How Succulent

Water conservation. It's something folks in the Western United States are talking more and more about. Recently, I read an eye-opening article in Sunset's June 2009 issue called, Kick the Water Habit. First off, I had no idea that 30 million Westerners get their water from the Colorado River which is down about 110 feet since the year 2000. Secondly, the average American household consumes approximately 13,000 gallons of water monthly and nearly 60% of that is used for watering landscapes. These figures took me by surprise and spurred me to write this post about water-wise succulent container gardening.

Images from Enjoy Gardening.

Container gardens are certainly popular and very versatile. They can be spotted on urban apartment terraces, suburban porches and along side cottage fences. Succulent containers are not only a great low-water easy-care gardening solution, but add beauty and life to any space. I have several small succulent containers inside and out and love how simple they are to maintain.

My little succulent container garden in the kitchen.

When selecting containers for your garden, consider a variety of coordinating color, sizes, shapes, and materials. Container gardens are supposed to be fun, so don't over think the design. If you like it, it's good design. But, there are a couple things to remember when it comes to containers for succulents. It must have holes to allow for proper drainage. Also, succulents don't require a deep container because they're rooting is fairly shallow.

Image from Sunset.

Enjoy Gardening has some great tips on how to plant a succulent in a container:

1. Prepare your container. Succulents have a deep hatred for wet feet, so start with a well-drained, soilless potting mix.
2. Space plants close together. Succulents won’t spread much in one growing season; space plants according to what looks good rather than according to the instructions on the plant tag.
3. Water them in well. A good initial watering is important to get your succulents established. After that, their demands are few—a bit of fertilizer, a hot, sunny spot in your yard and a little water when the potting mix is dry.

Image taken by moi

This low maintenance and drought tolerant roof garden at The San Francisco Decorator Showcase 2009 house is stunning. There were several succulent container gardens wrapping around the deck overlooking breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Plant your own beautiful succulent container garden and help reduce your water footprint. Also, check out Sunset for more water saving tips. Every drop counts...