I have been making dish gardens and arrangements to sell. Here are some samples of my "one of a kind" arrangements. Some are sold at my garage sale. I sold so many plants last Saturday and people are coming back for more. This is the best time of the year to sell plants. They love the cool weather and are super healthy right now.

Another Epiphyllum ( Fuchsia) bloomed this morning. This is the most beautiful iridescent flower I have ever seen and I always look forward to it every year. Epiphyllums only bloom once a year but it is worth waiting for. This one last for 3 - 4 days. Can't stop taking pictures of it.

This is my favorite time of the year. All my cactus and epiphyllums are starting to bloom.  Here are the first blooms of the season.


                                                                  PEANUT CACTUS

                                                             RED EPIPHYLLUM

                                                             CHRISTMAS  CACTUS

  Faucaria Tigrina

I  bought this plant ( in a 4" pot) a year ago and transplanted it to a bigger pot.

Also called Tiger Jaws, these little plants have rows of sharp teeth similar to the Venus fly trap. They are very easy to grow in pots but should be watered sparingly. They survive best in a hot, dry, and sunny environment. In the fall, yellow daisy-like flower appear on plants that are a few years old. They need 3-4 hours of direct sun in the summer. They can grow up to 6" tall. Offsets will grow at the base of the plant. Cut them away with a sharp knife. Allow  the cut surface to dry for a day to prevent new plant from rotting. Keep new plant in a warm bright place out of direct sun for the first month. Best time to propagate is in late Spring to early summer. 

Feed  every 2 weeks in Spring to fall with a balanced liquid  fertilizer diluted in half. Do not feed in the winter.

Organ Pipe Cactus  Lemaireocereus thuberi - this cactus is a native of Arizona and parts of Mexico. It is a ribbed, columnar cats, sometimes branches from the base and reaches the height of 15-20 feet. It blooms throughout May and June , followed by the edible red fruit. I have 3 plants on big pots. They don't require too much water but dies well with a good watering twice a week. The white flowers only last one day and it usually blooms at night .

Care of Cacti and Succulents

From time to time, I will talk about a certain aspect of what I do to take care of my plants. I have read many books, attended lectures and have gone to many shows in the Los Angeles area. Today I will discuss  containers.

Pots: Pot plants in a clean container or pot with a drain hole.  When selecting a container, consider the size of the plant in relation to its prospective home. For round plants- ball or barrel cacti, or clustering succulents, use a pot 1-2 inches wider than the diameter of the plant. For vertical plants- use a pot half as wide as the plant is tall. Remember that small pots under 4 inches wide are hard to care for. They dry out rapidly and the plants always seem to need water.   Clay, plastic, or ceramic pots,wooden boxes, rocks, can be suitable containers for  growing cacti and succulents. You can actually be creative and use whatever container you have. The only prerequisite is that they provide good drainage so that the soil is kept loose and well aerated.

The familiar terra cotta ( red clay pot) is the most popular choice.It is relatively inexpensive and comes in many sizes, but because it is made from porous material, plants dry out faster. If you use the glazed pots, they must be watered with more caution because moisture cannot escape as fast. Plastic pots are often used because they are neat, inexpensive,colorful, and lightweight. The only disadvantage is that they tip over very easily.

Potting Soil: Most cacti and succulents do well in a mixture of 1 part soil, 1 part sand (Coarse builder's sand- Not beach sand), 1 part porous inorganic material ( like perlite or agricultural pumice stone). Agricultural pumice is most ideal because it does not break down, prevents soil from compacting and it does not float like perlite or wash down like sand. Sometimes I also add a small amount of compost , worm casting and bonemeal.

Top dressing: I use a top dressing to give the plants a neat, finished appearance and to prevent the soil surface from crusting. It improves water penetration and retention, helps prevent stem rot and algae growth. It also keeps lighter particles like perlite from floating over the top of the pot. You can get creative by using different colors to accent the plant.  Materials can be bought from any garden center, pet store, and building material supply store.

Fertilizer: Plants growing in small pots soon exhaust the nutrient in their soil. When I repot, I use a generous pinch of bonemeal in the soil. This is slow acting and gives the plant a continuous supply of nutrient. During flowering season, I feed my plants with a liquid fertilizer, using one with a high potassium and low nitrogen content. I feed them at the same time I feed my tomatoes, using the same strength solution.