About succulents
Succulents are plants that store water in their leaves or stems, which means they can handle periods without rainfall without missing a beat. They usually have thick, waxy leaves that help reduce water loss - which is exactly why they suit our long, dry summers so well. They come in fabulous colours and shapes, and some produce striking flowers when conditions are right.
Making a succulent bowl
Fill a bowl of your choice with a good quality cactus and succulent potting mix - available from most nurseries and garden centres. Avoid using soil straight from the garden or adding sand to a standard mix; fine-grained sand can actually reduce drainage and cause the mix to compact, which is the opposite of what succulents need. Their roots must never sit in wet soil for long - no-one likes a soggy bottom!
- Start with a single plant - usually the largest or most eye-catching. Remove it from its pot by turning it upside down into your hand and easing off the pot. Place it in the centre of your bowl.
- Plant around the edges using a mix of varieties for texture and colour. Don't worry about spacing them too generously - succulents can tolerate being close together and you want a lush, layered look.
- Fill any gaps with potting mix and finish with a layer of gravel or aquarium stones to keep the surface tidy and help retain a little moisture around the roots.
Light and position
Succulents need good light, but full sun all day is too much - particularly for rosette types like echeverias, which can scorch or bleach in harsh afternoon sun. A spot that gets morning sun and is shaded from the hottest part of the afternoon is ideal for most varieties. Indoors, a position with bright indirect light works well.
If you're moving a bowl from indoors to outside, or planting up a new arrangement, introduce it to sun gradually rather than placing it straight into a full-sun position. Newly planted succulents haven't yet established the root system to cope with heat stress.
Watering
Succulents are genuinely low maintenance when it comes to water, but they do still need some care. The leaf test is a handy way to gauge when it's time: gently squeeze a leaf. If it feels firm and plump, the plant is well hydrated and can wait. If it feels slightly soft, flexible or is beginning to wrinkle, it's ready for a drink. Avoid watering if leaves feel mushy - that's a sign of too much water, not too little.
When you do water, do it thoroughly so moisture reaches the roots, then let the mix dry out completely before watering again. Water in the early morning rather than during the heat of the day.
In winter, when rainfall takes over, keep an eye on bowls left outdoors. Lift pots off the ground so they aren't sitting in pooled water after rain - root rot is the main risk for succulents over the wetter months.
A few plant suggestions to get you started:
- Echeveria - Emerald Ripple, Big Red, Blue Metal, Topsy Turvy
- Sedum rubrotinctum - Jellybean
- Disphyma crass. sp clavellatum - Pigface Round Baby
- Kalanchoe thyrsiflora - Bronze Sculpture
- Crassula erosula - Crassula Campfire
- Aeonium - Short Black
- Sedum cremnosedum - Little Gem
- Sedum spathulifolium - Stonecrop Purple Blob
Sources: succulentart.com.au; seasol.com.au
