Hello guys! It's been an exciting few days around the Garcia Homestead here lately! We've been harvesting the ends of our summer veggies and starting our fall planters in the greenhouse. A few days ago I decided to throw some extra money in the bank to go flower shopping, and keep myself on a budget! Ha, I have a hard time with that thing called a 'budget' when it comes to my flower buying. I've order new hanging planters and more succulent/cacti soil along with a basket of String of Pearls. I've always wanted a huge basket of String of Pearls for as long as I can remember, and I've had several of gardening pen-pals send me great cuttings off of theirs, but I've never been able to get them started and keep them going. It's the only plant I've found that I have such a hard time propagating. So, I broke down and just ordered one. I never see any in the nurseries or stores in my area, ordering is my only choice.
As for the new things, I've decided to try my hand at growing some succulents and cacti from seed. I don't know if you know this about me, but I am addicted to Kalanchoe plants, of all kinds. I'm seriously on a life mission to have every variety I can possibly get my hands on. Right now I have almost every color of the Christmas Kalanchoe, Longiflora, Chocolate Solider Panda Plant, Mother of Millions, Paddle Plant and a Variegated Lavender Scallops. But, I need more! So, I ordered some seed through a buyer on Etsy - after doing much research on the site, the seller and the seed, I've made my share of bad internet buying decisions. I ordered several different things from this seller because she had amazing reviews and I know people who have ordered from her and they were quite satisfied.
The first thing I order is a pack of seed that are a mix of 15 different Kalanchoe varieties - including: thyrsiflora, rotundifolia, grandiflora, luciae, and pinnata Kalanchoe.
Next on the list I got some Venus Flytrap Seed and a mix of different Agave species. There's no indication as to what kinds are in the mix, but seller says that they will be marked when I get them so, hopefully! And, last but not nearly least, Hens and Chicks seed in a mixed variety. Again, I don't know what kinds but they should be marked when I get them. OH! I almost forgot! The cacti seed! Again, it's just a mix that should be marked when I get them, but the pictures of the different varieties were very pretty so I was sold on that alone. I like almost all cacti, so it's hard to imagine I'll be disappointed in them either way.
I have never tried succulent and cacti from seed. I don't have problems with any other kind of plant, and most things I grow at this point I grow from seed. But these I will be doing indoor since winter is creeping just around the corner. No sense in starting them anywhere else. I've got my fingers crossed that all will go well, and if it does, I should have plenty to share with all my gardening pen-pals!
I've already come to own a lot of succulents in the past few weeks. But they just add to my indoor and front porch jungles, haha! As I sign off for the night, I'll leave you with pictures of my Kalanchoe varieties. And, head over to our youtube channel, Samantha's Succulents and Plants, for our newest video, a top 10 of succulents I'm currently growing. We only have one video up right now, I'm just getting that started and planning for the next video to be an unboxing of some new things from The Succulent Source! But, I'll be on top of it, adding lots of new content in the next couple of days. Including, hopefully a garden tour of the homestead!
Until next time, here are all my Kalanchoe! Love these girls!
This is the time of year gardens in this area look their best, in my opinion. Right now, in the later days of August, I have many things rooting and propagating. Either for more additions to my gardens of things I really like, or to give as gifts and in exchanges. I love being able to multiply and share what I already have going.
This is my huuuuge christmas kalanchoe that has grown so much it's falling out of its pot! I have about 10 of these growing for other people. and I've taken about 10 babies out and replanted them in different places. Some in pots and some in the gardens. These have always done great, indoors and out, for me.
These are just a few of the kalanchoe plants being propagated for exchanges.
This is my little garden buddy, well one of them. He loves to watch whatever I'm doing with a very inquisitive stare, like this one, ha!
Zinnias are always long lived here in the south. These probably need re-potting badly, but I haven't quite gotten around to that yet. I save all my seed that I can get from my Zinnias. I love having them ready to go once the spring rolls around and not having to go out shopping for them. I try to save seed from everything that I can honestly.
I love Dahlia's. I can't even express how much. These are a dwarf variety, and the plants have stayed slap full of blooms all season long. Grasshoppers have started eating on them now, and I'm trying everything to run them off, at least to something I don't love as much as I do these!
This is an African Milk Tree. They are new to me this year, but they seem to be doing pretty good. I got them as cuttings and was a little worried about them at first, they seemed to take so long to root. But, they've now got roots holding them firmly in their home and have had new growth spurts, so hopefully all is well with them.
I've had hit and miss luck with Gerbera Daisies this year. I had approx 25 of them at the start of the season, 9 are left now, and only about 5 look really good. This is one of those 5. It's beautiful though. I really didn't remember these being such finicky plants. My mom used to use them everywhere. But, I haven't had the luck she did, sadly.
This is something else new to me this year. Ice plants. But I'm officially hooked on them, and can not get enough! I started with this one that I bought on sale, for $1 because the garden center of Lowe's had almost let it die. And it came back and has thrived! To the point that I've bought 6 more lol.
Petunias and Creeping Jenny. Both of these have done really good this year. Petunias are starting to fade out a bit, I think the heat might be getting to them at this point. I know it's getting to me!
A few garden views:
As always, August sunsets never fail to impress. I will end this blog entry with tonight splendid sunset!
Sunpatiens:
I have always loved Impatiens, but have little to no shade for them, so I've always had them in pots around on the porch. But these have been amazing! Larger than the impatiens I'm used to - but lovely as can be. They've been super easy growers in the heat and humidity. All the rain hasn't affected them like some of the other stuff I have.
Vinca Flowers:
I fell in love with these this year, but due to all the never ending rain they've been hard to grown in the beds. However, I moved them all to pots so that I could have the option to move them out of the rain, and they've done great. I'll have to remember that next year.
Desert Rose:
Propagated these from one that my aunt has grown for 30+ years. It's massive and blooms with no end. I'm hoping I can do as well with these guys as she has with hers. I've kept them potted due to all the rain we've been getting this summer - an abnormal amount. They've been growing well all summer so hopes that I can make it through the winter with them inside!
Flax Lily:
Probably my favorite new addition. I planted 15 of these at the start of the season and I love everything about them. Super easy to take care of and not picky about anything. Some I have are in full shade, some are in full sun. I love the foliage these guys have, and they are getting quite large now.
Asiatic Lily
These I have always loved. I've admired my mom's for years. So at the beginning of the season I bought and planted 10 of them. Well, I don't have the luck my mom does with them. All but one have died, and the one lone survivor looks as though it's on it's last leg as of right now. Not sure what happened with them, but I'm sure I'll try again next year.
A few of my views:
