In the Garden
Holiday succulents
Succulents aren't just a drought-resistant, eye-catching, user-friendly, easy-to-grow subject. They make great holiday gifts and decorations.
This is a good time to start making small cuttings of your favorite leaf and stem succulents.
STAR-BULLETIN / 2001
The "stone lotus jade plant," left, and regular "jade plant."
Start with an inexpensive bag of potting soil. Combine with a even mixture of perlite or vermiculite one on one, and there you have it, a perfect starter mix.
Containers could be made from cottage cheese tubs, tofu containers and even Styrofoam egg cartons with just a few drain holes added at the bottom. Fill the container with this potting mix, and insert your favorite succulents.
Many succulents grow quickly from tip cuttings, including Crassulas (commonly referred to as jade plants), portulacarias (small-leafed jades) and Sedums (succulents that include the donkey's-tail, stonecrops, etc.).
Make a cutting about 3 or more inches long, and allow an inch of stem at the base for inserting into your potting mix. Remove the basal leaves before inserting since these will rot and decay. But do not discard these leaves. Instead, just insert them cut end down into this same mixture, alongside the cuttings.
STAR-BULLETIN / 2001
Michael Miyashiro tends to a jade plant at Rainforest.
You may insert several cuttings into a single container. A rooting hormone may be useful, but in most cases the sap of succulents contains a natural rooting hormone.
After you have potted these cuttings, just keep them in a well-lit area away from direct sunlight. Water them every day with a mist bottle, and eventually a watering can or hose. Most cuttings will root in three to four weeks, and then they may be placed in brighter light. Do not fertilize these starters; just let them root out and grow naturally.
After you have moved them into bright light, they will start to develop their bright colors and characteristics. Give them as much sunlight as they can take without scorching them.
These cuttings can be used to make holiday gifts that can be used as party favors or giveaways at your upcoming functions.
So start trimming and making these starts today! You can never have enough of these starts at the holidays.
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