VIDEO: How to Make Kokedama ๐ชด- Growing Joy with Maria
Join Laura from @gardenanswer as she ventures into the greenhouse and guides us through the repotting process of her young geraniums and a stunningly large Kumquat tree. Along the way, Laura shares valuable plant care advice.
For this task, Laura uses Espoma Organic Potting Soil Mix for her geraniums and Cactus Mix for the Kumquat tree, ensuring an optimal growing environment for her plants. To nourish and promote the growth of her green friends, she mixes inย Espoma Organic Flower-tone and Citrus-tone to provide the essential nutrients her plants need to flourish.
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Succulents are controversial plants in the houseplant community. The trouble with succulents is that they’re often described as โimpossible to kill.โ This sets up unrealistic expectationsโwhen the inevitable happens and they die, it only reinforces the idea that you’re a failure at plant parenting.ย
This blog is inspired by Episode 190 of the Growing Joy with Maria Podcast, where host Maria Failla interviewed succulent expert Andrea of Justsuccit.com to give you tips for growing happy, healthy succulents inside your home.
One very common misconception is that when a succulent starts stretching or etiolating, meaning growing leggy and elongated, that it’s happy and thriving. Actually, the opposite is trueโstretching is a sign that the desperate succulent is searching for more sunlight!
So why do succulents die? There are three main reasons:
Caring for succulents isn’t extremely complicated, but you do need to get a few key things right.
Before watering, check the soil
When it comes to water, always check the soil moisture first by sticking your finger in the pot. Wait until the soil is completely dry and the plant looks thirsty before watering again. When you do water, give the plant a thorough, deep drink until water drains from the bottom. Then allow the plant to almost fully dry out before repeating.
Place your succulents in direct sunlight
Providing adequate sunlight is critical for succulents to maintain their compact shape and vivid colors. Varieties with more intense colors require more light. Outdoor full sun is ideal, but indoors, you’ll need a bright southern-facing window or grow lights.
Place your succulents in fast-draining soil
Succulents require a fast-draining medium like Espoma Organics Cactus Mix to prevent root rot, but you can create your own by amending regular potting soil with perlite, pumice, or bark. One thingโalways use containers with drainage holes! Without drainage, you’re just asking for trouble.
Feeding your succulents
While succulents don’t need frequent feeding, giving them a nutritional boost during their growing season can be beneficial. Espoma Organic Cactus! provides essential proteins enhanced with kelp extracts, humic acids, and microbes in a balanced form suitable for indoor succulents.
Succulent Propagation
Propagating succulents is fun and helps them multiply. The easiest method for beginners is leaf propagation.
Carefully twist off fresh leaves with the base still attached. Let the end callus over in a dry spot, then look for baby plantlets or roots emerging as a sign of growth. Once the mother leaf shrivels up, plant the baby in your fast-draining soil and water a bit more frequently than mature plants.
Beginner Friendly vs Advanced Succulents
Some succulents are easier to care for than others. Beginner-friendly plants include:
More challenging “advanced” succulents include:
What have you learned? With some specialized care related to water, sunlight, and soil medium, you can absolutely grow succulents indoors. Understand their needs, make adjustments, and you’ll stop killing them in no time. Be mindful and patientโtheir adaptations can teach us important life lessons. Open your heart and let your succulents embrace you!
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Join Kaleb from Wyse Guide as he shows you how to plant shallots in his raised bed for a bountiful spring harvest. Following that, watch as he visits his mother’s garden to collect the last of this season’s crops including sweet potatoes!
In the video below, Kaleb enhances his raised garden bed using Espoma Organic Raised Bed Mix, Chicken Manure, and Bulb-tone, creating optimal growing conditions for the shallots.
Learn more about Wyse Guide here:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/WyseGuide
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyseGuide/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WyseGuide/
Website: https://www.wyseguide.com/
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Everyone knows the classic red rose, but how about mocha-colored roses, or even purple? Follow along with Summer from ย Flock Finger Lakes as she uses a variety of Espoma Organic products, like Rose-tone, and Espoma Organic Land & sea Gourmet Compost to transform a once-weedy bed into a beautiful rose patch!
Learn more about Flock Finger Lakes here:
Website: flockfingerlakes.com
Instagram โ @flockfingerlakes
YouTube โFlock Finger Lakes
Twitter โ @flockny
Facebook โFlock Finger Lakes
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Looking to add a tropical touch to your patio or indoor space? Dive into Summer Rayne Oakes‘ latest video where she shares her top citrus care tips as she plants a Calamondin orange tree. While this delightful citrus hybrid isn’t naturally suited for colder climates, it flourishes when potted under the right conditions.
For the perfect growing medium, Summer chooses Espoma Organic Potting Soil Mix for her citrus tree. To ensure it receives all the essential nutrients, she incorporates Citrus-tone Organic fertilizer into the pot, setting her new Calamondin orange tree on the path to thrive in its fresh new planter.
Learn more about Summer Rayne Oakes here:
Website: homesteadbrooklyn.com
YouTube: @summerrayneoakes
Facebook: facebook.com/homesteadbrooklyn
Instagram: instagram.com/homesteadbrooklyn
Twitter (X): twitter.com/sroakes
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Join Summer from Homestead Brooklyn & Flock Finger Lakes as she plants a garden bed designed for continual 4-season interest. Summer introduces multiple plant varieties that maintain vibrant colors throughout the year.
For her plants that require more acidic conditions, Summer uses Espoma Organic Soil Acidifier to help lower soil pH. She also enriches the soil with Espoma Organic Mushroom Compost, which will add organic material and essential nutrients to help her new plants thrive.ย We also recommend using Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus at the time of planting to provide the essential nutrients plants need to establish successfully.
Learn more about Flock Finger Lakes here:
Website: flockfingerlakes.com
Instagram โ @flockfingerlakes
YouTube โFlock Finger Lakes
Twitter (X) โ @flockny
Facebook โFlock Finger Lakes
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Join Kaleb Wyse of Wyse Guide as he shares his top tips for overwintering plants that are potted in outdoor containers. Not one to let a pot sit empty, Kaleb demonstrates a fantastic way to repurpose it for the fall season โ by crafting a vibrant pumpkin arrangement.
When it comes to the transplant process, Kaleb trustsย Espoma Organic Potting Soil Mix to ensure his plants have the best growing medium as they transition indoors for the colder months.ย
Learn more about Wyse Guide here:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/WyseGuide
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyseGuide/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WyseGuide/
Website: https://www.wyseguide.com/
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Join Summer Rayne Oakes of Homestead Brooklyn and Plant One On Me as she revitalizes her patio with fresh potted plants.
For the optimum growing medium, Summer uses a blend of Espoma Organic Potting Soil Mix and Perlite. Summer uses Espoma’s Bonsai Mix as a soil topper to add a decorative touch.
Learn more about Summer Rayne Oakes here:
Website: homesteadbrooklyn.com
YouTube: @summerrayneoakes
Facebook: facebook.com/homesteadbrooklyn
Instagram: instagram.com/homesteadbrooklyn
Twitter (X): twitter.com/sroakes
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Join Laura and Aaron from Garden Answer as they showcase their newest gardening project. While Aaron, Laura’s husband, is busy planting new trees, Laura adds a new selection of vibrant perennials to her garden beds.
To ensure her plants get a strong start, Laura trusts Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus. It provides the essential nutrients plants need to thrive in their new setting. When it comes to tree planting, adding a layer of Espoma Organic Land & Sea Compost will help to enrich the native soil. It contains a rich blend of the finest natural ingredients and is enhanced with crab & lobster shells from the sea along with a blend of mycorrhizae, to help build strong roots and retain moisture.
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