apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Anyone have a good suggestion for buying succulents in bulk? Or possibly a succulent/terrarium designer that wont break the bank?

We're looking to outfit our wedding with nothing but!

Thanks!

What a fantastic idea for a wedding! Could you do groupings of little containers and then give them as favors?

PrettyG--Armstrong's.

I just got a bunch of little succulents this weekend!
http://etrine.com/2008/08/18/more-succulents/

And I made a plant stand for some potted ones too!
http://etrine.com/2008/08/15/plant-stand-with-plants/

I have a black thumb, but thought I could handle a succulent or 2. *sigh* They are dying!! I planted them in specific potting soil for cacti. The container has a drainage hole. I water approx every 3-4 weeks (but not much water). Still the leaves are turning brown, and they have not "rooted"... what am I doing wrong? Can I just sit them on some rocks instead??

Yea!! I just 'went crazy' and bought a few succulents..never thought they'd be my style..I put them each in small vintage low bowls, yellow,turquoise(from Ikea)..and lined them up on the window sill..add a lot of style and punch and finally some greenery to white apartment walls..they change their little odd shapes so you never know what they will end up really looking like..I used reg. potting soil, only due to laziness..and it's been a few weeks and they are growing...I think it's the sun they need mrsemerald? And fabulous idea for wedding favors! They were very inexpensive..Ikea, Lowes, any home and garden i'm sure...two bucks I like to say..

I love these!

Does anyone know where to buy similar planters? Ideally, I would love to find a very simple rectangular trough shaped planter. Also... how do these guys drain in these pots without drainage holes?

I bought one at Trader Joes. Its the only plant in my apartment so it's the star!

...this reads like an advertisement. succulents are pretty nifty, but all their attributes are not the doing of one company. :(

>what am I doing wrong?

Every 3-4 weeks? If they're getting any bright light or sunshine at all you're not watering them nearly enough. Plunge the pot in lukewarm water (think body temperature - no warmer) up to the rim, in a sink, tub or clean bucket. Let it sit for an hour, then remove from the water and allow the plant to drain. That should get the soil re-hydrated and prepare it for regular waterings.

The soil should be allowed to only partially dry out between waterings, no more. To test if the soil is dry enough to require a watering, stick your index finger into the medium down to the first joint. If it feels completely dry, it's safe to water the succulent, at least during the spring and summer. During the growing season succulents can burn thru a surprising amount of water. (You can also frequently tell by the weight of the pot how much water the soil contains.)

After a few weeks you should have a pretty good idea how long it takes for your succulents to dry out, and can probably just adopt a regular watering schedule, like "every Saturday". Unlike other plants, succulents can survive for a few days even after the soil has gone bone dry, which is their real advantage for folks with a "brown thumb". Most "brown thumbers" are really just absent minded or busy, which can prove fatal for other plants, but succulents can cope with the occasional drought nicely.

The only time you should allow most succulents to completely dry out between waterings is in winter, when it's cold in the room and their light is restricted. If they're kept too moist during that season, there's a good chance they'll get root rot or other diseases, like mildew. Even then, if you're using forced air heating, they'll need to be watered regularly as they'll dry out.

Cacti are another story, by the way. They should be allowed to dry out, between thorough waterings. Remember, when it rains in the desert it rains HARD.

do succulents need sun, or would they be okay in a fairly dark room? I think they'd look great on my mantle, but my tiny rowhouse gets no light downstairs.

They need sun if you want them to last, although many will tolerate being kept in a darker place for awhile.

One solution might be to have two sets that you rotate out to a sunny location on a regular basis. They still might not thrive, but they'll certainly last a lot longer.

We need a green alternative to FLOWERS??? I don't get it. I'm doing my best to reduce my carbon footprint, but I'm not sure I'm willing to give up the beauty and joy of colorful tulips for cacti. They're great for adding some life to a room, but no substitute for flowers.

If you can grow your own tulips, great. Any plant is green if it grows in your climate without a ton of pesticides.

Succulents are here being suggested as alternatives to cut flowers, which are frequently grown with lots of chemicals in a closed greenhouse where the workers have to breathe the pesticides. Any live plant will work if you can keep it alive. Personally, I like orchids. The blooms of many species last wayyy longer than cut flowers, and they're not as hard to grow as you might think.

Anyway, many cacti and succulents have beautiful flowers too.

How is "delivering nationwide" a green alternative?

More photos Here:

http://plastolux.com/modern-plants-and-floral-big-red-sun.html

Thanks whytephoenix. I get it now. Man, there's so much to learn. I fear I'll never be green enough.

Thanks Sunspot! I didn't know they needed to be watered so frequently... they are sitting in a fairly sunny spot though (indirect sunlight)