Tale of a Hawarthiopsis I discovered a white, sun-deprived pup in the bottom of a rootbound haworthiopsis. I had intended to document the pup’s growth and recovery. I took several photos showing its transition from white to green.  Unfortunately, while it was growing strong, it met an untimely demise. In the end, I realize I […]

Schlumbergera, Not bah humberera Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti are plants of the genus Schlumbergera, a sub-classification of the family Cactaceae (which includes all cacti). These late bloomers are great to keep some color during the cooler seasons, as they generally bloom close to the holiday for which they are named. These holiday cacti aren’t quite […]

The most common problem people have when starting out with succulents is overwatering. Imagine a cactus in the wild. Where do you see it?—probably some sandy expanse, right? Succulents and cacti are typically desert plants, and as such they’re adapted to living in dry, arid environments. They are xerophilic, and aren’t used to receiving lots […]

Pumice is one of the best soil additives to use when planting succulents and cacti. It absorbs and holds the right amount of water and nutrients, while creating space for aeration and fast drainage. Pumice can be better than perlite as an additive, because it doesn’t have the same tendency to separate out of the […]

Why do you need one? Sometimes your plants just aren’t getting enough light and need a little extra care. Most succulents prefer a minimum of 6 hours of bright, direct sunlight a day. When plants aren’t getting enough light they start to etiolate or stretch out in search of more. This causes  the stems to […]