Tuesday, July 22, 2014

She Plants Things: Succulents 101

Let's talk about plants.



I like the thought of having some plant life in a home. Obviously, my preferred blooms are florals because duh flowers are pretty, but when my favorite bouquets wilt away, the kitchen counter could still use some garden love. Enter indoor plants. My lovely roommate Merry and I decided to check out the greens we could use in our space and learn a little bit about the best plants for our lifestyle. 



So, when looking for a plant, we wanted a low-maintenance option that would live a long time. There are so many options for adding a little indoor garden to your living space, but we wanted to make sure we didn't get a plant that we'd have to water 2-3 times a day, turn at a 23-degree-axis-rotation to face the sun every hour on the hour, take outdoors if the temperature is above 76 or below 73… You get the idea. We want a plant we're not going to have to worry about killing. So, we decided succulents were the way to go. Succulents are great houseplants because you only have to water them about once a week in the spring and summer, and much less in the winter. I like the idea of a plant that doesn't require a babysitter if I'm going out of town. It's a plant, after all, not a cat.



If you've care about houseplants at all, or if you've ever tried to learn about succulents and/or cacti, you've probably heard the phrase "All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti." Basically, a cactus is a type of succulent. Succulent is a really broad definition for a plant. The word "succulent" means "juicy," which refers to plants that store water in their leaves. Thus, they are (dare I say it?) moist. The reason they are so low-maintenance and great houseplants is because they are pretty self-sufficient with their water resources. They live and grow year-round, but they really flourish in the spring and summer.



When bringing a succulent or cactus home, make sure you don't immediately put it in direct sunlight. Oddly enough, the plants can get sunburned. So, unless you plan on buying some aloe, too, you'll want to phase your new friend into the right environment. (Aloe, haha.) After that, it should be smooth sailing!



Check in later this week for the succulents we picked and how to plant them! 



10 comments

  1. Very informative and pretty shots. I love succulents (have a variety of them growing outside, think I will take clippings for indoor pots). Thanks for the idea. Glad to find you through the jack of all trades link up

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  2. I have a slight obsession with succulents. Loved this post!

    http://everythingsalwayssunny.com
    Kristin xx

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  3. Love this - we got some succulents for our apartment too! I love them because they are such easy plants to take care of - which is especially good for us since we have been traveling a lot! Thanks so much for sharing & for linking up with us for the Jack of All Trades!

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  4. I love succulents! I keep them all over - as far as decor goes, my taste changes every five minutes, so I just limit myself to neutral colors and colorful planters for my succulents!

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  5. Succulents are my go to plant. They're so easy to care for, and they look good. Orchids are also easy, but depending on the plant you might go a year or more between blooms. Still, they're low maintenance, so they're nice if you want something that blooms.

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  6. Can't wait for the next post!! I've got a giant teacup shaped planter that I want to fill with succulents :)

    Kristiana | www.love-loft-life.com

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  7. i looove me some succulents - so much easier to take care of! gorgeous photos too :)

    Whitney @ Journey Mercies (coming over from a harvest of blessing!)

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  8. Stopping by from the Jack of All Trades Link-Up!

    I recently got some succulents and I love them! But, I'm having a hard time getting mine to adjust. I think I might need to replant them. I have some more leaning to do on my succulents. But, I love them and really hope that I'm not capable of killing a desert plant. ha! Here's to hoping!

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  9. I just discovered succulents (which is pretty pathetic, since I live in the desert)-- my sisters-in-law and I are having a succulent planting party this weekend! I'll have to keep you updated on how they turn out!

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