Freshening up potted succulents in mid-summer
Do you ever buy plants and then leave them sitting in their plastic pots on the back steps for months? That’s what I did with a handful of small succulents, which I purchased in the spring to use in freshening up the cinderblock wall planter (click for the “how-to”). Lately I’d also acquired a few cacti and succulents from gardening friends, and they needed to be potted up as well. So yesterday morning I waded through the mosquitoes, mixed up a wheelbarrow of one part Hill Country Garden Mix (Ladybug brand from Natural Gardener) with two parts decomposed granite, and got busy.
I potted up this cantaloupe-sized golden barrel cactus, given to me by Suzie of Viva Verde, if I remember correctly. What a score!
I potted up an Agave desmettiana ‘Joe Hoak’ pup, which Bob Beyer of Central Texas Gardening recently shared with me at a blogger get-together in his garden. Score!
And I potted up a ‘Baby Rita’ prickly pear (Opuntia), sent to me all the way from Portland, Oregon, by my friend Loree of Danger Garden, who picked it up at Cistus Nursery for me. Score! Many thanks to all my blogging friends for sharing and sending “dangerous” plants my way.
The succulent wall needed a few replacement plants, and all the planting pockets had eroded a bit during our rainy spring, so I topped them off with the soil mix. Much better!
I ended up with an extra echeveria, so I drilled a hole in an old cachepot and planted it up. While I was at it, I pulled handfuls of live oak leaves out of my other potted succulents, like this aloe.
With the addition of a purple oxalis in a turquoise pot and a good sweeping, the back steps look fresh and clean again.
Now it’s time to sit and enjoy the garden!
All material © 2006-2012 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
You are an inspiration to get out and repot, replant and to replace pots. Your garden looks so neat and tidy.
Well, this section is. There are other sections, however… —Pam
Pam,
What did you place in your block planter to keep the soil from falling thru? I like your’s so much I’ve considered finding a place for one at my home.
Randy, please click the link provided in the first paragraph of this post for the full how-to on making that wall planter. —Pam
Well, good gracious. How did I miss that. Thank you!
You’re welcome! Every time I post about the succulent wall I get questions about its construction, so I always include that link. But perhaps I should make it clearer that it contains how-to info. —Pam
Hi, love the vertical planters. The Aloe looks like A. brevifolia?? Nice calming resting spot as well. LT
My son picked out that aloe for his garden probably about 8 years ago. It was unmarked and in a tiny two-inch pot. My, how it’s grown. And it’s mine now. 😉 —Pam
Oh your baby ‘Rita’ looks so happy with her new succulent friends…and in Texas no less, that’s a long way for a little girl from Oregon to travel!
I hope she’ll be happy here, Loree! Right now she’s probably saying, What the hell? Why is it so dang hot? And what is that blazing ball of fire in the sky? —Pam
Beautiful collection! Yes, I have some in plastic pots that need the same treatment.
Love that last scene…and in the Autumn when it’s 70 degrees outside…it will be calling you!
David/:0)
Believe it or not, it called me today, David. I sat out there and read a book about agaves for a while—and it was 96F in the shade. And then I had to jump into the pool for a bit. —Pam
I think I see a move here towards more succulent planting. They are lucky to have some shade from your oak trees and you are lucky to be able to sit in the shade and enjoy them. A lovely setting. Let’s hope Joe Hoak is as big a pup maker as other A. desmettianas.
It seems to be, Jenny, based on the number of pups that Bob’s beautiful adult had recently produced. You can be sure I will share! —Pam
Yay Pam! You got your baby rita you were looking for! I can still see your beautiful picture in my mind that you took with the one on the doily on the bee hive! I have been looking too – love the purple! Cheers to your beautiful planters and to that shady, shadowy place to sit. Phew I need more shade in my yard!
Shade is so essential here in the summer, isn’t it? We were lucky to inherit dozens of live oaks when we bought this house, and I love their shade in summer. Just remind me how useful they are when I complain about leaf drop and pollen drop and caterpillar drop in the spring, and oak sprouts all year long! —Pam
I have to say, your succulents are pretty, but that bench in the last picture is gorgeous! I’ve been looking for a bench (or any seating) so I can actually enjoy the garden instead of just work in it. Your back steps look so inviting with those plants and that owl.
Thanks, Renee. The steps may look inviting now, but they were so dirty and leaf-strewn before I cleaned everything up that you wouldn’t have thought so then. 😉 —Pam
Good job.
I tend to let things sit a bit long in nursery pots, too. Only, the ones I do that to aren’t as resilient as succulents….ugh
We spend a lot of time sitting in the shade and enjoying the outdoors…no matter the weather. Have to remember the mosquito repellent, though. They’re vicious this year.
Did I see a larger agave in a black pot? Hmmm…wonder where that’s going.
Yes, that’s a ‘Green Goblet’ agave I bought last month, Linda. Of course it can sit in its pot for quite some time with no worries and only occasional watering. I haven’t decided where to put it yet, but I’m leaning toward the front garden. I’ll have to rip out some more grass, though, to accommodate it. Yay! —Pam
Seat cushion and bottle tree…very nice!
Say, how old is your tongue? Is that the one from your previous garden?
Yes, they match! The ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave is 7 years old—I just looked it up. I planted it in August 2005 in my former garden, and yes, I brought it with me when I moved. It can’t have too many more years left in it, as it’s gotten quite huge. —Pam
All very attractive. i indeed have to pot out a batch of succulents this weekend. The agave green goblet looks beautiful!
I hope you’re having fun potting up your succulents this weekend, Nicole! I still have a few more to do myself. —Pam
Brave and valiant………the necessary combination to work with the difficult! Love the containers.
Thanks, CIMS. I’m having fun with a few more containers this year, so long as I put tough, non-thirsty plants in them. I don’t want to donate more blood than necessary to the mosquitoes. —Pam
Hi Pam – wonderful succulents. I’ve only begun to buy some and think they may be my new addiction 🙂 Exactly what do you mean when you talk about shoving galvanized nails into the concrete to hold up the chicken wire? I get the reasoning and the concept, but not the actual how you did it. Browsing your blog leads me to two totally unrelated questions. First, how did you make your bottle tree and where did you find the blue bottles. I’ve wanted one of these for a very long time and love how yours looks. Second, what in the world brought you to Chanticleer which is near me, but very far from you? It is on my list to go see. If you are ever going to be in this area again (especially in the spring) I suggest you make arrangements to go see Welkinweir. It is little known and very amazing. I’ll volunteer to go along 🙂
Sandi
Hi, Sandi, and welcome. Re: your question about the cinderblock wall, I simply wedged a nail diagonally into the hole; you need a nail that’s slightly longer than the hole opening. I wrote a how-to post about making the bottle tree, which should answer your question. And I was on vacation with my family when we visited Chanticleer (click the links for more info). I’ll put Welkinweir on my list—thanks for the suggestion and offer to be my guide. It’s very kind of you! —Pam
JUST going out to do this today! LOVE the new back steps look and the bench area. Looks like a magazine, lady!
Hey, thanks, Mamaholt, and happy refreshing! —Pam