by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
Succulents are hot on the minds of eager spring planters, according to owners of area greenhouses.
Succulent plants are those that have parts that are fleshy and thickened, allowing them to hold and store water in arid climates and soil conditions. The most typical ones most people would know are cacti, jade plants, aloe vera and hens-and-chicks.
Most succulents have an almost strange, alien, exotic beauty with waxy colors that include purple, lime green, red-oranges and yellows. Their textures and patterns are also stunning and in some cases resemble reptilian scales from some primitive species.
Aileen Gebhardt of Sauk Rapids, who works at Fairview Gardens greenhouse near Sauk Rapids, said people seem to be favoring succulents partly because they are so tolerant of heat and periods of drought. They can be planted in ground beds, but many people have begun to plant them in various kinds of containers, sometimes a combination of containers, such as three ceramic pots of varying sizes that can be displayed together, such as on a deck. Succulents also do well inside a house or apartment, by a sunny window.
Another reason for the popularity of succulents is many people, such as apartment dwellers, do not have any room for any kind of garden or flower bed. Succulents look attractive on an apartment balcony and require minimal care.
“Oh, yes, succulents are really big this year,” said JoAnn Fleischhacker of Albany, who works at Thomsens Garden Center, northwest of St. Joseph. Fleischhacker has been a retail buyer for Thomsens for 18 years, and so far this year succulents have become so popular the greenhouse has in stock all kinds of new and exotic kinds of them.
“They’re great for container gardening,” she said. “They can be used as a form of miniature gardening, in smaller pots outside or inside as house plants.”
Both Gebhardt and Fleischhacker said supertunias have become very popular because of their variety of stunning colors – everything from black to white and just about any color in between. Supertunias are smaller forms of regular petunias, with prolific masses of blooms all over the rather compact plants, which “trail” down over the edges of planting containers, such as on deck railings.
As in every early spring, Gebhardt has been greeting many eager beavers who come to the greenhouse, champing at the bit to start their planting. She has to keep reminding them, however, not to plant too. It’s too cool to plant most vegetables, and many annual flowers cannot tolerate overnight cold if it gets down in the 30s. It’s best to wait until mid-May to plant most flowers and probably until the end of May to start putting in a vegetable garden, although some cool weather crops can be planted as seeds, such as peas and carrots.
Some customers, especially new ones, are filled with questions about gardening and flower planting. The staff members at both Thomsens and Fairview are eager to help them make their selections once they discover what customers have as far as sunny or shady planting areas or the kinds of containers they would like if planning to do container plantings.
Many people new to planting decide to do just a few pots filled with flowers, grasses or accent green plants. A typical planting container, for example, could include a tall spike plant, a geranium and white alyssum. Such a combo planting will give height (the spike plant), color and volume (the red geranium) and contrast (the white alyssum).
Other perennially popular choices at area greenhouses are hanging baskets, begonias, wave petunias and perennials like hostas, tall grasses, cornflowers, astilbes and sedum (a succulent).
Newcomers to planting should not hesitate to ask greenhouse employees lots of questions. A few tips to keep in mind:
- Annuals are plants or flowers that grow for just one growing season.
- Perennials are those that grow year after year in the same place, such as hostas along the foundations of a house.
- Use well-drained soil or commercial potting soil when planting in containers as all plants and flowers cannot thrive if soil is waterlogged. Planting containers must contain a hole or two for water to drain out of.
- If using hanging baskets, be sure to check them every day to see if the soil is moist. They can dry out extremely fast in warm weather. Water them until the water is pouring out of their bottoms.
- It’s a good idea to use a water-soluble fertilizer once a week on plants and flowers. Otherwise, scritch into the soil those time-release fertilizer beads.
- Always read carefully the directions that come with plants, flowers and gardening supplies and then follow those directions carefully.
Callie Holden of Sauk Rapids examines a succulents planter at Fairway Gardens in rural Sauk Rapids. With her are her husband, Brian Wickens and daughter Maggie.
Sartell friends Helen Gehrts (left) and Luby Hollenhorst enjoy the beauty of red daisies at Fairview Gardens greenhouse in rural Sauk Rapids.
Betty Hansen (left) and Veronica Lauer, both of Albany, transplant “Dreams Midnight” petunia seedlings into growing pots at Thomsen Garden Center near St. Joseph.
Stacy Kalthoff, a horticulturist who lives in Albany, carts a bunch of flowers to the sales portion of Thomsen Garden Center near St. Joseph.
Ridge Campbell, a grower and ecology major from Monticello, waters begonias at Thomsen Garden Center near St. Joseph.
Sloan Quinn of Darwin puts the finishing touches on her fairy garden recently at Fairview Gardens in Sauk Rapids. She made her fairy garden along with her mother, Regan, at the greenhouse and grandmother, Deni Lorenz of St. Cloud, who is Regan’s mother, Sloan’s grandmother. It was a special day for all three because it was Deni’s 68th birthday.
Succulent plants can be adapted to virtually any kind of container, including in these two wine bottles.
Succulents have a wildly brambly, exotic appearance, which is reminiscent of plants found in desert areas. Succulents, because of their thick fleshy leaves, hold water well, even in drought conditions.
Succulents can make good indoor plants or can be used in gardens or containers outdoors.
