A succulent garden is an effortless garden that you can build easily. Succulents add beauty to your backyard. The texture and colors of these water-storing plants change the view of your landscape. You can use succulents as a ground cover in your backyard garden.
If you have a busy schedule and you want to set up a garden in your backyard then you should choose succulents because they are low maintenance plants and there is no need to do anything to help them grow.
These are drought-tolerant plants so you should worry about their constant plant care. They need just a sip of water once in a week or two.
What Is A Succulent Garden?
They are fleshy plants as they can store water in their different parts such as leaves and stems. Succulents are available in different sizes, shapes, and colors. Some varieties have breathtaking flowers with stunning colors.
If you are a beginner in gardening then you should start planting with succulent plants. These plants can adjust in every environment as you can grow them beautifully in virtually any climate.
They can thrive in a dry environment so if you are facing the problem of shortage of water then you can choose them for your backyard. By selecting succulents, you can create a captivating backyard with little care.
Succulents like to grow in mild climates because they don’t like too hot or cold climates. In cold areas, you can grow succulent plants in containers or pots.
How To Create A Succulent Garden In Your Backyard?
Following are the simple steps of starting a beautiful succulent garden in your backyard.
Step 1: Choose The Best Location For Your Backyard Garden
You should choose the right spot for your succulent plants. The place should be sunny so your plants thrive well. Measure the area you have and decide the number of plants you can grow in this area.
After taking the measurement you will come to know the size of the area and the amount of sunlight it receives.
Some plants like to grow in shade like snakes and jade plants. Some like to grow sunlight like aeoniums, agave, and while aloe. If you see your succulents are not thriving well or they have dull color, it means they need more sun.
Fresh air and bright sun both are the key to the successful growth of your plants. Before selecting the variety of succulent plants you should keep in your mind their requirements.
If your area is sunny then you should choose the plants that love to grow in full sun exposure. If you have a shady backyard area then you should choose those plants which can grow in shade.
Step 2: Things You Should Gather Before Starting A Backyard Succulent Garden
Starting a succulent garden is an easy task if you gather all the right materials. The first thing you need is the selected area of your backyard where you want to start your succulent garden.
After choosing the area for your plants the next step is gathering the necessary materials for your backyard succulents garden. The following things you need to start your stunning succulent garden.
- Choose your favorite succulents to enhance the beauty of your backyard.
- Good quality soil is needed to start a backyard garden. Well-drained soil is best for the growth of any plant. You can add organic materials like perlite, compost, gravel, sand, and crushed granite for growing plants.
- All the tools that help transplant are a trowel, spade, fork, rake, shovel, and gardening gloves.
Step 3: Make Some Research About The Varieties Of Succulent Plants Which Can Grow Well In Your Climate
Before planting the succulents you should do some research about the varieties so it is easy for you to decide which is best according to your climate.
You can visit a local nursery and ask them which type of succulents are best according to your area. The other way is checking your plant hardiness zone. Choose plants that can grow better in your zone.
Some succulents are cold-hardy such as hens and chicks and sedum. They can grow best in your backyard garden. They can tolerate winter weather and there is no need to bring them inside your home.
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Step 4: Ensure Proper Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil is best for your plants, if you have poor soil then your plants will sit in moist and wet soil for a long time. This will result in root rot. Succulents love to grow in well-drained and sandy soil.
Dig a hole for checking the soil conditions and drainage. The depth of the hole must be 1 foot or 0.5 meters. Fill the hole with water. If water drains within half an hour it means the soil is well-drained and sufficiently porous.
If you see the water doesn’t drain then simply mix 3 inches of sand or gritty material to increase the texture and Drainage.
You should add organic materials to improve the quality of the soil of your backyard. Creating a perfect soil mix for plants is not an easy task. You can add compost and fertilizers to make your soil rich.
To improve the drainage quality of soil, you can add sand, grit, perlite, small gravel, or crushed granite.
Here we are going to discuss with you the perfect recipe of soil for your succulent plants. For this recipe, you need 2 parts of potting soil, 1 part of fine gravel and in the last, we need 1 part of fine bark.
This is the perfect recipe for making perfect soil for your garden. The bark in the soil will not release the nutrients for your plants but also holds water. It will also provide good air circulation to your plants.
The gravel which is present in the soil will help in the drainage process and holds heat for succulents.
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Step 5: Play With Succulent Arrangements
Succulents have whimsical shapes and shallow root systems. Their qualities make them perfect for unusual creative container plantings. Before using any container make sure it has drainage holes at the bottom.
Succulents have beautiful looks; some varieties look like rosettes, some like chubby branches, and some have dainty carpet texture. You can arrange your succulent plants according to the colors and textures.
Make a perfect contrast of colors for your garden. After using your aesthetic sense, you can change the look of the backyard area of your garden.
You will find different ideas for arranging succulents in your backyard garden on different websites. It doesn’t matter how big or small the backyard growing area you have.
If you are growing your plants in pots or containers then you can arrange them in such a way that your garden will become the best place of your home.
Make a garden design and arrange all the succulent plants in it in an attractive manner. Everyone likes to sit in this place and it will become the best corner of your house where everyone likes to spend their evenings.
The main benefit of growing plants in containers or pots is that you can maintain the fertility of the soil. The other advantages are you can move them according to the needs of plants.
Step 6: Transplant Your Succulents
Succulents are tough plants but transplanting them can be tricky. It is not difficult for succulents to adjust to a new environment. Transplanting can disturb any plant but succulents recover very soon and settle in their new home very easily.
Before transplanting your succulent plants, gently remove them from the pot. Tap or brush the roots of the plant to remove the soil. When you buy plants from any local nursery the potting mix of the pot doesn’t allow good drainage. This poor soil of the nursery may cling to the roots of the plants.
Step 7: Watering And Caring For Your Succulents
After transplanting, wait for a day or two and then water your succulent garden because the roots need some time to heal and adjust to a new environment.
When you see the soil is completely dry then water your plants. Before watering, check the soil with the help of your finger if it is moist then scrape the watering.
But if you feel the soil is dry then you can give deep water to your plants. Before watering next time, let the soil dry. Your backyard succulent Garden needs water once in a week or two.
If you leave your plants in wet soil then they will become the victim of root rot. Underwatering is better than overwatering so avoid it. Root rot is much more harmful than dryness.
NOTE
Carefully examine your succulent plants if the leaves of the plants are soft, mushy, and translucent it means the plant is set in highly moist soil. If the leaves of the plants look shriveled or wrinkled it means plants are not getting water on time.
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Tips To Grow Succulent Garden In Your Backyard
- Some pests such as mealybugs like to infest succulents. They hide in a web-like substance. The presence of these pests will turn the leaves of the succulent plant yellow. Keep an eye on your plants and use a solution of isopropyl alcohol for this problem. It is suggested that you test the solution on a small area of your plant.
- Some varieties of succulents need a fair amount of light. If you keep your succulent plants in too much shade then the leaves will start stretching out. In this situation move your plants closer to the light source or bring them to a sunny area.
- If you see patches of black, white, and brown colors on the leaves then it is a clear symptom that the plant may be sunburned. Keep your plants at a place where they get a break from the sun.
- If you see dying leaves at the base of your plants then you should not worry about it. It is normal, As the plant grows the leaves fall and die and new leaves come in their place.
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