT sit in the car.... only to limit my time and $$ spending! :D

Well, it went without saying that I knew I had to go through fairly quickly, otherwise he would refuse next time. I have had him stop when we were on vacation trips as long as I keep it brief so if he has something to keep him occupied, he agrees. He could care less about plants but he does love sitting on the back patio with a glass of wine surrounded by my jungle. I just have to keep that patio plus all the table & chairs cleared so he can get to that patio but that's another subject!

Okay, I'm hooked. I was working in the green house and discovered more succulents than I knew I had. Not I just have to remove all the distracting weeds. LOL!
Thanks for the advice on how to propagate them. I have to admit that it sure looks nicer now!
I was wondering if that planter was made of carved pumice stone? I'll have to check out the hyper tuffa containers. Have you seen the new biodegradable bamboo pots? I got a few to try out. Seem more like plastic than bamboo.
More later.
WIB,
SW

haha isn't it funny? DHs "couldn't care less about the plants", but they do love to sit and enjoy with a glass of wine, and they do love getting lots of compliments on the garden when guests come over, don't they! lol!

too true! Mine is pretty supportive, he did build a very large raised bed for Valentine's. I can't wait to fill it up,... we have puddles everywhere today, very soggy .

Here is a photo I took today. I found it hiding behind the table. DUH!
I don't know what it is, but those and the next photo got me started on succulents.
WIB,
SW

I found this one in Poway, in my sister's neighbor's yard, and asked if I could have some cuttings. I helped her do some careful trimming. A few years later the neighbor ripped them all out. These are bigger than the "Jade" plants I was used to, and this is the mother plant for the babies, I've transplanted out in the yard.
WIB,
SW

This is a close up of a mixed container, I felt sorry for at the Grocery store reject rack. It's been pretty happy.
WIB,
SW

This one was hiding under some spider plants and poinsettias. Go figure.
WIB,
SW

Did anyone see the Gardening by the Yard episode this weekend?

Create a succulent garden that resembles an underwater sea bed - Undersea Gardens: Paul James travels to sunny Solana Beach, California, where Jeff Moore shows how he created a garden that looks like a genuine coral reef. Pictures can be viewed on HGTV.com http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/undersea-gardens/index.html

Fantastic stuff

Yes, I saw that episode and have mentioned it to so many people. Loved it!.

I saw a lovely underwater themed one two years ago at the SF Flower Show.

You already have a great collection SW!

Guamsorbit, I will watch that soon. Thanks for the heads up.

LOL Sue, I went back to 2007 files to find the same show exhibit but got sidetracked on a date a few days before when I went to Davis with Lali to a sale. I found beautiful orchid pics so of course I had to do them for PF. I get so sidetracked!

Are you going to the show? It will be the last one. I am debating 1 or 2 day tickets. I am so broke, I am also debating how many times I can go to Safeway and get an extra $40 between now and then.

I wonder if it will be much smaller this year. I was looking at the seller list tonight.

Yeah, planning to go, not sure yet what day though.

I wonder how many pics we have of the exact same thing. LOL