apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Oh I wish we had a Trader Joe's here!

I wonder if the Chicago TJ's have these. Does anyone know?

I just made my own (tiny) succulent garden.

Bowl is from Ikea.

Succulents are from Ikea.

Sand is from Grand Cayman, sand dollar and shells are from Florida.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/art_chel/2602159079/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/art_chel/2602156547/in/photostream/

The sand is only about 1/4" deep.

The bottom of the bowl is big pieces of rock, then a layer of regular sand, then a layer of soil.

The beach sand on top was brought back in a 12 oz. bottle of Caybrew and resulted in a slight delay at the Ft. Lauderdale airport while security dug through our bags looking for it (a gnarly looking fish scaler I found on the beach) and then running it through tests.

I like the sand in Cayman because it is unique. It is actually comprised of ground coral and shell. If you look at it very carefully you can see miniscule sea shells and lots of different colors. It is also absent of silica, the glass like particles in other beach sands that burn your feet.

Ooh, I got a $2.99 succulent garden from TJ's about a month ago and about 80% of the clippings they used for it died within a week. The last little bits have recovered and are growing back, but it made me feel bad.

Hope the ones above will live a bit longer!

I made a succulent planter for my mom for mother's day in a galvanized steel container from the $1 section in Target (you can see it here). It wasn't terribly expensive to do in the slightest, and because I know what they're growing in they have a much better chance of surviving. I liked the way hers turned out so well, I made myself one in a Fiestaware flowerpot (here)

I love the succulents from Trader JOes...they always come in great little pots!

It's funny when people buy succulents since they are so easy to start. I simply ask people doing their yard work if I can keep clippings of succulents that they're tidying up. After I get home, I just let them dry for a few days then stick them in a pot of dirt. After a few weeks the clippings will grow roots, as long as the pot isn't too wet or doesn't dry up.

Also, for those with black thumbs: the best way to deal with succulents is to just leave the darn things alone. Just make sure you water them once a week, provide enough sunlight, and give enough drainage to keep from getting waterlogged, and those little creatures will take care of themselves. This requires you to interact directly with the plants at the most once a week, for thirty seconds. Any more than that and you're being fussy and are likely going to kill the plant. For the rest of it, you just sit back and admire from a safe distance.

How funny I just bought 4 today at Trader Joes. Here in Chicago they were $4 each and came in great little pots. I have some on a windowsill and one by the kitchen sink. So cute!