Autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, with the duration of daylight becoming shorter and the temperature cools considerably. In your succulent garden, you will also experience the awakening of the winter growing succulents like Aeoniums and the beautiful and exciting flowers of various Crassula’s and Kalanchoe’s starting to blossom. Some of you may have some concerns if your succulents will cope with the cold and the rain when it sets in, in the Western Cape. Here are some essential tips to help to see your succulents through the winter season:
Water and your succulents:
Reduce watering your succulents in containers and your garden, as the evaporation rate of the soil reduces during the winter. Add water only when the soil is dry. Remember to turn off your sprinklers system during the winter. Clean the trays where your potted succulents are standing to keep the pots from draining freely after rainy days. Check regularly and remove fallen autumn leaves that may become a problem in the trays on top of healthy succulents.
Sunlight and your succulents:
Ensure your succulents get enough sunlight with the shorter daytime light, and also check for overlying tree branches that reduce the amount of sun your succulent garden receives. If possible, prune these tree branches back to increase the light. If your succulents in containers are getting too little light, move them (if possible) to an area where they will receive significant light over the winter period.
Soil and your succulents:
The best soil for succulents is a coarse, fast-draining mix, whether in the ground or a container. Ensure that your succulents in containers’ have holes at the bottom that are clear for excess water to drain freely. Also, ensure that the container trays are emptied regularly to prevent standing water.
Pruning of your succulents:
Succulents do not need regular pruning; they usually are pruned to remove dead flowers or to cut back long and ugly growth. Be careful if you prune hard in winter because most succulents are in their resting period, and new growth will take a while to start.
Pest and diseases and your succulents:
Aloe mites and fungi become a reality during the colder winter months, so keep an eye on your Aloes! If you need advice, contact your retail nursery on how to control these pests.
Give a little extra love to your succulents: Succulents are easy to grow and need little care. Remember that most of our proudly South African succulent grows naturally in the drier areas of our country. Please take extra care when planting them to help them survive our wet Western Cape winter.
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Growing up on a farm with names like “plakkie”, “bokhorinkies”, doll’s rose, “kalkoentjie” and “koekemakranka”, tickled my love and interest in these endemic plants. These wildflowers are unique and diverse and grow in areas with wet winters and hot, dry summers. The Western Cape is famous for its beautiful wildflowers, occurring from Vanrhynsdorp all along the coast of the Cape Peninsula and eastwards to Port Elizabeth. They are characterised by an enormous diversity of species from plant families like Rutaceae (buchu), Proteaceae (Proteas), Asteraceae (Felicias), and Iridaceae (Gladiolus).
These plant families fall within the Fynbos Biome of the Cape Floristic Region, and is the richest plant region on earth. The Fynbos Biome can be broken down into four categories.
Fynbos
Renosterveld
Strandveld
Succulent Karoo
Fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos occurs typically in the mountains and grows in nutrient-poor and sandy soil. Fynbos prefers acidic soil. Proteas, Ericas, Restios are part of the proper Cape fynbos plant growth. Fynbos is normally hard leafed, dense growth and with trees virtually absent.
Fire is a critical part of the plant’s life cycle. It rejuvenates old and overgrown vegetation, and some plant species only grow and flower after a fire. In addition, the smoke during a fire is a driver of fynbos seed germination.
Table Mountain is an excellent example of lush fynbos growth.
Renosterveld
Renosterveld
The name Renosterveld is derived from “renoster” referring to the Black renoster historically in the Western Cape. Shrubs dominate Renosterveld from the Asteraceae (daisy) family and the lovely geophytic (bulbs) plant species and beautiful annuals. It occurs on relatively fertile soil, and Restios, Proteas and Ericas are mainly absent.
Like with fynbos, fire is also an essential part of Renosterveld and its conservation.
Overberg and Darling are known for their Renosterveld reserves.
Strandveld
Strandveld
The sandy soil that is nutrient-rich all along the drier west coast and wetter south coast is known as Strandveld. Plant growth has many succulent elements on the west coast and forest plant growth on the south coast. Proteas are absent.
Velddrif at the west coast is an excellent example of Strandveld.
Succulent Karoo
Succulent Karoo
Succulent karoo occupies low-lying land, mainly from Namaqualand to southern Namibia, covering about 7% of South Africa. The Winters have deficient rainfall and extreme summer heat. As a result, fog near the coast is common, and some plant species rely on it for survival. Soil is sandy and poor.
Low growing succulents like Crassula, Cotyledon, Euphorbia and Drosanthemum, with a wide variety of annuals, are common in the succulent karoo. These annuals are one of the reasons why Namaqualand is renowned for its spring wildflower displays.
South Africa is famous for the beauty of its native flowers, but many of these plants are declining or threatened. The general public needs to realise how necessary it is to preserve our wildflowers in their natural surroundings. The Cape Floristic Region is proudly South African and is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for its rich and diverse flora.
The gardener who displays South African plants in his garden can pride himself on preserving his countries beauties for all to see.
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Succulents are so varied in shape and size, but the wonderful world of string succulents, well, these are just beautiful!
Look how pretty!
Succulents are long-lasting, beautiful, unique, low maintenance, truly amazing and beautiful plants! Succulents with trailing or hanging growing habits are growing more and more in popularity and add a lot of charm and character to every garden or home.
Caring for them is as easy as 1,2,3
String succulents are similar to other succulents when it comes to their care but differ in appearance, form, colour, blooms and size. Their growth habit makes them excellent for indoor or outdoor hanging baskets, container gardening, and instrumental in vertical gardens.
Don’t overwater and keep your hand on pruning!
They need well-drained soil and a bright shade (when indoors, put them near a sunny window). They are sensitive to overwatering, and damp soil can cause root rot. The soil should dry out completely between watering, and they should be fertilized once a month with a liquid fertilizer (or half-strength compose tea) in summer and spring. Prune back any stems that are looking straggly to keep plants neat.
Proudly South African!
Strings are proudly South African plants and occur naturally in the Western and Eastern Cape. The string family has so much character and worth falling in love with. Always remember that they are toxic to our house pets and humans.
Here is some info on string plants we have available at our Succulent Trading Post @ Klein Joostenberg:
String of pearls/peas – Senecio rowleyanus
This beautiful trailing succulent receives its common name from the size and shape of its small, round, pea-like, green leaves that are lined on its stems. Trumpet-shaped flowers appear in summer and are small, nearly white and fragrant.
String of beads or tears – Senecio herreianus
String of beads’ trailing stems is lined with oval, curved green pointed leaves. Fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers are small in white to nearly white and appear from spring to summer.
String of bananas or fishhooks – Senecio radicans
Being relatively hardy, these are great strings to start your collection with. They are tough, fast-growing and mostly trouble-free. They can also tolerate full sun if given protection from the extreme afternoon sun.
String of dolphins – Senecio peregrinus
This rare succulent with lush green leaves that looks like tiny dolphins jumping out of the waves is quirky and unique. The longer the stems get, the more leaves you have! White flowers with a tinge of pink in spring and summer.
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Polygala myrtifolia – Common names: September bells, Bloukappie or September bush
The first day of spring is the first of September. No other plant shouts out “spring is in the air” as the September bush. They are covered in mauve sweet pea-shaped flowers in abundance on the first day of spring.
This fast-growing, indigenous shrub grows naturally round, making it a good choice for any fynbos garden. The myrtle-like leaves are a pale green and oval-shaped on slender branches. Polygala is endemic to the West Coast all along the coastal region through to Kwazulu Natal. It occurs naturally in the coastal mountains, forest, streams and open grasslands. It needs watering when newly-planted but drought-hardy once established.
The flowers are attractive sweet pea-like, pink to purple in clusters on the tips of the branches throughout the year. But, most prolific in September (hence its common name September bush). Nectar-rich flowers are where you will find the birds and insects. The seeds are also rich in protein and are a good food source for birds. Polygala plants also serve as the larval host plant to the Lucerne Blue butterfly. Polygala prefers sun, although it will grow in semi-shade but will flower less. The flowers are also long-lasting in a vase indoors.
Being fast-growing, they need a well-drained loamy soil. In springtime, a good mulch of organic compost will improve flowering the next year. A good prune after flowering in spring will encourage more leaf growth. Polygala will do well planted into containers, as a hedge, and as screening plants. They can be pruned into formal hedges and is a good (and beautiful!) plant for planting as a wind barrier.
Polygala fruticosa “Petite” is a dwarf variety that grows up to half a metre. Polygala virgata is a slender shrub with needle-like foliage.
This colourful evergreen shrub is a perfect plant for small and large gardens as its roots are non-invasive. Charming and tough, Polygala is a must-have shrub for your spring garden.
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Slugs and snails are a common annoyance for any gardener. They are sneaky eaters, and you almost never see them before they have eaten away your precious plants. They are the slimiest pest a succulent gardener might encounter – literally and figuratively! During winter, when it is wet and cold in the Western Cape, they have a ball of a time chomping away on your plants.
Both slugs and snails thrive in cool, moist conditions and are mainly active during the nighttime. They like to lay their eggs in the darkest of corners in the soil under plants. And, they can lay up to 100 eggs each time – not only once a year but several times a year. After the eggs are laid, they develop and hatch. And, in perfect conditions, snails can live for a few years in your garden.
Spotting slugs and snails infestations on your plants are relatively easy because they usually are the first pests active in early spring. Because they prefer the cooler months, they get active as early as the end of winter before other pests are active. Of course, the unmistakable snail trail is an immediate giveaway. Together with the scalloped edges on plants and leaves where they have recently been eating. On succulents like your Cotyledon orbiculate, they like to eat the leaves from the upper side. This leaves big holes in the fleshy leaves. And, all this happens overnight …
Spotting Slugs and Snails
But how do you get rid of this slimy pest? Being a prolific pest, you probably won’t be able to clear your garden from slugs and snails completely. But you can try a few methods to help prevent them from damaging your succulents.
Eggshells
This is the most environmentally-friendly way to keep slugs and snails at bay. Crushing up eggshells into small pieces and scattering them around the base of your plants or even on the plant itself, acts as a deterrent. Slugs and snails have delicate skin and the sharp and piercing edges of the eggshells are unpleasant for them, meaning they will keep clear of the succulents with eggshells around. This method is poison-free and safe to use around pets and kids. Eggshells are also entirely biodegradable, and a source of calcium for soil.
Beer traps
Beer traps are easy and straightforward to maintain. Simply take a small bowl or cup and bury it to the rim in an infested area and fill it to about halfway with fresh beer. Slugs and snails are both attracted by the smell of the yeast in the beer and will venture in, drowning when they reach the beer. Keep on topping up the beer every few days and remove dead slugs and snails.
Poison bait
If you want to wipe out the slugs and snails and a deterrent is not enough, there are several options available in several different forms – pellets, meal, and in liquid. Pellets and meal bait can be scattered around plants or placed in piles in a particular infested area, like against walls and under thick plant growth. This poisonous bait needs to be consumed by the slugs and snails to be effective.
Slugs and Snails don’t love poison, neither do kids and pets
Use with caution if you have small children or pets as this is poisonous!!!! And, is also deadly for wildlife. If you have to go this way, please avoid buying bait, meal or liquid bait with metaldehyde as an active ingredient, but go for the safer, iron phosphate bait instead.
Alternative methods
Handpicking is also an option but not for the squeamish among us. Using rubber gloves or tongs to pluck and dispose of the pests at night gets them out of your garden.
Inviting natural predators of slugs and snails to your garden, such as frogs and toads, is also an option. Frogs and toads are able to eat a significant number of slugs and snails and may help keep the numbers of other problem insects, like mosquitos, down. Having a water feature in your garden will attract frogs and toads. Slugs and snails look harmless, but to your plants, they are not, and hopefully, you’ll find one of these methods an effective way to keep slugs and snails away from your beautiful succulents.
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