By Beatrice Hawkins
When I connected to the internet today the first thing I saw was “how to propagate plants”! Not the news of the world or the latest sporting event or the latest gossip about the royals or movie stars. I like this idea – something nice to look at instead of murder and mayhem!
So I read further and it was four steps to propagating succulents.
Firstly, find a plant you would like to have more of and with sharp shears take a cutting with plenty of leaves at least 3 inches long. Alternatively, as succulents will grow from individual leaves, simply twist leaves cleanly from the stem.
Put the cuttings and leaves, cut side up, on quick draining soil in the sunlight and leave for a few days to callus over.
After this happens spray with water several times until everything is wet. Repeat every time the soil is dry, about every few days. Soon you will see tiny roots beginning to appear from the cut surfaces – be patient and keep watering!
After six or so weeks these will develop tiny ‘pups’. Now it is time to pot these tiny plants on, continue looking after them and soon they will be ready to put in the garden where you want them to grow.
Succulents are great garden plants for our area as they require little water and with permanent water restrictions in place this is something we really need to consider.
There is such a diversity of these plants, providing different sizes and colours, from bright lime green to blues, pinks and almost chocolate black, and many interesting leaf shapes.
In an area in Manilla, NSW, a friend covered a very steep, exposed, west-facing, infertile roadside bank with them and they looked spectacular. It was an area where nothing else would grow and hold the limited amount of soil – not even Kikuyu! With the succulents it was transformed to provide an absolute delight to the senses with different colours, flowers and shapes. They are tough, hardy plants that certainly have a place in gardens in our area.
I have an area in my yard where once I got lovely morning sun and clematis thrived on a frame up the wall. A few feet away against a fence, I grew hydrangeas and azaleas on top of a retaining wall.
Unfortunately a neighbour has grown a very tall hedge on his side of the fence and this has stopped all but a very limited amount of sunlight as it passes directly overhead, so I have to find some shade-loving plants for this area. Suggestions welcome. Definitely not an area for succulents!
A busload of eager gardeners enjoyed a trip to Esk to the annual garden and craft event and came home tired but happy on Saturday June 16th. A great range of stalls, informative talks and interesting items and garden ideas were showcased, providing a great day out for anyone interested in all things gardening.
One lucky traveller picked up a bromeliad she has been trying to find for many years. To say she is delighted with her purchase is a huge understatement – congratulations Lynne!
The next event for the Horticultural Society is the Garden Extravaganza held as part of the Jumpers and Jazz Festival during the last week of July. The Extravaganza is held in St Mary’s Hall, Wood Street on Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th July.
A great range of stalls will be available to peruse and get garden and decorating ideas, from art work to plants and garden ornaments, fertilisers and mulches – all in the hall and out of the weather! Everything you need to know about and care for your gardens.
To keep you going while you do all this, the Society, at a small cost, will be providing light lunches of nourishing soups and crusty bread and morning and afternoon teas with barista coffees and delightful sweet treats to tantalise your taste buds. For a break from the main street and a relief for your feet, come and check out the Extravaganza!
*This is an old article that has been digitised so our readers have access to our full catalogue.
