Talkback: Succulent success

Gardeners' World Web User

I don't know this particular aeonium, and can't find a reference for umbellata either. However, if this is similar in nature to other aeoniums then it is quite normal for the lower leaves of every rosette to fade, turn brown and fall. This leaves a bare length of stem below it, and gradually the rosettes of leaves sit at the end of ever lengthening stems. This does add to the character of the plant, but if they grow too long then these can be cut off and used as cuttings. Just cut off a rosette with about 7.5cm of bare stem below it, and push this into a pot of gritty compost to root. Aeoniums can survive with very little water, so do take care not to overwater!

Gardeners' World Web User

I'm a great fan of succulents too, and have quite a few different ones now,I keep them in my sunny conservatory and outside in the summer. All of them at some point have had a tern outside and all seem to do well. They are so easy to propergate that you can keep rejuvanating your displays. I have a few different Aloes which are fantastic when they flower, I even got an Aloe Vera to flower, really tall it was!

Gardeners' World Web User

I have a beautiful echeveria Duchess of Nuremberg with wonderful pink foliage. It has one large rosette and I would like to propagate it as it does not make babies. Any advice please?

Gardeners' World Web User

In answer to Paula's question about propagating a particular echeveria, I would think that new plants will grow from just a leaf inserted into gritty compost, but check right underneath the rosette on the stem as there may be some babies forming.

Gardeners' World Web User

Pretty well everything you ever wanted to know about Salvias, Linda, can be found at Robin's Salvias. He mentions Mystic Spires and many, many others.

Gardeners' World Web User

I would love to know the name of the Cactus that grows well with computers...Apparently, if placed on top of your computer it will assist in absorbing the unpleasant rays that are emitted from the equipment. Great stuff! It was featured on the Gardeners World program, but the name of the plant has slipped my mind...can anyone help please?

Gardeners' World Web User

Succulent with gray leaves and brown spots with babies on the end of the leaves.

Gardeners' World Web User

Katherine, NASA did a great deal of work on the use of houseplants to improve air quality, and a Google search of "NASA + Houseplants" should reveal some sources. The succulent Mother-In-Law's Tongue is one plant recommended, along with various Dracaena, Weeping Fig, Hedera and a host of others.

And in answer to "Unknown", I think the succulent you are thinking of is Kalanchoe daigremontiana. This upright and un-branching succulent produces baby plantlets around the edges of its leaves. Wonderful, and so easy to propagate for friends.

Gardeners' World Web User

I have just bought my first aeonium so I have spent some time trying to find out how to look after it. In one of my gardening boks it says that the growing period is 'Autumn to spring' - quite unusual in this (UK) hemisphere! Although this was in an RHS endorsed publication I am wondering if this is correct - other views would be welcomed

Gardeners' World Web User

i have a raised bed that was home to 15 fushias which were move in september so they could establish before winter fingers crossed they come through.the raised bed will become a bed of suculants that are all around the house i have lost 2 which are supposed to be frost resistent to -5 i think i gave them to much water.i was thinking of puting them at the frount of the beds with membrain to suppress the weeds and then a layer of small shingle to keep them dry?with a mixed bed of grasses behind them do you think this will work? also thought i would buy a large plstic cloch for the winter to put over them.

Gardeners' World Web User

Help! I have recently purchased a variagted weeping fig to replace one that had seen better days.

It is about 4ft high, watered and fed to accompanying instructions, BUT leaves are continously falling. Can you advise please