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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@gilanet.com>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Xeriscape Gardening News
  • Date: Tue, 06 Jul 2004 21:01:56 -0600

Xeriscape Gardening News
from
High Country Gardens
Issue #56 - July 2004
David Salman, Chief Horticulturist

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Welcome to our Monthly E-Zine.

For live links to plants and products mentioned in the articles,
use the web version of this newsletter found at:
http://highcountrygardens.com/nl/nl56.html

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In This Issue:

+ Container Gardening with Cacti and Succulents
+ Propagating Succulents and Cacti
+ Plant Combination
+ Garden Glossary
+ Visit Us in Santa Fe
+ "Evenings in the Garden"
+ Expanded Summer Shipping
+ Prepare for Fall Planting
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Container Gardening with Cacti and Succulents
By David Salman

Some fascinating gardens take place in containers, especially with
the succulents and cacti. These easy but 'special needs' plants
provide year round interest, indoors or out. Once you venture
into this particular corner of horticulture, you'll notice these
tough plants create little worlds unto themselves that are hard to
resist.

Features and Suitability
Cacti and succulents are revered for their--
* bright, showy flowers
* geometrically arranged spines
* handsome architectural foliage

Also, their adaptability to heat, intense sunshine and ability to
thrive with little maintenance under dry conditions make them an
excellent choice for potted gardens.

Container culture is often the easiest way to grow cacti and
succulents. This is especially true in climates where high
amounts of rain/snow fall rot the roots of xeric species when
planted in the ground or where the climate is too cold in the
winter.

Key to Success
The key to successful containers of cacti and succulents is using
the correct soil mix. Soil for growing these plants must provide
excellent drainage without excessive organic matter content.

Many species of cacti and succulents suffer when their soil mix is
too fertile and contains large percentages of compost and peat
moss. The basic formula for making a fast draining potting mix
follows:

Mix 6 parts high quality potting soil, 1 part coarse
sand and 1 part volcanic scoria, coarse Perlite or small diameter
(less than 3/8") crushed gravel or limestone. In very hot, dry
situations where some additional moisture retention is helpful,
garden loam can be mixed half and half with the soil-less potting
soil.

Containers
I always recommend using ceramic pots. Whether the pot is terra
cotta or glazed depends solely upon your own personal preference.
Because a healthy cactus or succulent plant can live for many
years, plastic containers will often deteriorate prematurely. This
requires that plants be repotted, a difficult and dangerous task,
especially when handling large specimens.

The choice of containers is dependent on the types of cacti and
succulents you are going to plant.

* Large specimens like big barrel Ferocactus, columnar
Trichocereus cacti or succulent Agave (Century Plants) require
large pots to accommodate their large root systems and
counterbalance their imposing bulk. The pots must be substantial
enough to support these large plants without tipping over.

* Other succulents like the South African memsembranthemums are
best planted into smaller pots. In this manner, their diminutive
stature can best be appreciated from up-close as a tabletop
display.

* Bowl shaped pots are excellent for clumping species as these
shallow rooted plants benefit from being given ample room to
cluster their stems as they grow. Species of cacti that form
large, multi-stemmed clusters such as Claret Cup (Echinocereus
triglochidiatus) and large growing Nipple Cacti (Mamillaria)
prefer being planted into bowls.

Re-potting is only needed when the plants have grown to the edges
of the pot and the plants stop growing in size. Remember that
cacti and succulents are healthier and happier when under potted
(slightly undersized pot).

Plant Arrangements
Collectors such as myself, enjoy planting species from a single
region into a pot to create an authentic landscape in miniature.
For example, you could gather up a variety of cacti from the Big
Bend region of southwestern Texas or a group of succulents from
the Great Karoo region of south-central South Africa and then
artfully combine them into a series of display containers. This
can be both an educational and an aesthetically pleasing
foundation for building a valuable collection of succulent
species.

Care and Maintenance
While cacti and succulents are low-care plants, they will benefit
from and look better with regular watering, fertilizing and the
removal of shriveled foliage.

Watering
* Thoroughly soak established containers every week to10 days in
the heat of summer.
* Newly planted pots will require more frequent watering to
establish their plants.

I always recommend a saucer be used under the pots to allow the
water that flows through the pots to be re-absorbed for a thorough
soaking of the soil.

Established plants like to dry out between waterings. A small
cactus in a great big pot will often lose its roots as the soil
doesn't dry out quickly enough. This is most often a problem in
the late fall/winter/early spring when the plants are dormant.

Fertilizing
A monthly dose of liquid seaweed (Sea-Com PRG) and a low nitrogen
fertilizer like Earth Juice 'Grow' at recommended rates is a good
schedule.

In Cold Climates
In very cold climates where outdoor pots would freeze solidly,
even very cold-hardy types will benefit from some winter
protection. Cacti and succulents can be successfully over-wintered
in minimally heated greenhouses and sunrooms. Winter chilling will
also result in improved flowering the next growing season. In
milder winter climates pots can be left outside for the winter.

It is vitally important that watering be greatly decreased in the
fall. Cacti and succulents need to dry down and begin to shrivel
in preparation for winter. This is especially true when wintering
plants in cold climates. Working with these particular plants is
not difficult, but once you get the finer points down they can
provide lots of enjoyment.

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Propagating Succulents and Cacti
By Cindy Bellinger

These plants are easy-peasy to propagate. In many cases all you
need is a leaf. David Salman says if you're new at this, start
with South African succulents, the ice plants. "They are the
easiest to propagate," he says.

There are three ways to propagate--dividing, cutting, and sowing
seed.

Though different plants are started with certain parts, the most
common parts are:
* leaves
* seeds
* stems

Leaves
Leaves from Echeverias, Gasterias, Graptopetalums, Kalanchoes and
sedums are good for beginning. Make sure they are green. Yellowed
leaves won't root because they've lost their chlorophyll, which
they need to re-grow. After slicing with a sharp knife, let the
leaf sit and dry in the open air for 3-4 days to callus, or harden
over.

Place leaves on top of the soil. When using a pad of a cactus
leaf, make sure it's placed sideway at an angle. Water sparingly
and let the soil dry out. Slowly little root hairs will develop
and a new plant begins.

Seeds
Starting succulents and cacti from seed is the most difficult.
Collect seeds that are embedded in the pulp of the cactus fruit.
Sprinkle seeds on the surface of the soil; thinly cover. Seeds of
Mesembryanthemum, however, need light to germinate and should not
be covered.

Stems
When making stem cuttings, (sections from stems complete with top
leaves) make sure it is allowed to callus (hardened) for a few
days. Then place in a pot to mature.

Soil Mixture
Our suggested potting mixture is: 1 part sand, 1 part Perlite, and
3 parts potting mix. We also
sell a bagged cactus mix if you don't want to make your own.

Salman also sterilizes the sand by baking it for 30 minutes at 200
degrees. He suggests laying a half-inch of sand on top of the
potting mix to help stabilize the plants while they are rooting.
He also makes sure the potting area is "kitchen clean" to prevent
fungal rot, and says it's not necessary to use rooting hormones.

Hint: Use a small piece of window screen in the bottom of
containers to keep the soil from sifting through the holes in
pots.

Further Reading
* Succulents for the Contemporary Garden, by Yvonne Cave
* Succulents II, by Maurizio Sajeva and Mariangela Costanzo
* The Complete Book of Cacti and Succulents, by Terry Hewitt
* Cactus and Succulents: A Care Manual, by Tony and Suzanne Mace
* Cacti: The Illustrated Dictionary, by Rod and Ken Preston-Mafham
* Growing Winter Hardy Cacti in Cold Wet Climate Conditions, by
John N. Spain

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Plant Combination

This month we're featuring a heat-loving xeric trio.

Gaura lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies' Appleblossom Grass is a
Texas native wildflower that has found a home over much of the
southwestern U.S. 'Whirling Butterflies' blooms throughout the
heat of the summer with wispy flowering stems and bright white
butterfly-shaped flowers. This tall, robust grower is recommended
for planting along hot walls in the back of south and west facing
flower beds. Not suitable for fall planting in Zones 5 & 6. Zones
5-10.

Furman's Red Texas Sage is valued for its tightly branched,
upright growth habit and profusion of dark red flowers beginning
in early summer and continuing through the fall. Culturally
undemanding, this plant tolerates a wide range of soils requiring
only that they be quick draining. A bit of extra water, though,
during dry spells encourages more flowers. One of the most
cold-hardy Salvias, Furman's Red will occasionally freeze to the
ground in Zone 6 areas. It re-sprout quickly from the roots and
crown to bloom on new wood that same year. This is a woody,
evergreen shrublet in mild winter climates. Zones 6-10.

Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote Superior' is an improved
seed-grown strain from Jelitto Perennial Seeds in Germany. With
its extremely uniform compact habit and deeply colored violet-blue
flowers, "Hidcote Superior" is an excellent choice for edging
walkways, where the aromatic flowers and foliage can be easily
enjoyed. One of the most cold hardy lavenders. Zones 5-10.

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Garden Glossary

Terms defined for the beginning gardener.

Perlite: a very light weight, heat-treated volcanic rock that is
used to improve drainage and increase the pore space (oxygen
availability to the roots) in potting soil.

Fast-draining: soil that allows water to pass through quickly.
Typically refers to sandy, gravelly or light-textured loam soils
that don't stay wet for extended periods of time.

Winter Protection: protecting plants from cold, dry winds and low
winter temperatures to minimize plant damage or death. Container
grown plants need winter protection to protect the roots from
repeated freezing and thawing.

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Visit Us in Santa Fe

Are you coming to Santa Fe, New Mexico? While you're here, visit
Santa Fe Greenhouses, home of High Country Gardens catalog, and
tour our incredible demonstration gardens through August
30--Wednesdays at 10am and Saturdays at 10 and 11am. You'll see
all of the plants offered in our catalog.

The 45-minute walks are led by our plant specialists. Stroll
through an established Xeriscape Garden that we put in 1991. Then
visit our newly designed Western Cottage Garden. Also, our 5-acre
site has a full service garden center, nursery, and extensive
perennial selection (with shipping available).

For tour information, please call 1-505-473-2700 or 1-877-811-2700
or visit us at
www.santafegreenhoues.com.

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Evenings in the Garden
Join us July 8 for our next Thursday "Evenings in the Garden"
event from 6 to 8pm. Gardening experts will offer tips and answer
questions. New plants will be displayed and special items
discounted.

The upcoming "Summer Container Gardening Party" with Linda McLain,
our expert container gardener. She will demonstrate which heat
loving plants go well together and show a wide pallet of plants
that are perfect for these enclosed gardens. In addition, join a
"behind the scenes" tour of our greenhouses. Also, hear David
Salman, chief horticulturist at Santa Fe Greenhouses, home of High
Country Gardens, speak about "Maximizing Color in the Summer
Perennial Garden."

Future garden parties:
* August 12 -- Hummingbird and Butterfly Party
* September 9 -- Fall is for Planting!

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Expanded Summer Shipping

Though summer is often too hot to ship many plants, we are
expanding the varieties we can ship: Lavender, Ornamental Grasses,
Cacti, Succulents, Buffalo and Blue Grama Grass Plugs. We will
also continue shipping Native grass seed, soil amendments, books
and gifts.

View Plants for Summer Shipping
http://www.highcountrygardens.com/shop/results.html?ptid=summershi
p&id=&browse=1&browse.x=8&browse.y=9

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Prepare for Fall Planting

Autumn is just around the corner. Order now to reserve our top
quality plants and bulbs for fall shipping. This year we're
featuring 93 fall and spring blooming bulbs as well as many
perennial favorites, including fall bloomers like Helianthus,
Solidago and Liatris. Fall planting establishes healthy root
systems, resulting in vigorous spring growth.


---
To send this newsletter to a friend, just forward this issue
to your fellow gardeners and they can subscribe by visiting
our website at http://www.highcountrygardens.com

Send comments, questions and reprint requests to the editor at:
feedback@highcountrygardens.com

Copyright 1998 - 2004
Santa Fe Greenhouses, Inc DBA
High Country Gardens

2902 Rufina Street
Santa Fe, NM 87507-2929
1-800-925-9387
plants@highcountrygardens.com

---
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  • [Livingontheland] Xeriscape Gardening News, Tradingpost, 07/06/2004

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