Saturn

I want to get into some cacti. What do you have growing? Indoor/Outdoor? Post Some Pictures!!!

smgardener

Hey Saturn -- Here in zone 10, succulents are super simple. I took some clippings from my friend's garden and now have a thriving succulent population. Once I get my digital camera going, I'll take some pictures -- but these are the lowest maintenance plants in my garden!

Saturn

I recently picked up an aloe plant. I am growing a cactus from seed and have 2 sprouts. I have 2 other succulent type plants sprouting as well. I think I'm going to have to get a nice indoor light for them.

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-l:SATURN:l-

paul b long

I've been growing lithops ("living stones") on my bathroom windowsill for a couple of years. It's very exciting when brightly coloured flowers burst out of these inert looking objects and new "stones" force their way through the old ones. When I work out how to post photos I shall do so.

cia007

No cactus here, but I used to have amazing success with them when I had my other place with a sunny window.

The best tips I have are don't overwater, and do use the special cactus fertilizer they sell in the stores- they really like that stuff!

kusch1

paul b long, could you tell me what kind of sun exposure your lithops are getting in your bathroom window. I have "Living Stone(s) as well, but I have them in a kitchen window with an overhanging covered deck outside, so "it" gets indirect sun. I say "it" because I originally had two in the pot, but one started shrivelling, so I cut it out. Any tips?

Saturn, I can recommend one of my favorite cacti. Yellow Bunny Ears (Opuntia microdasys var. Yellow). It has creamy yellow flowers in early summer. Grows 3-4' tall by 6' wide when planted outside.

Wish it was easier to post photos on this site. I tried, but too complicated)

Sorry

smgardener

Hey kusch1! I just added a new module that should help a lot with the photo uploading. Check out my post about it here, and let me know if you have any questions!

paul b long

Hi kusch1
My lithops are on a south facing windowsill near a radiator,so they get lots of light and warmth.They are in small pots (I may have to repot some of them soon) in a gritty compost with small pebbles on the surface. Overwatering is the worst mistake in my experience. I water them sparingly in the spring and summer about once a week, hardly at all in autumn(fall) and not at all in winter. I also feed them in the growing season with a special cactus and succulent fertiliser, about once a month.

Saturn

I never even knew about Lithops until a couple weeks ago. They look very cool and I definitely am thinking about putting some in a terrarium of mine. Thanks for the suggestion kusch, I like it! I recently sprouted some cacti from seed as well as 2 other desert growing plants.

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zotbrad

Do you grow your succulents in containers or in the ground? I have a few in containers, but after seeing the Huntington Garden (San Marino, CA) and Roger's Gardens (Newport Beach, CA) I want to get my own little succulent garden in my yard too! Which succulents are the most colorful? I like the ones that are bright red.