Succulents need more water than cacti do!

SNORTYHOW-TO by K.

HOW TO MAKE A DESERT GARDEN

These gardens make great gifts!  They’re easy to care for, interesting to look at, and make spectacular centerpieces on the table or on a sunny windowsill.  They are also good starter-gardens for older kids. Cacti and succulents have shallow roots so you don’t need to keep them in a heavy deep pot packed with soil.  They are slow-growing so you don’t need to repot them frequently.  You can buy “starter plants” or just take a stem cutting from a big established plant.  Plus their flowers are often

Decorative pot and polished pebbles.

neon-bright multi-colored marvels to behold.

What You Will Need:

• 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight a day (a south window)
• Cactus or succulent starter plants (available at garden centers)
• A container, wide and shallow in which to plant. Look for decorative terra cotta saucers or bright tin pans. Your container must have a drainage hole in the bottom.
• A solid saucer (no drainage hole) to place underneath your planting container in which to catch run-off water.  This will protect your table or windowsill from water stains.

• This cactus is almost dead from over-watering.

  Potting soil specifically for cactus and succulents (available at garden centers)
• Decorative sand, pebbles (available at garden centers)
• Tiny figures or objects for the landscape (available at garden centers or toy stores)
• Heavy gloves to protect your hands from cactus thorns
• Water. Water your garden sparingly: succulents don’t need much, and cacti need even less. Let the soil almost dry out completely before you water again: this could put you on a watering schedule of once every week or every two weeks. The number one thing that kills cacti and succulents is over-watering

Step 1: Decide which garden you want:  cacti or succulents.  (They won’t do well mixed together because succulents require more water than cacti.)  Succulents don’t have thorns, and can be a safer choice for households with children and pets.

Wear gloves to protect from thorns.

Step 2: Put a folded paper towel or a small rock in the bottom of your planting container. This is to plug the drainage hole just enough to allow water to drain, but to prevent the potting soil from washing out.

Step 3: Fill the dish most of the way with cacti/succulent potting soil.  Leave 1 inch of space between the top of the soil, and the rim of the dish.

Step 4: Sketch your garden design on paper.  Figure out how you want it to look. Some possibilities:  place taller plants in the center and smaller plants on the outside edges so the small ones have greater access to the sun.  Put

Succulent garden at 6 months

plants of complimentary colors or textures next to each other. Create a miniature landscape with trails marked with tiny pebbles in sand.  Note:  when designing hills into your landscape, always place the plants in the valleys. Water always seeks the lowest point, and any plant on a hill isn’t going to get much water.

Step 5: Put on your heavy gloves (if planting cacti) and gently work your starter plants out of their garden-center plastic pots.  Squeeze the sides to loosen the dirt, or run a butter knife around the perimeter between soil and inside of the pot.  Be careful not to damage the plants’ roots.

Step 6: Poke holes in the soil of your planting container where you want your plants.  Place each plant’s root system into its respective hole and press the soil down firmly around it for support. Decorate the top of the soil with sand, small pebbles, and tiny figurines in accordance with your design from Step 4.

Step 7: Place your garden in its planting container into its saucer. Then place on table or windowsill and enjoy!

Disclaimer:  SnortyHow is intended for entertainment purposes only and has NOT been reviewed by professionals for accuracy, reliability, legality, or safety. Whatever you read in SnortyHow, you must try at your own risk, preferably after seeking advice from licensed professionals.