Succulents and the "Pricks" by Taylor Whitted

SUCCULENTS AND THE

“PRICKS” Get to know your plants, and how to better care for them.. Learn different ways to plant your cacti and succulents.

What’s Inside?

WHAT’S INSIDE?

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10 Reasons Why You Need More Cacti in Your Life

The Ideas Behind Succulent Studios

How to Propagate Your Succulents

Differences in Succulents and Cacti

8 Info for Planting Succulents 10 Things You Never Knew About Succulents

Born in California, raised wherever you are.

What do you get inside your box?

With its second-generation farm in Fallbrook and fulfillment center in Long Beach, California, Succulent Studios grows and ships hundreds of succulent and cacti species. Our team has a deeply rooted passion (pun intended) for integrating the outdoors into our homes, and we love sharing our succulents with folks in all corners of the country!

Inside your carefully curated Succulent Studios box are two 8-week-old succulents. Grown at our secondgeneration nursery in Fallbrook, CA, we plan each month’s succulents based on seasonality and hardiness to provide you with the most stunning, unique, and healthy new plant friends!

Organic. Plastic-free. Earth-conscious. Succulent Studios takes pride in growing these hardy little plants using only organic media and fertilizers. We believe it’s long overdue and vitally important for businesses to operate with our earth and future generations in mind, which is why we use biodegradable pots and 100% plastic-free packaging. We’ve made it our mission to walk this earth more gently and do our part for a brighter, greener future.

S u c c u l e nts are shipped anywhere in the U.S. Once an order is placed, we will verify your order details, select a pair of healthy plants from our nursery, trim them, and carefully pot them and package them safely in their box. This process takes about 2-3 business days, then they’ll be on their way! *NOTE:* We are committed to providing you the very best plants, and we sometimes need an extra day or two for your plants to be in peak condition for shipping. Please be patient if it takes a little longer for your box to ship! Once shipped, you will receive an email with tracking information and an estimated delivery day.

The Ideas Behind Succulent Studios 3

10 Reasons Why:

You Need More Cacti In Your Life THERE ARE OVER 2000 SPECIES TO CHOOSE FROM! Whether you want something small, tall, fuzzy or smooth, there is definitely something for everyone.

BLOOMS!

SUPER EASY TO PROPAGATE.

BECAUSE GEOMETRY IS COOL! You may have hated that class in school, but the mesmerizing and complex geometric patterns in cacti is pretty darn incredible. Some theories suggest that the spiral arrangement of their tubercles and ribs not only give structure to the plant, but also allow for expansion and contraction that occurs when they are watered. Others even suggest they act as miniature fins, keeping the plant cool in hot weather by casting tiny shadows onto the plant. Awesome. NOT ALL OF THEM STING! Many species of cacti have a wooly covering and others have a rubbery texture that are completely thorn less! Be careful though, there still could be thorns hiding underneath that fuzzy outer layer. Some examples of these includeEspostoa ‘Peruvian Old Lady’,Cereus ‘Ming Thing’, andEchinopsis ‘Domino Cactus’.

If you ask any collector why they love their cacti so much, many will tell you hands down that it’s because of their showy flowers! Every cacti species is capable of producing flowers if given proper watering, fertilization and light. However, some (not all) take many years to achieve this but it’s totally worth the wait! (I didn’t have many photos of their blooms but your Gymnocalycium ‘Purple Moon Cactus’ would be a good fit here)

Many varieties can be propagated and will root easily when taken in their natural growth season. Here, I cut off an offset from thisMammillaria elongata ‘Copper King’ with clean, sharp scissors and placed in a shady spot to callous for at least a week (it’s a good idea to treat both wounds with sulfur powder). Plant the offshoot in a small pot that contains a mix of 50% potting soil to 50% pumice and cover with a fine layer of grit to help hold it upright. Water right away but do not water again until the soil is completely dry to the touch. Check every couple of weeks for roots by tugging on it with tweezers or (tongs if it’s huge!). If you feel resistance then it has rooted! Note: Cooler months will require much less water.

ARE ALSO EASY TO GROW FROM SEED! Cacti seeds are larger than those of other succulents making them a little more forgiving when it comes to germination.

IMPROVES AIR QUALITY AND GIVES A BETTER NIGHT’S SLEEP! Cacti are said to bethe best at reducing radiation and bacteria. At night, they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen which helps give you the sweetest of dreams!

THEY COME IN BLUE. Need I say more? The glaucous blue coating on this Tephrocactus geometricus helps protect the plant from the elements by wicking away water and acts as a built-in sunscreen. Other examples of cacti with this blue hue includeMelocactus azureus,Myrtillocactus geometrizans ‘Blue Candle’, andMyrtillocactus geometrizans cristata.

SO THAT YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN FRANKENSTEIN PLANT. Grafting is by far one of the most interesting things that can be done with cacti. It is actually a way to quickly grow species that are naturally slow growers or don’t produce offsets . The top part (the scion) doesn’t have to waste energy growing roots when it is directly grafted onto a rootstock. Grafting is also done to help cultivar mutants such as theMoon Cactus to survive since they lack chlorophyll. The rootstock of this captivating plant is usually Hylocereus undatus (aka dragon fruit) which helps with photosynthesis. Without it, the brightlycolored, chlorophyll-lacking moon cactus wouldn’t be able to survive! LOW MAINTENANCE Cacti are masters at storing water so if you’re constantly busy (who isn’t?) or planning a vacation, they’ll be just fine until you return. The spines of a cactus are actually modified leaves so they, along with their waxy coating, work together to retain moisture for long periods of time.

If you’re looking for ways to liven up a space or add a bit of personality to your home, look no further than the fascinating cactus. Not only do they come in all shapes and sizes, they are seriously low maintenance too.

HOW TO PROPAGATE

your succulents

Succulents are the plants that keep on giving. In addition to being famously low-maintenance and endlessly charming, succulents will actually gift you with new plants. Propagation is the process of growing new plants from clippings or other plant parts. While many plants can propagate, succulents spawn easily and generously.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the different methods of propagation, you can experiment! Be patient if you’re just learning to propagate succulents, as there is always a bit of a learning curve. While we aim to provide you with the best information possible to be successful, every individual will have different experiences when propagating. The more you practice, the more likely you’ll be successful!

STEM

Some leaves will pop right off with a gentle tug, while others may require a sharp knife. Using clean hands or a sterile knife, remove a healthy leaf from the base of the plant, ensuring that an entire, undamaged leaf is removed. Once removed, let the leaf heal in a warm area with bright light for about four days to allow the “wound” to callous over. After the leaf has calloused, prepare a new planter with soil, wet it, and place the leaf on top of the soil for propagation. Use a spray bottle to mist your leaves when the soil is dry. Be sure to keep them in a warm place with plenty of bright light, but not direct sun. They need to be kept moist and warm. Within three weeks or so, little roots and leaves will begin to sprout! It could take a few months before a succulent gets big enough for repotting (photos above are after about 8 weeks). You’ll know it’s time when the leaf eventually turns brown and falls off. This means the succulent has taken all of the nutrients from the leaf and no longer needs it.

Propagating with stem cuttings works best with plants that have “branches” or rosette-shaped succulents that have stretched out on a long stem. This process is most successful if done when the succulent is about to begin its active growth period, either at the end of a dormant period (winter), or at the beginning of a growth period (spring) to give the succulent the best chance for survival. To take a proper cutting from a succulent that has branches, you’ll need a sharp, sterilized knife or razor blade. Choose a stem that is relatively short to ensure it is active and growing, hold the stem as close to the base as possible, then use your knife or razor blade to cut it cleanly from the parent plant. If the stem is damaged at all during this process, you’ll likely need a new cutting. The branch will need to heal for about four days before it is repotted. Once repotted, give the plant plenty of bright light and barely water, and it will root itself in its new planter in about four weeks.

LEAF

Propagating with leaf cuttings is the process of removing an active, healthy leaf from a mature succulent plant and using it to grow a new plant. This propagation method works well with succulents that have plump, fleshy leaves like echeveria because the leaves are easy to pop off cleanly.

Rosette-shaped succulents can also be propagated with stem cuttings when they begin to grow a long stem from maturity or lack of sunlight. The rosette can be cut off with a sharp, sterile knife, leaving a short stem to enable repotting. Allow the cut rosette to callous for about four days to prevent rotting and disease when it’s repotted. The long stem from which the rosette was removed will continue to form new leaves, so leave it potted or planted as it was, and barely water until new growth appears from the stem.

OFFSET

Propagating succulents with offsets is a great way to grow your collection because the parent plant has already done the majority of the work for you. Offsets, are the little succulents that sprout up around the base of the parent plant. These occur when roots bearing leaf clusters, shoot out from the mature plant and develop into a new succulent. Pups can also occur on the leaves of some succulents, like the Pink Butterfly Kalanchoe. You can use the offsets from either location to grow a new, individual plant. To divide offsets from the base of the parent plant, brush away the top soil until roots are visible, and gently pull them apart while preserving as many roots as possible. More mature offsets will have already developed their own root systems, but if the offsets are still connected to the parent plant by a stem, simply use a clean, sharp knife to cut them apart. Brush old soil from the offsets’ roots, and let them dry out for a couple of days in a warm place with plenty of indirect light to prevent rot and disease when repotted. Once they’ve calloused over and healed, prepare new planters with cactus/succulent soil, wet it, place the succulent in a shallow hole, and fill in the hole to stabilize the plant. Separating offsets from leaves of the parent plant can be achieved by simply pulling them off or using a sharp knife. Be sure your knife or hands are clean, so bacteria is not transferred to the plant or offset. If using a knife, make a clean cut where the offset meets the mature plant. Without a knife, gently tug on the offset, wiggling it from side to side until it pops off cleanly. Once removed, let these offsets dry out for a couple of days, so they can callous over. When they’re healed, fill a planter with soil, wet it, and place the pups on top of the soil. Within a few weeks, they will begin forming roots!

Propagating succulents with seeds is typically the slowest way to grow new plants, but if you have the time and patience, give it a try! Seeds of mature plants are located in the swollen base of the flower, and they can be collected when the succulent is done flowering. In some instances, the seed will be an orange-colored dust, which can be slightly more difficult to propagate with. Whether collecting seeds from a mature plant or buying seeds to use, always use fresh, dry seeds in the beginning of spring to give them a long growing period before winter dormancy.

SEEDS

Propagating succulents on your own is a simple, and cost effective way to grow your collection without spending a bunch of money. In the most basic terms, propagation is the act of taking an element of a mature succulent and using that element to grow a new plant. It can be done by using the offsets, leaf cuttings, stem cuttings, or seeds from a mature plant. Propagating succulents is typically a very simple process, however some plants are more difficult to propagate than others. Take a look at the 4 basic ways of propagating succulents below to decide which method you’d like to try!

“Propagating succulents is a perfect project for beginning and advanced gardeners alike, as very little is required to yield rewarding results,” says Nadine Kremblas, the Living Arts Lead and resident succulent evangelist at Pistils Nursery, a specialty plant shop in Portland, Oregon.

First, prepare a planter with cactus/succulent soil, water it thoroughly, then soak your seeds in warm water for about 30 minutes to loosen up the seed coat. Once soaked and softened, spread the seeds on top of the prepared soil, keeping spaces between them to allow growth. Next, cover the seeds with just enough, like sand or sifted cactus/ succulent soil, without burying them. Use a spray bottle to water the seeds daily with a fine mist, only allowing the top surface to dry out between waterings. Keep the planter in a warm environment, anywhere from 75-80ºF. A fun trick is to cover the planter with clear plastic of some kind to create a greenhouse effect. This will keep the seeds moist and warm, and it’s a great option for those in cool or dry climates. The seeds will begin to germinate in about two weeks, and after about six weeks, you should be able to water about every other day.

Need to Know’s Before Planting Your Succulents

Remove Your Pot and Soil

Place Mesh Over the Drainage Hole

The first step of successful succulent planting is to get rid of the nursery pot and remove as much soil as you can. Nurseries almost always plant their succulents in soil that’s way too dense and retains too much water. The more of this nursery soil you’re able to get rid of, the healthier your succulent’s roots will be. You may not be able to get all the soil off without damaging the roots, and that’s totally fine. Just get rid of as much as you can while being gentle on your succulent.

Although a drainage hole is important for the health of your succulent, you don’t want your soil to fall out of it. Use some mesh tape to prevent the biggest chunks of soil from falling out.

If you’re planting your succulent by itself, you’ll want to leave the roots intact as much as possible. On the other hand, if you’re putting together an arrangement with several succulents, you might want to break off some of the roots. Getting rid of some roots won’t create any big problems–your succulent will survive just fine either way. And, if you’re lucky enough to have babies attached to your main plant, now is a good time to remove them if you’d like.

Mesh tape works well because it allows for water to flow out easily, but will still hold in most of the soil. You’ll probably get some “dust” falling out, but that’s normal. If you want, you can also use a mesh screen instead of the mesh tape. Fill Your Pot Almost to the Top Before you place your succulent in the pot you’ve chosen, fill it almost (but not quite) to the top with succulent soil. Leave a little bit of room at the top, so the roots will have a comfortable fit, and you’ll be able to add more soil later on. Place Your Succulent Now it’s time to add your succulent to the planter! You can plant it–centered or off-center, whichever you’d like. Nestle some of the roots into the soil, so they’ll get as a bit of a head start on growth.

Fill the Pot All the Way to the Top Now it’s time to fill up the pot. You want to leave just a tiny bit of room between the top of the soil and top of the pot. Make sure the leaves of the succulent sit completely above the soil, to prevent rotting. If you’ve purchased soil from Bonsai Jack, you’ll have an awesome chopstick that’s great for poking your soil over and over, which will help remove any large pockets of air between the roots. This will help prevent your soil from sinking down after a few watering’s. Add a Top Dressing To finish off your potted succulent, add a top dressing. This is why you left a little bit of room at the top of your pot. The top dressing can be something bright and fun or a simple gravel, like I used here. As you add your top dressing, press down on the soil to help the succulent stay in place. Most important!!! Once your succulent is potted and the top dressing is in place, let it sit for one to two days before you water it. This resting period will give the roots time to heal before they start soaking up water, which helps prevent root rot.

Rustic Planters

And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all there is to it! Pretty simple, right? The most common mistakes I see in potting are

a) not removing the soil from the roots b) forgetting to add a top dressing c) watering too soon.

Follow the steps above, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll avoid these common problems, and get a great start on your healthy succulent garden!

Old watering can on top of a piece of wood.

Planted on drift wood. with sea glass and a piece of metal.

A cut wine bottle, with a stand.

Succulents Succulents are plants that store water in their stems, roots, and leaves. There are about 60 different plant families within the group of succulents, including aloe, haworthia, sedum, sempervivum, and of course, cacti. Cacti are fleshy plants that store water, making them part of this group. Therefore, all cacti are succulents. Succulents feature thick, fleshy leaves that hold water and nutrients during times of drought. Their root structures are typically shallow and close to the surface or the soil to absorb as much moisture as possible. Many types of succulents are equipped with ribs, allowing them to expand in order to hold more water and also get smaller to reduce the surface area exposed to the sun. There are also a number of internal chemical processes that can help the plant retain water. Some succulents are often mistaken for cacti because they have thorns or spines, but these characteristics do not automatically qualify a succulent as a cactus. The areoles are the key to distinguishing the two. Without areoles, the succulent cannot be a cactus.

Cacti Cacti are simply a family, or subcategory within the group of plants collectively known as succulents. They range from tall and thin to short and round, and they usually do not have leaves or branches. In order for a succulent plant to be considered a cactus, the plant must have areoles. Areoles are small, round, cushionlike mounds of flesh where spines, hair, leaves, flowers, and more grow from the cactus. Areoles are only present on cacti, not all succulents. A defining feature of cacti is yet another way succulents can hold their moisture. A waxy, fuzzy, or spiny outer surface creates a microhabitat of humidity that reduces air movement around the plant and helps it to stay cool and hydrated. (These spines are also a helpful tool to protect against predators.) The cactus’s spines form in clusters on each areole, which is an often dark-colored bump on the surface of the plant. The areoles developed as a kind of branch from the main plant.

It seems pretty straight forward, right? Well, there is a small grey area when distinguishing succulents from cacti. Scientifically, cacti are considered succulents, yet some botanists and horticulturists categorize the two differently. Botanists categorize cacti as succulents, where as some horticulturists exclude cacti from succulents. We just wanted to cover all of the bases but in general…all cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.

What’s The Real Difference? Yes, they can look very different, but considering the fact that both flourish in dry climates and neither requires much water to survive, we shouldn’t be surprised that they are related. But the two plants have much more in common than their drought tolerance and heat-loving nature.

10 Things You Never Knew About Succulents

To say succulents are having a moment right now would be an understatement. But since they’re extremely easy to care for, come in just about every color, and are so very cute, we think their popularity is long overdue. Before you pick up your next stonecrop or agave plant, here’s what you should know:

Just another reason why these plants are so easy to maintain. (If you do experience issues and your succulent is outside, you may be dealing with scale or aphids. If it’s inside, the problem could be fungus gnats, mealybugs, woolly aphids, or spider mites.)

You can use succulent cuttings to grow new plants.

Succulents are often confused for cacti.

There’s a succulent named after a donkey’s tail.

A Christmas cactus is basically a succulent poinsettia.

Succulents originate from dry, desert locations. Succulents first cropped up in areas with long dry seasons (such as Africa), since they store water in t heir leaves. They get their name from their thick, sap-filled leaves. Succulent comes from the Latin word “sucus,” which means juice or sap. It’s also a nod to the nourishing leaves that help these plants survive in extremely warm conditions (aka you only have to water yours once a week, since they thrive in sunlight and dry air).

Approximately 60 different plant families contain succulents. Including families like Cactaceae (cacti) and Xanthorrhoeaeceae (which is also home to aloe vera).

You can find ‘em in just about every color of the rainbow. Shades of green are a given — but you can also find succulents that are blue, purple, pink, orange, and red!

Generally, succulents are pest resistant.

It’s called “propagating.” To do this, snip off a succulent leaf, let it dry in the sun, and plant it in dirt and water.

Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. What makes a cactus a cactus: Its thorns, which is basically its version of leaves.

And it’s surprisingly sophisticated, don’t you think?

They bloom just in time for Christmas, which is the reason for their very festive name.

10. Succulent jewelry is a thing and it grows as you wear it.

Since these plants are so low-maintenance, you can show off your green thumb on your wrist, ears, or fingers for weeks at a time.

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