On her quarter acre lot in Del Cerro, Sue Thomas has no irrigation, yet her gardens are lush and filled with hundreds of interesting and colorful cactus and succulent plants.
“With increasing pressure to save water, cactus and succulents are becoming more popular, yet there are still many misunderstandings about this group of plants. Succulents are perfectly suited to our Southern California climate and there are varieties to suit just about every preference,” said Thomas, a local gardener and volunteer workshop instructor with the San Carlos Community Garden. “I like helping people become more familiar with cactus and succulents by presenting interesting species, and discussing culture, watering, use in the landscape and propagation.”
Succulent gardening and native plants
Sherry Ashbaugh, San Carlos Community Garden Board Member and member of the California Native Plant Society explains how caring for native succulents can be challenging, as they have more site-specific requirements than non-native succulents.
Says Ashbaugh, “Landscaping with these plants, native to the southern California and Baja California environment, is doable; you just have to do some research and learn which plants will survive in your neighborhood, know your soil type, and notice when and where you have sun versus shade to select the best planting site.”
Other native plants have seasonal requirements, as many plants do.
“When Fall arrives, it is generally time to prune those natives that will tolerate pruning,” continued Ashbaugh. “Some native plants may look like they are suffering from heat and dryness and could be re-emerging from summer dormancy with the onset of winter rains. Pruning could include simply dead-heading old flowers, pruning to remove dead materials, or shaping in preparation for the coming new growth.”
The San Carlos Community Garden recently refurbished its native plant section by switching to a new above-ground irrigation system, which in turn, allowed for the installation of over 20 new plants along the dry stream bed. New plant identification signs were also added; these signs include a reference website with information on landscaping with California native plants in your own yard.
“Landscaping with native plants is the right thing to do, for several reasons,” noted Ashbaugh “Among the reasons are lower water use, less (but specific) maintenance requirements, habitat replacement, and no pesticide or fertilizer needs.”
Come visit the San Carlos Community Garden Saturday mornings from 9 to 11 a.m. for a docent tour of the Garden’s native plant and succulent areas.
You can also check the website at sancarloscommunitygarden.com for monthly Garden workshops, including November’s “Landscaping with Succulents” workshop with Sue Thomas on Saturday, Nov. 19 from 9-10:30 a.m.
All participants will receive a bag of succulent cuttings. Advanced registration is required.
Editor’s note: This article was submitted by San Carlos Community Garden Vice-Chair Kelly Wood.
Photo credit: Sue Thomas
