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Potting Succulents
The No Cost Way

021909plant-01.jpgSitting on our front stoop today, we noticed how big our money tree (aka jade plant) has grown. When we moved into our apartment in Echo Park three years ago, we scoured the area for lovely succulents, finding most types growing along the roadside (and even our own backyard). All we needed was a small cutting and eventually we'd have our own mature plant to call our own. Our money tree all grown up plus after the jump.

 
 

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gardening, succulents, plants, propagation

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Comments (21)

Fun! Why do they need to dry out?

posted by GreaterYesterday on February 19th 2009 at 1:19pm
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Terrific idea! I love succulents. They are so hard to accidentally kill.

posted by LilyC on February 19th 2009 at 1:26pm
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My succulents grew UP and it didn't look like a cute green flower anymore, is that what is supposed to happen??

posted by SweetChicEventsChicago on February 19th 2009 at 1:27pm
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I have an old wine barrel in my back patio which I had been planting flowers in but they never did well or only last a season.
Instead of more flowers I recently planted a variety 17 small succulents in the barrel. They look beautiful, need hardly any water and I have a new love affair with a different one each lime I look at them.

While my orchids are not blooming I added succulents indoors as well.

posted by LoriSF on February 19th 2009 at 1:28pm
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succulents are my favorite plants. i love their plump little leaves!

posted by ilovediy on February 19th 2009 at 1:28pm
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I cannot figure out why my jade plant cuttings won't root. It makes me sad.

posted by Cassis on February 19th 2009 at 1:31pm
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I've had pretty good success with my succulents, except the my jade plant. I have no idea why. I think its because I have in an area that doesn't get all day sun. I've moved it so a new place with more sun, and am hoping it will do the trick. All the other ones are doing well.

posted by Jose A on February 19th 2009 at 1:40pm
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i killed two of my three succulents.... I just can't get it right :(

posted by spiralcma on February 19th 2009 at 1:47pm
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I'm with you spiralcma... I seem to have a knack for killing these poor little plants.

posted by shockthebourgeois on February 19th 2009 at 1:59pm
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Me three! I used to have a big jade plant like the one above, and managed to keep it alive for a year, but haven't had any luck since then. I keep buying them and they keep dying on me. Too much or too little water.

posted by OliviaTokyo on February 19th 2009 at 2:30pm
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Sweetchiceventschicago- If your succulent is growing UP it need more sun. Just what I have learned the hard way.

posted by djohnson on February 19th 2009 at 2:36pm
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Great ideas, I love succulents. Growing up our mom had a jade plant and my brother and I would always pick off the leaves (they had water in them, cool!) and little buds and that thing still lasted for 20 years. And she was no green thumb either!

posted by sarrazak on February 19th 2009 at 2:38pm
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My 4 year old jade plant has been battling mealy bugs for the past several months. There's nothing like giving a rubbing alcohol bath to each individual leaf of a ginormous plant.

posted by happiness on February 19th 2009 at 2:53pm
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I keep bringing my succulents to the brink to death them somehow they survive. I think I water them too much.

posted by Kim on February 19th 2009 at 3:59pm
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Has AT got shares in the global succulent market? ENOUGH, WE GET IT!

posted by pinky speedway on February 19th 2009 at 4:14pm
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Thanks djohnson, that makes sense. My bedroom doesn't get a lot of sun...

posted by SweetChicEventsChicago on February 19th 2009 at 4:29pm
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I love succulents in Perch! design ceramic hanging planters.
see them here - http://www.nest-living.com/collections/perch

posted by thetroll on February 19th 2009 at 4:39pm
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my succulent grew UP as well, and I hear that both sun and airflow are needed. Trying again, so we'll see!

posted by catsf on February 19th 2009 at 4:39pm
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succulents (or any plants) growing "up" or getting leggy are reaching for light. and succulents that die are usually over-watered (just one time can kill them).

happiness: try neem oil for the mealy bug. rubbing alcohol isn't the greatest for plants. neem oil is a bit smelly, but it's generally very effective. however, if it's very infested, it might be a losing battle. isolate it from your other plants (if potted) to prevent the bugs from spreading.

posted by foodefafa on February 19th 2009 at 4:55pm
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succulents are LA's "It" plant?

posted by outlikealamb... on February 19th 2009 at 6:35pm
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I love this. The costs of plants can add up. Those videos were great (because they were short).

posted by faithcrawford on April 8th 2009 at 4:58pm
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