Succulents & Cacti in Hanging Baskets
In a nutshell
* Many Succulents will thrive in hanging baskets and planters – look for those with clumping or trailing habits – see some of our favourites below
* Succulents are easy care, water wise plants – that really tend to take care of themselves
* Succulents they will survive neglect they will thrive with a little attention – a regular watering and fertilizing during their growing season.
* Often top heavy (swollen with all the water), Succulents can take several weeks to root themselves into your hanging basket or planter - so your planter initally needs to be placed in a sheltered spot where it won't be bumped or moved. Wrapping a little Florist wire around any that keep falling out can help hold them till they are settled.
* While succulents can tolerate cold they do not do well in cold and wet situations. They can easily rot.
Succulent plants are ideally suited to Hanging Basket, hanging planters and wall planters. Some times referred to as fat plants, succulents retain and actually store water in their leaves and stems – making them more swollen or “fatter” when compared to other plants leaves.
Succulents are on the increase in popularity as they are beautiful, relatively carefree, water-wise plants – ideal for people with busy lifestyles and/or dry climates
Succulents enjoy bright filtered light to full sun, and are also somewhat cold-tolerant – remember their original homes were the desserts – where it can get quite cool at night.
Succulents will thrive in daytime temperatures between 70ºF and about 85ºF and will withstand nighttime temperatures the drop as low as 45ºF. The one thing they do not like however is to be wet and cold for too long – they will turn yellow and rot. So if you are having cold nights and your hanging baskets or planters are wet or soggy – move them to a drier location and allow them to dry out.
While succulents will survive with out water for long periods, to get them to thrive they should be watered regularly in the summer – we suggest a good drink at least once to twice a week.
Between watering your hanging basket or planters soil should be allowed to dry right. Over winter succulents growth slow right down, during this time give them a light watering every other week.
During the spring and summer fertilizer your succulents once a month. Once the plant has stopped growing over winter, you don’t need to fertilize at all.
Many succulents have an upright growth habit however there are plenty of succulent plants with training or clumping habits that are perfect for hanging baskets and hanging planters.
Sempervivums - Hens & Chicks
Sempervivums, commonly called Hens & Chicks are some of the most colorful, drought-tolerant and kid-friendly plants you'll ever find!
Extremely hardy, Hen & Chicks are often used in rock gardens. They spread rapidly, forming a thick mat of pretty, round rosettes that average
3-4 inches tall. Depending on the species, the foliage of these succulents can be green, red, purple, yellow or variegated. Some varieties of these evergreen perennials do produce flowers, but the flowers are secondary in attractiveness to the foliage.
Sempervivum Rubikon a purple vartiey is a favorite with its non-fading bright reddy purple color, which remains even in the hottest summer heat.
Donkey Tail (Sedum morganianum) also known as Burro’s tail is just great in hanging baskets and planters. This succulent cascades down over the edges of our hanging basket or planter. Burro’s foliage is a very pretty light green. And as a bonus mature plants will be covered by bluey- silver flowers – a very pretty succulent indeed.
String of Pearls (Senecio Rowleyanus)
String of pearls is another popular succulent to grow in hanging baskets or planters because of its long, trailing stems covered with rounded leaves. The stems can grow up to upto 3 feet long. If they become spindly you can cut them back and they will happily regrow.
String of Pearls blooms in the spring with masses of small white flowers that have a soft spicy fragrance a little similar to cinnamon
Drunkards Dream (Hatiora Salicornioides) is native to Brazil.
It got its name “drunkards dream” from its jointed stems that resemble small whisky bottles.
This succulent will flower with small yellow flowers inn late winter through early spring.
Golden Seedum (Sedum Angelina)
This is a great seedum - it thrives on heat & humidity. Colors in this family range from gold, to yellow to a limely green.
"Improved Golden Seedum" has masses of yellow star-shaped flowers that cover it in late spring and early summer.
When flowering these succulents attracts butterflies which is a nice bonus.
The Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera or Zygocactus) often bloom around the Christmas Holiday period - hence there name.
Great in Hanging Basket or Hanging planters the “joints” of these plants can be a little fragile and can break apart if the plant is knocked or in poor health. So hanging them in a basket or planter is a great way to grow them.
Soil should be evenly moist for best growth, but they are intolerant to constantly wet soil and poor aeration.
Christmas cactus will do best in bright indirect light. Long term direct sunlight can burn the leaves and stunt growth. If taken care of properly, a single planting can last for hundreds of years.
To spur your Christmas cactus into flower, they need to be subjected to cooler temperatures (50–57 °F) for around 8-10 weeks
The succulents above are just a few of the literally hundreds of succulents and cacti that are available.
Garden Squirrel.com