Sempervivum 101Sempervivums are plants that originate on the European continent. Found at high altitudes known as alpine zones, they thrive in this harsh and rugged terrain. Sempervivums are becoming increasingly popular in the United States as gardeners fall in love with the textures and colors of these amazing little plants.
Sempervivum and Sedum OdditiesThere are many oddities to be found within the Sempervivum and Sedum genera, such as crested plants and sports. Here we will look at just a few of them.
Moving a Young Tree or BushIf you soak the ground the day before, really well, it will be that much easier to dig up a young tree or bush that you want to move to a different area of the garden.
Peter Dieckmann BiographyAt times there are special people that come into our lives. For me, Peter Dieckmann was one of those very special people and I wish that all of you also could have had the privilege of knowing him.
Making Multi-Plant ImagesEasy to follow instructions for creating your very own Image Sets.
Inexpensive Containers for SempervivumsHave you stopped by your local Dollar Store lately? It is a great place to find inexpensive items to use for planting your favorite Sempervivum.
Dividing Jovibarba heuffeliiAt some point you may want to divide your colony of Jovibarba. This tutorial will show you how easy it is.
Sempervivums Don't Like Wet FeetSempervivums do not like their roots to be sitting in water, so make sure your container has sufficient drainage holes. Also, check occasionally to make sure they aren't clogged to ensure continued successful growing.
Support Your Sempervivum NurseriesWhere would we be without the nurseries that provide us with all the newest and latest varieties of Sempervivum? Trading is fun, but we need to remember to purchase from reputable nurseries in order to keep them in business.
Searching the Plant DatabaseThere has been a recent update to the Plant Database. You can search many ways now for any type of plant: by characteristics, series, color, growing zones, etc. Here are some helpful instructions, using Sempervivum for the demonstration. This information applies to all other types of plants within the database.
Shade for PlantsExtreme summer heat damaging your plants? Provide temporary shade for them. You can use many things to do this depending on the size of the area needing the shade.
Step Ladder PlanterHere is a great way to re-purpose that old wobbly step ladder that no longer is safe to use.
Discovering Alpine and Sub-Alpine PlantsI was a long time coming to the realization of the vast scope and variety of alpine plants. There are many of them that are easy to grow, if given the right conditions.
Tie Tomato Plants to FencesCaging your tomatoes? If you already have a wire yard fence, make a border along the fence, place metal t-posts and wire livestock fencing to the posts. This will corral the plants between the two fences.
Quick Cleanup After WeedingKeep your beds, borders and containers clean during weed eating. Use old bed sheets to cover raised beds and borders when you do the weed eating. Once finished, just fold the sheets up and lift them off the beds, shake off over the lawn and wash them for the next time. The sheets are light weight enough that they will float over the plants and not press them down. On small areas you could use any piece of light weight cloth.
Keep Your Tomatoes off the GroundUsing wooden stakes or dowels is a great way to support the limbs of your tomato plants to keep them off the ground.
Newspaper as MulchInexpensive weed block: I use newspapers as a free source of material to block weeds once my tomato plants are in the ground. Over the growing season the newspaper is converted to wonderful compost by a combination of water, soil contact, and worms.
Time to Winter Sow Your SeedsHave you tried winter sowing vegetable and ornamental plant seeds? If not, give it a try this winter. Many seeds, including tomato seeds and your favorite perennial seeds, do unbelievably well using this method.
Using Old Shoes as PlantersOld shoes you don't use anymore? Use them as planters. Hardy and tender succulents along with other small flowering plants make for colorful containers.
Snakes Eat SlugsHave a slug problem? Encourage Garter Snakes (Thamnophis ordinoides) to live in your garden. One of their favorite foods is slugs.
Take Cuttings To Hedge BetsUnsure of the cold hardiness of a new plant? Make starts from the new plant, leave some in the garden to overwinter, and keep the others in a protected area during winter (indoors or in a garage).
Keeping Up with Plant NamesKeeping the ID of plants. There are many ways to ensure that you don't lose the identity of your plants. Whether they are in pots or in the ground, bury a tag in the ground, using pencil to write the name. Old venetian blinds cut to size make excellent labels to bury. Then, if desired, place a label beside the plant. Using this method covers the mishap of dogs or small children pulling/chewing up the aboveground labels. The label pictured here is a piece of venetian blind with ID written in pencil and was buried for a year. It contains other important information for me.
Containers from Found ItemsFound items for plant containers can be quite whimsical or they can be more formal. The key is to be creative when looking for items to use.
What To Do When Your Hardy Succulent Plant Plugs ArriveNow that you have ordered your hardy succulents grown as plugs, you need to prepare for when they arrive. This is a great way to increase your collection of hardy succulents at a much reduced price. Here are the easy steps to healthy plants from plugs.
The Ever-Changing SempervivumHave you ever followed a single cultivar of Sempervivum (hen & chicks) through a year of its life? If you haven’t you are in for a wonderful surprise.
Packaging Sedum and Semp for MailingFirst prepare a list of what is being sent. Choose your basket or tray for gathering plants from your yard. You will also need pruners and a hand shovel.
Growing Sempervivum, Jovibarba and Jovibarba heuffeliiThere are hundreds of cultivars to choose from, most are easy to find; others are more difficult. Plant trading is a wonderful way to increase your collection. It really does become addictive to some of us.
Hardy Easy SedumSedum are extremely easy to grow. They prefer well drained soil and full sun, but will tolerate a variety of conditions. No special soil treatment is necessary when you plant sedum, although it’s a good idea to add a little compost.
Growing PainsA plant clinic for Sempervivum, Jovibarba and J. heuffelii. This is a companion article for the Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum.
