These gardens are often thought of as plants that can live in dryer areas, with little rainfall. However, Ryan Jerrell, owner of Dig It Urban Gardens + Nursery in Phoenix, says that not all succulent plants can thrive in high-temperature climates.
“You need to make sure you pick the right plants for the area that you are going to plant them in,” Jerrell says.
Jerrell explained that the plants that are used for a succulent garden in California may not survive in the desert temperatures of Arizona. Which is why it is important to learn about the types of plants that thrive in higher temperatures, to ensure that your succulent garden is successful.
Although, succulent gardens take care of themselves for the most part, they do require a little help from you, of course!
Dig It offers summer succulent success classes. This is an interactive class on how to build, take care of and choose the right plants for your garden. In this summer class, you will receive the right tools necessary for your garden, the plants, soil, top rock, and pots are all included in the price you pay for the class.
Dig It intends to educate people on exactly what it is that a succulent gardens need to be successful in the Phoenix area, but for starters here are a few tips from Dig It:
1.) What succulents work best in Arizona?
Some of the more common succulents that do well outdoors in Arizona are aloes, agaves, elephant food, lady slipper, haworthia and gasteria. When planting indoors with sufficient light conditions, you can use some of the more popular varieties such as echeveria, jade and graptopetalum.
2.) When should you water them?
Outdoors – Watering varies dramatically based on the season. As it cools down, water usage decreases. As it heats up, water usage increases. This also is dependent on light conditions as well. More light equals more water. You can always e-mail Dig It at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with where your plant is located outdoors so we can best advise you.
Indoors – Your watering schedule is most dependent on light. Succulents need ample amount of natural light. With the right light condition, you need to water every seven to 14 days letting the soil go dry in between watering. The best way to kill your succulents is by overwatering.
3.) Where is the best place to set up your succulent garden?
For both indoor and outdoor conditions, succulents need good light.
4.) What kind of pot or vase should you put these plants in?
Succulents can be planted in a diverse variety of containers. The key element here is drainage. You need to ensure that the pot has a drainage hole and a good well draining soil is used. We suggest using pumice or perlite along with your potting soil to achieve this. If you are unable to have a drainage hole, you can use hydro clay on the bottom of your pot to avoid rotting out your plants as it has natural anti-microbial properties.
To sign up for the summer succulent classes, visit http://www.digphx.com.
