Tips for Growing Succulents

Succulents can be a visually interesting addition to your garden, and they are especially great as borders or for walkways. There are many different varieties, with different foliage colors and shapes, and many varieties are very low maintenance and easy to grow. They can also do well in container gardens and indoor pots, so they are a very versatile addition no matter what kind of garden you have.

They are fairly maintenance free and can add color to pots where you are growing larger trees. They also make a nice looking ground cover that may reduce the amount of weeds depending on the type of succulent you choose.

Pink flowers of a succulent plant growing in Orange County, CA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Placed in multi colored pots, succulents can look quite impressive with contrasting colors in designer gardens and courtyards. They are excellent for smaller pots where they can add color and life to patios and decks provided they get sufficient sunlight.

They also make an ideal plant for the busy apartment dweller where there is only minimal outdoor area and not enough room for larger plants.

They can also withstand winds that might damage other plants grown in these conditions. They are the ideal plant to have in window boxes and come in many different varieties, colors, shapes and sizes.

To ensure that your succulents get the very best in growing conditions, particularly if you are growing them in pots, you will need to buy good quality specially formulated succulent mix. This is generally the same type mix that you would also use for growing cacti.

Slow release fertilizer will help them to remain healthier by supplying them with necessary nutrients throughout the year, and the best time to give them this fertilizer is in spring.

They will grow better when exposed to the full sun as they don't like frosts. Over the summer months you will need to give them sufficient water and that will generally be once or twice a week.

Over the winter months if planted outdoors they should get enough water to only need watering once a month. Obviously you will need to adjust this depending on the climate they are growing in but that is a general guideline to follow. When you water your succulents you should avoid wetting their foliage if possible.

Choosing Ground Cover Plants

Ground cover has many different uses in the garden. It can be used to help reduce the amount of weeds that will appear in the garden by covering over the space between plants where the weeds might grow and smothering tiny weed seedlings before they can grow.

Ground cover can also help to keep the moisture in the soil by stopping it from drying out from direct sunlight. And it can also add color and texture to the garden.

Shade Garden Groundcovers (Photo credit: patrick_standish)

A lot of the ground cover plants that are available can supply a splash of color throughout the year where some will have color in their leaves and then additional color when they flower. Being so close to the ground they can stay in better condition in windy conditions where they aren't quite so exposed as other flowering plants.

Most ground cover plants are quite durable and are an excellent way to add color to gardens that are in conditions where other flowering plants might not survive.

Some ground cover plants grow very well and thrive in shaded areas where other plants might struggle to thrive and they generally require very little maintenance. They are also excellent for creating borders around gardens where there are larger plants or trees growing or where other plants won't be able to get sufficient nutrition to grow to their full potential. They are particularly good for covering areas that are not easily accessible and would normally be too hard to maintain if you were to attempt to grow other plants there.

Ground cover plants also make a nice display when grown in and around rocks and sculptures in the garden and can make a nice mat when grown at the foot of a garden seat, provided of course that you choose one that is durable enough to withstand light foot traffic.