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Year-round gardening: Gardening for busy people

By July 8, 2023 | updated 3 years ago

succulent garden.jpg
Succulents can store water in leaves and/or stems, enabling them to survive drought and thus be more tolerant of periods of neglect.
Debra Stinton Othitis, Colorado Master Gardener

Growing succulents might be the perfect way to satisfy the gardening urges of the frequent business traveler who is away from home for extended periods or an otherwise busy person with little time for gardening.

A friend told me recently that she could not have a garden or a pet because her job requires her to be away from home for long periods of time. While I couldn’t offer her a satisfactory way to include a pet into her lifestyle, I was able to offer a suggestion for a way she could garden: growing succulent plants.

Succulents are plants that can store water in leaves and/or stems, enabling them to survive drought. This characteristic enables the plants to be more tolerant of periods of neglect. The leaves may shrink or pucker, but when watered they will swell up and recover quickly.

In addition to tolerating low water, succulents tolerate poor or shallow soils, windy conditions, steep slopes and rapid changes in temperature. In fact, succulents thrive in these common Colorado conditions.

Succulents require minimum maintenance, little training, and no staking or severe pruning. Succulents are not troubled much by pests. Fungal or bacterial rots in succulents can almost always be prevented by maintaining adequate cultural conditions, such as bright light and proper (limited) watering. The high moisture content makes succulent plants a great choice for fire-wise planting. They do not ignite easily.

Best of all, succulents are beautiful. They come in many shapes, textures and colors and can be easily transplanted and propagated. There are many succulent choices, including over 35 varieties of hen & chicks (Sempervivum ), and about 400 species of stonecrop (Sedum).

Follow these simple guidelines to be successful with growing succulents in your garden beds or patio containers:

• Start with that old gardening adage when choosing your succulents: Right plant, right place.

• Select varieties that are suited for zones 4-6.

• Expose to sun gradually after purchasing them since many are grown under indirect light and need time to be hardened off before being planted in direct sunlight.

• Provide good drainage so that their roots don’t remain too wet for too long. Increase the amount of air in the growing media by amending it with coarse sharp sand or decomposed granite.

• Plant high or in a mound so the water can stream away from the plant’s crown.

• Provide bright light but avoid scorching sun. Most succulents need only 3-4 hours of sun per day, and morning sun may be sufficient.

• Fertilize marginally.

Learn more about succulent container gardening

Submit gardening questions to csumg2@elpasoco.com or call 719-520-7684. The help desk is open 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at 17 N. Spruce St. Find us on Facebook at Colorado Master Gardeners – El Paso County.

By Debra Stinton Othitis Colorado Master Gardener

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