A Brief History:
I love to garden. I didn't always but it's in my blood. My mother loves to garden. When I was younger I loathed having to help out in the yard; Mow, dig, plant, trim. Anything relating to yard work was on par with getting a vaccination or a cavity filled. Ick. No fun. Boring.
Now, I'm almost 30 (Eeek!) and everyday that old familiar phrase "I am becoming my mother" creeps eerily closer and closer to becoming a reality. Now I love to garden. Of course not the trimming, cutting, raking kind but even that has become more of a stress relief than a stress-er. There is something to being outside, enjoying nature and being proud of your yard. Man, I'm getting old...
Activity Du Jour:
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| Wooden "antique" Kroger Box |
Okay, so what I did did not start out as a blog post, but I enjoyed doing it so much and have gotten so many compliments on it that I have decided to share it with the world (literally, I have followers in Russia and Ireland now! Д обро пожаловать! and Fáilte!)
I started out with an (artificially) antiqued wooden display box that I purchased at the local Kroger marketplace. I think it was around $5-7.
I didn't buy this for this specific project or any specific project for that matter, but it ended up being just perfect for my desired outcome. Funny how that happens sometimes.
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| Make sure to push down into the corners while cutting! |
Next I took 2 mil ply plastic sheeting that we were going to use as a drop cloth for painting but didn't and measured out the empty drawer and top portions of the box. This measurement was done very roughly. Literally all I did was take a piece of the plastic (folded in half to ensure better protection from leaks) and laid it out- accounting for all of the corners and heights of the box- and then roughly cut. You can trim off the odd ends after you have cut your first pieces. It's easier when you aren't trying to maneuver a giant piece of plastic!
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| Fill with potting soil |
After trimming down the plastic so it came just level with the top of the box, I added potting soil to each compartment in preparation for planting.
Now this is where I don't claim any expertise. I have done limited research on what type of soil succulents like best and have found conflicting data. Some say you should simply use any run-of-the-mill potting soil. Some claim a more complex, arid, sand/soil/vermiculite mixture is best. I say go with what you've got or go with what has worked in the past for you. If you're completely new to succulents and succulent growth and care, I would urge you to do some light research. I have found sites such as these to be very helpful:
Even going through to find good links and information I see that I have already placed myself at a disadvantage. One site suggests placing pebbles or rocks in the bottom of the planter before adding the soil to avoid letting the succulent sit in any kind of water and become susceptible to rot or fungus. Learning something new everyday! Don't duplicate my mistake :(
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| All filled in and ready to go! |
After you are all filled in, trim the plastic edges to your desired height. I left mine just a bit higher than the dirt to eliminate leaks.
I also chose to go with some older potting soil that we had laying around in hopes that the dryness of the soil would work well with the quality (or lack there of) that most succulents seem accustomed to. (I guess that will be the experimental part. I'll have to update you later on how well that choice worked!)
Now the fun part! I finally got to plant! My boyfriend and I recently went to a local green house where they grow all of their own plants and sell directly to the public. Not only was it a unique experience, but they had a great selection to choose from and the atmosphere was amazing. I highly recommend visiting a green house or nursery any day of the week!
I chose a variety of 'momma' succulents that I planted in larger planters throughout the house. What I noticed when planting was there were a number of smaller 'baby' offshoots on almost every plant. Thus the idea for the wooden-box-baby-succulent-planter was born! I simply broke off the smaller plants and transplanted them into my now waterproof, dirt filled wooden Kroger box. Voila!
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| My 'momma' succulents |
Most offshoots will be found underneath the main plant because- as I read during research- the new growths are more likely to scorch or burn in strong light. If they grow under the already established plant, they are shielded from the sun and its damaging effects on their delicate new leaves. Brilliant, nature! Also, for the ones that did not have any off chutes (like the purple plant you see above) the kind lady at the green house informed us that by simply sticking one of the leaves into the soil, a new plant would emerge. (Can't wait for this to happen! Keeping my fingers crossed!)
So after transplanting the 'babies' to their new home, I added a layer of pebbles to the top of the soil (amazingly enough, the aloe that you see to the left was growing in nothing but pebbles. So I guess that's why I wasn't too picky on my soil selection). This should help dry out the soil a bit quicker as well.  |
| Finished product! |
The final step was to water. Since the soil was incredibly dried out, I chose to water immediately instead of waiting the two weeks that another site suggested. It's been about two weeks now and everything is looking great. I've only watered once since the initial watering! That is definitely one of the key benefits to succulents. Low maintenance and incredibly beautiful. Every guys dream! Am I right, fellas?!
I decided to place my new little project in the laundry room on a shelf directly under the window. I've had success here with a dying aloe plant that has since been re-potted and is taking over another section of the laundry room. It has been an ideal spot for a couple of reasons: It gets a moderate amount of light, but not direct sunlight, perfect for a new or struggling plant; And the heat and humidity from the washer/dryer provide a great growing environment for plants that are used to heat and humidity.
Closing Statement:
I guess the lesson in all this is maybe becoming like your mother isn't so bad after all. My mother instilled in me a great work ethic, fed my ever growing imagination and allowed me to be whomever or whatever I desired. My mother is my best friend and one of my closest confidants. She is the first person I want to call when I need advice or reassurance or just to bend an ear. (Significant others are great for this too, but I think there is a maximum amount of venting, complaining and girl talk men can handle.) With my mother, there never seems to be a topic she can't handle or gets over loaded on. She's just there- always- listening and trying to be helpful and understanding (unless she is reading or on the computer. My mother is unable to multitask these days!). She is my person that gets me and accepts me no matter what. I wish this kind of relationship on every daughter-mother team.
So no, I don't mind becoming like my mother, but I still desire to be unique, like no other. I guess that's where our creations come in. But we women- inevitably- are unique, slightly varied, updated offshoots of our mothers.
