Succulent Wreath: D.I.Y. with "THE DAILY"

I am very excited to present this video that I worked on with "THE DAILY".  A succulent wreath is a fun alternative to the traditional succulent garden.  

Cork Magnets

Orchid Flower

Baby Echeveria 

Billy Button and Sedum

Dried Lavender

Have you ever wanted to do something with all those champagne corks you've saved over the years?  Or are you looking for an excuse to indulge in a bottle of Prosecco?  I thought this would be a cute project after finding inspiration on Pinterest.   I've been looking for a unique place to put plants in my kitchen, however I don't have a lot of extra space.  These cork magnets stick to anything metal and brighten up the room in the most adorable way, allowing even the most cramped of spaces the chance to be "spruced up".  Just follow these easy steps:

First, hollow out the inside of a champagne cork with an electric drill.

Using any strong glue...

...attach a magnet to the top of the cork

Depending what you are "planting" in your cork, the next step will vary.  If using dried flowers or an an air plant, it is best to pin the item into the cork using a couple staples.  If using a baby succulent, a couple pinches of soil and gravel do the trick.  If using a fresh flower, stuff with damp moss before fastening the flower.
After completing this project I think Air Plants would be a great option for these cork magnets.  They come in different colors, and only need to be sprayed once a week.  The Air plant is a lot hardier than succulents and flowers resulting in a more durable magnet.  They can even be glued into the cork without harming it.

These magnets inspire happiness and they make a great gift for a friend.

3's

Having grown up as the middle of three sisters, the number three has become very significant in my life. In addition to the aesthetic beauty of arranging flowers or succulents in groups of three, there is something special about this simple pattern that transcends the rhelm of "normal beauty"!   The following groups of  plants make up a series of trios.     

Cactus Trio: Multiple colors of the same pot tie this look together.

A Few Favors: Perfect for a small table or outdoor space

Trident of Corks:  The cutest magnets on the upper west side

ITALY: AMALFI COAST

I've been away from my blog for waaaaaay too long.  In my defense,  I just got back from a 2 week trip to Italy AND I've been working more than usual. ;)    The trip to Italy is clearly more exciting to blog about so here we go....

ITALY IS AMAZING!!  I went with my husband for our extended honeymoon.  We were married September 3rd 2011 and had a quickie honeymoon on Martha's Vineyard immediately following our nuptials, which was wonderful, although it rained for 4 days straight.  We had always planned to have a  "big" honeymoon abroad.  Having backpacked most of Western Europe after graduating college,  I knew Italy was a country I really wanted to return to... with someone I love.  It is very romantic, beautiful, the people remind me of my Italian father, the food...  I could go on forever! SO to Italy we went!   I had already been to several cities and towns in Northern Italy so we decided to head South.  We spent about one week in the Amalfi Coast and one week in a tiny ancient town called Tropea (the Calabria region almost to the tip of the "toe"... just before you get to Sicily).  There are lots of encounters and adventures I could share with you about our trip, but this being a plant blog I am going to focus on the amazing horticulture in Southern Italy.

THE AMALFI COAST: POSITANO

This was our view from our balcony.

When we arrived in Positano (one of the towns along the Amalfi Coast),  I literally felt like I had died and gone to succulent heaven.  They were EVERYWHERE!  Clearly the hot and fairly dry climate was perfect for succulents, flowers, fruit trees (Positano is famous for it's lemons).  Positano is built on a mountain overlooking the sea.  Every which way you look there are potted plants, flowers, and bougainvillea growing everywhere!  It was truly the most beautiful place I've ever been.

As you can see Positano is built vertically on the face of a mountain

Literally built into the mountain...

              There were 450 steps to get down to the beach from our hotel...
On our third day I literally could not walk without looking
 really strange, my calf's were SO SORE! Hence the smile on my face,
 this photo must have been taken day 2, 5 or 6. ;)

      

This is a cactus that is climbing up the wall of
this home.  I've never seen a cactus act like a vine. So cool!

As I mentioned before, there was Bougainvillea everywhere! Covering entry-ways,
canopying balcony's, lining the multiple stairwells throughout Positano.  It was amazing!

Flowering succulents growing out of rocks.

Potted Haworthia (much larger than the ones I have at home).

To be continued... next post: Tropea!

Succulent Care: The Basics

Succulents are such amazing plants to have in your home.  There are thousands of different types to choose from, all varying in color, texture and size.  Succulents are so vibrant and symmetrical; their leaves are often arranged like blossoming flower.  In addition to this beauty, one of the more appealing attributes is how easy they are to take care of.  If you follow a few rules regarding soil, potting, watering schedule and sunlight your succulents will live for years to come.  This blog post focuses on small indoor potted succulents; outlining the most important succulent care information I've collected via research and my personal experiences.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

The Soil:  You can find a pre-mixed bag of succulent and cactus soil at most nurseries or plant stores.  If you want to make your own: mix together sphagnum peat moss, reed sedge peat, perlite, sand and limestone.  I'd say its easier to buy the mix. :)  

Fafard is what I've been using and I love it!

The Pot:  Succulents have shallow root systems that require little room so you don't need or want a deep pot.  This is because the more soil you have the more likely the soil will stay damp after watering, which can lead to root rot.  My succulents are in dozens of different pots, ranging in size from 3 to 7 inches deep.  (This is a good range for smaller sized succulents).  This next bit of advice is one of the most important rules when working with succulents:  Make sure your pot has a hole in the bottom!  That way when you water, the water will drain out.  When there is no drainage hole the water will just sit in the pot, keeping the soil and roots wet... succulents don't like this! It is a perfect recipe for root rot.  If you absolutely must use a pot with no hole and you are unable to drill a hole the next best thing is to place a layer of rocks, gravel, broken sea shells, or of mix of these in the bottom of the pot before you fill it with soil.. 

Like so... ;)

However, I have found even when I do this my plants don't do as well as the one's with holes in their pots.  I actually put rocks in the bottom of all my pots even the one's with the holes in the bottom.  This not only helps with drainage, but also keeps the soil from leaking out the bottom of my pot when I water.  

This is standard sized pot (6") and should be super easy to find.

This adorable pot became my new favorite after my husband
drilled a hole in the bottom with an electric drill.

Watering:  Succulents do not need as much water as your other house plants.  The #1 way to kill your succulents is to overwater.  In the winter months water once every 2 weeks.  In the summer water about once a week.  These are general rules and each plant /  pot is different.  The larger the pot and or plant, the less frequent it needs to be watered.  I've found it helpful to put make note on my calendar when I water.  

Clues that its time to water: 

* Stick your finger in the soil, it should be very dry.

* The leaves are looking slightly shriveled and less plump.

* Lift pot... It should feel quite light.  Compare this to the weight of a pot you just watered.

Sunlight: Succulents do best when they receive 3-4 hours of early morning or late afternoon direct sunlight and are shaded during the hottest part of the day when the sun is strongest.  If left in the hot sun all day they will more than likely burn, resulting in ugly brown spots.  That being said, I live in NYC with Northern exposure and there are only a few precious areas that receive direct morning sun in my apartment.  I move my plants around every couple of days giving each of them a turn to bask in the sun.  This isn't ideal, but my succulents are doing just fine.

Where to Buy Succulents:  You can buy succulents at most plants stores, they are usually with the cactus.  Home Depot and Lowe's often have a great selection.  If you live in NYC the flower district can provide everything you're looking for and more in terms of plants, flowers, soil, pots... EVERYTHING! It's located on 28th street between 6th and 7th avenues.  If you can get there before 11am you can catch the flower shops before they close.  Some of them sell wholesale only, but most shops will sell to the public and you are guaranteed to get the freshest flowers in  the city,  they get shipments daily from all over the world... it's pretty awesome!  

Allright... There you have it!  Now go buy some succulents and make your windowsill happy!! :)

Succulent of the Week: Perle von Nurnberg

Family: Crassulaceae

Genus:  Echeveria

Species: hybrid of E. gibbiflora var metallica and E. potosina 

I've been searching for a purple echeveria (formally called Perle von Nurnberg) for quite a while now.  I planted it in a green pot that I've been saving, as I knew the colors would compliment each other nicely.   I covered the soil with a layer of reindeer moss which is a great alternative to stones.  Like most succulents; this plant should be given lots of sunlight and very little water.  It is also important to use a pot with drainage holes, this will prevent root rot which happens when the roots sit in water for too long.  If you want to use a pot without drainage holes you can fill the bottom with a layer of stones or gravel and be very careful not to overwater.

Notice the gorgeous stem of coral flowers which produce in the Spring and Summer months

Thanks for stopping by... Have a fabulous weekend!!

Succulents in tea lights

These are cuttings from my Hen and Chicks plant

Varying in size, color and type amplifies cute factor

This is my most recent succulent project.  These adorable little pots were originally filled with tea lights.  I lit the candles and they latest all of 20 minutes (such a rip)!  I love that they are hand painted and I really wanted to find another use for them.  It didn't take long to think of my succulents. :)
* First:  I filled the mini pots with a pinch of gravel and topped with succulent soil.
* Second:  I clipped the cuttings from my Hen and Chicks.  See the pic below.

*Third: I trimmed the stems of the cuttings very short (about 1/4 inch) and stuck them in the soil.
When dealing with succulent cuttings in general, it is usually a good idea to let the cutting callus over before placing it in the soil.  You can do that by laying the cutting on a small plate and leave it alone for a few days.  Some people even dip it in a rooting hormone before planting.  I chose not to do any of this today because Hens and Chicks are really easy to root and I didn't feel like waiting.  Unlike most other plants, it is best NOT to water your chicks after planting. Wait at least a of couple weeks. Due to the fact these pots are so small they are only going to need about 1 tsp of water at a time, every 2 weeks or so.