Tom’s world of weird, succulent gardens

[TomH]

I love plants that can bite back, I’ve been playing with cactus and succulents lately. They are amazingly varied in their size, shape and growing patterns.

Some of these little ones can be as sensitive as a teenager in puberty, others can take the worst you can throw at them and they keep growing.

 

[CannaGranny]

Very very cool! Gorgeous too

 

[Garbage_bear]

I love plants that can bite back, I’ve been playing with cactus and succulents lately. They are amazingly varied in their size, shape and growing patterns.

Some of these little ones can be as sensitive as a teenager in puberty, others can take the worst you can throw at them and they keep growing.

Do you know any succulents that will winter over outside in freezing temps?

 

[TomH]

Do you know any succulents that will winter over outside in freezing temps?

Hens and chicks, semper vivum or similar.
Will survive to some ridiculous temperature of -30f.
They will pop back out first warm up of spring.

 

[TomH]

Hens and chicks, semper vivum or similar.
Will survive to some ridiculous temperature of -30f.
They will pop back out first warm up of spring.

It’s also important to provide root protection.
Little pot’s won’t cut it over winter, outside when it freezes. Larger pots and preferably in the ground will protect roots during winter.

 

[tobh]

what does your typical cactus soil mix look like for your cacti? or do you use the same mix for all your succulents?

 

[TomH]

what does your typical cactus soil mix look like for your cacti? or do you use the same mix for all your succulents?

i vary the grittiness based upon type.
Cactus and cactoid euphorbia get about 75% grit: 25% organic but sifted to remove silt.
Babies toes, 90% grit : 10% organic
Most other succulents about 50% grit : 50% organic.

The more “leafy” the plant, the more organic the mixture.

 

[TomH]

I'm regularly surprised that stuff looks so alien when looked at close up!

 

[TomH]

This is the bedroom garden in the bay area.
A south facing window and some auxiliary lighting makes for a pretty good growing environment for many things.
Rattlesnake plant


Japanese birds nest fern


Euphorbia suzanne



Zebra haworthia


Pinecone plant


African violet


Milk trees (rubra on left, standard on right)


Grafted mother cactus (I didn't graft it, I just thought it was cool, but it's a tough thing to keep happy)


Fairy castle cactus


Crested mamillaria cactus


Haworthia species (I can't remember which - I'm too loaded to google it!)


African bonsai tree


Red sedum in stegosaurus planter

Somehow, all the plants makes the surrounding mess livable!