Propagating Succulents like a Pro - Easy DIY Gardening Project

Succulents are fun, colorful and easy to grow as long you give them the correct conditions! In the right climate they require very little care, in the wrong climate they can be notoriously stubborn and fickle. Today we will briefly cover different types of succulents, how to care for one and finally how to propagate your own succulents at home!

What is a succulent?
Succulents are easily recognized by their thick fleshy, often colorful, leafs which similar to cacti they use to store water during dry periods. Succulents exist among many different plant families including Aizoaceae, Cactaceae, Crassulaceae and many more. These plants thrive in dry climates and can survive with little rainfall or even an occasional misting if it's humid enough. One of the most common mistakes people growing succulents for the first time make is over watering - it may seem counterintuitive but these plants enjoy a bit of neglect, which we will cover in the next section.

How do I care for my succulents?
Succulents need bright indirect light for at least half of the day. (Tip* If growing indoors use a south facing window when possible!) Indirect light can be a bit hard to understand for novice plant owners,  indirect light occurs when a plant is in bright sunlight yet the sunlight is not falling directly on the plants foliage. One way to achieve this indoors is by using sheer curtains or wide opened blinds. Outdoors this can be achieved many different ways but you'll ideally want to find a spot that receives bright morning sun but is shaded by the late afternoon. Your succulents will let you know if they want more sunlight, they'll do this by growing taller and appearing "leggy" with larger spaces between the normally tight uniform leafs.

When it comes to water, these plants do not need much. I recommend checking the soil about once a week, longer if you live in a cooler humid climate. Allow your succulent plant to completely dry out before watering. When the soil is dry, water the plants soil thoroughly allowing the water to drain out completely - it is important that you do not allow your succulents to sit in water. Avoid soaking the leafs when watering as it can cause rot, water from the bottom when possible. If your climate is very dry, occasional misting will not hurt the plant.


Alright, I haven't killed it yet - how do I propagate more?
Succulents are one of the easiest, in my opinion, plants to propagate especially if its your first adventure into the world of plant propagation. There's no waiting months for roots to appear in water then praying that your plant takes to its new home in soil. (I'd like to note you actually CAN propagate most succulents in water, I've personally had little success with that method so it isn't what we are discussing today.) With succulents, the new plant just appears on the leaf or grows from a cutting, you pluck it off and put it in some soil then you're done! Sounds easy, right? It totally is! There are a few things you'll need to know though and some tricks you'll want to learn before you start your own succulent nursery.

First you'll want to know what kind of succulent you have. There are so many different genus of succulents that I cannot possibly discuss them all in this article so I will over the three I tend to see most commonly sold in nurseries near me which are Echeverias, Sedums and Aeoniums.

Echeveria photo from 123RF.com

Echeverias are known for their attractive opened rosette shape, often grown alone but also in clumps. They range in color from green to blue to red and every shade in between. Some of the most popular varieties of Echeveria are ‘Sagitta’, Echeveria ‘Green Abalone’ Echeveria ‘Latte Rose’ (Brown Ghost Plant) and Echeveria ‘Orion’. (Click here to view more echeveria!)

Sedum photo from costafarms.com

Sedums often have rounder fleshy leaves than echeveria and while some varieties can grow in a similar rosette pattern to echeveria, sedums also come in many other shapes and sizes too making them extra popular for adding texture to an opened air terrarium, hanging baskets or even as pariennal borders. My personal favorite is "donkey tail" (Sedum morganianum) a hanging succulent! Other popular sedums include Graptosedum ‘Francesco Baldi’ and Sedum ‘Little Missy’ – Little Missy Sedum. (Click here to view more sedums!)

Aeonium photo from worldofsucculents.com

Aeoniums can be easily confused with echeveria in that they too most commonly grow in a rosette formation. To help tell them apart take note of the stem, the stem of aeoniums are thicker and often grow "leggy". The leaf is attached to the stem by a thin membrane so when a leaf is plucked off it leaves only a small mark and the stem stays fully intact while when a leaf is plucked from an echeveria this membrane doesn't exist and there should be a small concave or divot in the stem. Some important things to know about this genus of succulents is that they die after flowering and cannot be propagated from a leaf but must be propagated from the stem. Popular aeoniums include Aeonium lancerottense, Aeonium mascaense and Aeonium aureum (Green Rose Buds)





What you'll need:

• A flat pan or container with raised edges (a normal pot works just as well, use what you have)
• Succulent/cacti soil (store bought or home made)
• Sharp sheers or scissors
• A spray bottle filled with distilled water

Part One - Leaf Removal 

To remove the leaf for probogation from your plant gently twist and pull the leaf away from the mother plants stem. I find this method to be the most fool proof though you can also use sharp scissors or sheers to remove the leaf. Make sure to severe the leaf as close to the stem as possible.
Beheading is often done when a plant becomes too large for its pot, its leafs begin lacking uniformity, or its stem has grown long and leggy. When you behead the plant you remove the whole leafy 'head' of the stem leaving roughly about an inch of stem attached to the head for root formation. You can also leave the stump of beheaded plant in its pot and new growth will eventually form there as well!

Part Two - Dry it out!

Image from: shmarz at snapguides.

This is probably the most important step - LET THE LEAF/CUTTING CALLUS OVER! A plants callus is essentially the same as a human callus, its an accumulation of soft tissue cells that form over an opened wound and allow the healing process, or in this case the growth process, to begin!

Succulents MUST have this callus to grow properly. The most simple method is for your succulent leafs or cutting to be left out to air dry so they can form a callus at the point where it was removed from the mother plant. This callus seals the moisture inside and prevents extra water from being absorbed, it is also where new roots and new leafs will form. If you do not allow the callus to form your succulent leafs will absorb too much water too quickly and will eventually turn brown and soft then slowly rot away. I find 48 to 72 hours is the ideal timeframe to allow a callus to form, this time may vary depending on your climate. Experiment and find out what works for you! The image to your left shows an example of what a proper callus on a succulent looks like. It will be white or brown in color and solid.

Part Three - Placement & Watering.
Now you can propagate your succulents directly in water but today we are discussing the soil method. Fill your selected container with your succulent/cacti soil mix and smooth out the top of your soil. (See photo, right.) Place your succulent leafs directly on top of the soil, take care that the callused ends do not actually make contact with the soil. (See photo, left/below.)

A mature fully grown succulent doesn't require frequent watering - that's why we all love them, right? Your succulent leaf cuttings will, however, need quite a bit more water. What works best for me is a simple plastic spray bottle (I just picked one up from the dollar store) filled with distilled water. You are going to spray down your succulent leafs and soil with water each time the soil becomes dry. Try not to over saturate the leafs but make sure the soil is consistently nice and moist.
If you've opted for beheading you can place the nub of your succulent directly into soil and water thoroughly. Since these are already almost fully grown succulents roots should quickly begin to form underground. Water your now potted cutting each time the soil is dry until you see new growth, at that point you can cut back watering and treat it as any other mature succulent.


Part Four - Roots and Planting.
Now we wait... and wait.. and wait... and OH, IS THAT A ROOT? Eventually, usually in about 2 to 4 weeks, you are going to see small pink or white roots emerging from the callus on your succulent leafs - this is where the new succulent plant is going to form. For now just leave the leaf cutting alone and continue watching for new growth. Not every single cutting will not succeed so don't feel dismayed if a few rot, some only grow roots or some don't form the perfect little succulent rosette - all of this is totally normal.

Once the new plant begins to form you can place it into a pot with fresh succulent/cacti soil. Make sure to cover the roots at this point or your plant will eventually wither and die. At this point you can now move your new succulent baby to a lovely bright window or outside, it will take a long time for your new plant to become the size of those you find in stores but someday with proper care it will be all that and more.

Congratulations, you just propagated a succulent!

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All of the things.

It's been a long time since I updated this blog and with the Celtic new year fast approaching I think my resolution for my mental health will be bi-weekly updates.

September has been so busy and full of so many changes. My mother had hip surgery that went wrong and she was in physical rehab for a month as a result. She came home at the end of August but she is still toe-touch only/no weight bearing until TODAY where she was moved to 25% weight bearing - that being said, she is wheelchair bound outside of short walks to the bathroom or kitchen with a walker. She is in good spirits and improving greatly!

What else has happened? I bought a new car. Both because my car was up there in miles and because I needed something large enough for my mothers wheel chair! My brain is in a fog today and I feel like I cannot concentrate on anything. I get on one path and then ZOOM heading the other direction.

Andrew and I are traveling to Alabama in November and I am very excited. The last two times I was able to visit my family, it was not under good circumstances. This time it will be great! Plus I haven't had a vacation in two years.

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Wheel of the Year - Litha

Litha or Midsummer occurs during the Summer Solstice. It is the longest day of the year and the shortest night, this is the peak of the Solar year and the Sun is at the height of power. Across the land flowers are in full bloom and the crops are reaching maturity as the harvest quickly approaches. Litha is a time of joy, happiness and celebration. Today we will discuss the history and lore of Litha and how you can celebrate with us at home.


HISTORY AND LORE

Litha or Midsummer is the Pagan celebration of the summer solstice. It is one of the four cross-quarter days and one of the four lesser Sabbats. It is the longest day of the year and the shortest night - on this day the light overpowers the darkness for the last time in the wheel of the year making it the perfect time for rituals of renewal, protection, and power.

In eastern European lore it is on this day in the story of the twins known as the Oak King and the Holly King, the two brothers battle and the Oak King yields to the Holly King who begins his reign as the darkness of winter and the longest night approach. In the Pagan community we refer to the day as Litha, meaning the opposite of Yule, or as Midsummer, because in the Celtic year Summer officially starts at Beltane and ends on Lughnassahd with this day falling directly in the center of the two.

Like with many Pagan celebrations there was eventually created a Christian counterpart. For those of the Christian faith this the celebration of John the Baptist. The Christian church began this yearly celebration after realizing how ingrained the festivals of this day were within the newly converted Ex-Pagan community. In the 7th century, a Saint by the name of Eligius warned them against these pagan solstice celebrations believing them dangerous and sinful. So began the Christianization of Midsummer which eventually became the feast of Saint John the Baptist, unlike other saints' days which usually occur on the day of their martyrdom, this feast is celebrated on the day of his birth. It is one of the few saints' days that will be celebrated regardless of if falls on a Sunday whereas typically the practice is to suspend the feast.



RITUAL AND OBSERVANCE

Beltane and Spring have given way to the maturity and heat of the Summer and so too do the God and Goddess. The Goddess is mature and glowing as her belly has grown large from the seed the God planted at Beltane, soon she will give birth. She is the apex of Motherhood and the earth is potent with her life giving energy. The God also changes during this time, he is the Father and slowly he begins to turn towards the realm of shadow.

Many of Litha's traditions center around fertility and celebrate the bounty and maturity of summer. Fire/rebirth being the central element of the Sabbat we often celebrate through rituals that burn, purify and shed. It is believed that herbs and plants harvested during Midsummer yield stronger energies and special power.

Easy ways to celebrate at home:

• Berry or fruit picking! Many U-PICK farms are opened across the northern hemisphere this time of year and this is a great family friendly way to celebrate summers bounty.  

• Bake a fruit pie. 

• Make arts and crafts using natural materials gathered from outdoors. Flower crowns, witches ladders or wickerman dolls are common examples.

• Celebrate with friends and family around a balefire by jumping the fire (or cauldron) and through song or dance.

• Light a candle and keep it lit in a window throughout the day and into the evening, meditate on the flame or say a Litha prayer over the candle. 

• After the sun begins to fall below the horizon light candles or a balefire and allow it to burn out on it owns. 

• Watch the sunset and meditate on the light of summer as well as the coming darkness. 

• Pick and hang herbs for drying. 

• Go on a walk around your neighborhood or a hike through the woods and observe the maturity of the plants and full bloom of the summer flowers. (Don't forget to bring a bag and pick up garbage you find along the way!)

• Host a barbecue or cook on an opened fire. 

CORRESPONDANCES

SYMBOLS: Fire, oak trees, sun dials, sun wheels, swords, 
fruits, shells

COLORS: White, gold, yellow, red, orange, blue, green

ANIMALS: Robins, cattle, dragonflies, horses, sea creatures

GODDESSES: All mother goddesses, Gaia, Venus, Astarte, Freya, Demeter 

GODS: Apollo, Ra, Ares, all Sun gods. 
INCENSE: Sage, mint, basil, pine, roses, lavender

CANDLES:  White, red, orange, yellow, gold, blue, green

PLANTS: Sunflowers, peony, roses, honeysuckle, daisy, hibiscus
STONE: emerald, jade, bloodstone, topaz, clear quartz

ALTAR DECOR: Fresh cut flowers, herbs, seashells, blades, oak
FOODS: Smoked meats, spicy foods, fresh fruits, mead, honey, wine, fresh vegetables

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Wheel of the Year - Beltane

Beltane, also known as May day, is one of the four greater Sabbats. We celebrate this fire festival on May 1st, traditionally beginning after moonrise. Beltane marks the beginning of the third quarter or the second half of the ancient Celtic year. During this Sabbat we celebrate the union of the Goddess and the God through feast, dance, fire and more. Today we will discuss the history, symbols and stories of the Sabbat and let you know how you can join in at home too!

HISTORY AND LORE

Beltane is an ancient holiday celebrated on May 1st. In ancient times so much of life was tied into the changing of the seasons and Beltane being a fire festival and celebration of the light part of the year made this fun festival a big deal to the Celts. Since the Sabbat revolves around birth, renewal, light and growth many rituals were held to promote fertility and growth. It was common on Beltane to use Balefires to drive herds from the hills, the druids kindled the Beltane fires with specific incantations and later the Christian church took over the Beltane observances, a service would be held in the church, followed by a procession to the fields or hills, where the priest kindled the fire. 

Today this is still a holiday of union - both between the Goddess and the God and between man and woman. We, as Pagans, celebrate sexuality (something we see as holy and intrinsic to us as holy beings), we celebrate life and the unity which fosters it. The myths of Beltane state that the young God has blossomed into manhood, and the Goddess takes him as her lover. Together and through their union, all life begins. The flowers and greenery we decorate with symbolise the Goddess and the Maypole represents the God. Beltane is the season of maturing life and deep found love. This is the time of vows, handfastings and commitment. Beltane marks the return of vitality and passion of summer. 

RITUAL AND OBSERVANCE

There are many ways to celebrate Beltane at home! Here are a few of our favorites...

• Take part in a bonfire, if a bonfire isn't reasonable given your circumstances, weather or location create a "candle bonfire" and celebrate in doors!
• Build and dance around a May Pole either alone or with friends. 
• Dance like no one is watching! This one seems silly but Beltane is all about celebration, being wild, sensuality, love and light. 
• Participate in a pleasure or love ritual with your partner. 
• Decorate your home and Altar with fresh spring flowers, red and white candles, seeds and eggs. Any symbols of spring and fertility are appropriate. 
• Leave an offering in your garden to the fairies as it is believed they can cross over during Beltane.
• Pick wildflowers and reflect on nature. 

CORRESPONDENCES 

SYMBOLS: Fresh flowers, seeds, eggs, the may pole, and any phallic objects.

COLORS: Red, white, pink, green and brown.

ANIMALS: The stag, doves, rabbits, bees and cows.

GODDESSES: Aphrodite, Venus, Diana, Artemis, Persephone, Freya

GODS: Pan, Dionysus, Eros, The Green Man
INCENSE: Frankincense, jasmine, rose, sandalwood

CANDLES:  White, red, silver, gold

PLANTS: All blooming flowers, lily, foxglove, jasmine, rose, violet, dasiy
STONE: Rose quartz, emerald, bloodstone

ALTAR DECOR: Fresh cut flowers, seeds, antlers, honey jars, fresh cut herbs
FOODS: Honey, beef, wine, sweets, sugary drinks, breads, dairy products

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The Wheel of the Year - Ostara

Ostara, also known as the Spring equinox and the Pagan Easter, is time of balance and equilibrium - day and night are equal and the wheel is, for the moment, balanced. You can see signs of rebirth and life all around you in the natural world; flowers are blooming, the birds migrate home to lay their eggs, and if you're lucky you may even see a mother fox and her pups. During Imbolc we welcomed back the Sun and celebrated the triumph of light, now during Ostara that we can begin to truly see those changes. Today we will discuss the history of Ostara, its lore, symbols and how you can celebrate at home.



HISTORY AND LORE.

Ostara is the Pagan version of "Easter" (Ēostre) - or rather, Ostara is the day that Christians borrowed to be their Easter. Ostara is named from the Germanic goddess, Eostre/Ostara, who was traditionally honored in the month of April and celebrated with rituals and festivals of fertility, renewal and re-birth. We can still see many symbols from these festivals in the decorations we use today such as the hare, eggs, daffodils and many more! This is the second of the three spring festivals and will always fall between March 20-23 depending upon which day the equinox arrives.

In the story of the Goddess and God, Ostara is a time to celebrate the Goddess is in her young Maiden aspect, the Horned God is also young and vibrant - together the two of them revel in their youth until they mature and marry at Beltane (May 1).

The Christian version of Easter incorporates many Pagan symbols unbeknownst to many Christians - such as eggs, rabbits, clovers and lambs and as with many Christian holidays these symbols and traditions were incorporated into their own to make the conversion of early Pagans easier. The egg is a symbol of fertility and rebirth and it's symbolism is celebrated almost universally by ancient cultures. The Egyptians and Chinese all had their own customs of coloring eggs, today still you will find that painted eggs are a very popular and collectible Chinese art form. The legend of the Easter bunny and hiding of eggs are rooted in germanic folklore and traditions. So too the hare and lamb are the symbols of the the goddess Eostre, a Goddess of renewal and fertility. For Christians Easter is a day to remember the death of Jesus and but also to celebrate his resurrection, however early Christians historically did not celebrate Easter as we do today. It wasn't until the year 325 C.E. the church actually even established the date of Easter, which they proclaimed will be the first Sunday after the full moon following the Spring Equinox (Ostara).


  RITUAL AND OBSERVANCE.

It is common practice during Ostara to use this time to free yourself from things which hinder progress - hints the classic "spring cleaning" which we can apply to both our inner selves and our home. During this Sabbat we are celebrating the end of winter the triumphant rebirth of spring so many of the rituals that are practiced on this Sabbat revolve around these themes - ends and new beginnings.

You can celebrate at home in numerous different ways here are just a few:

• Do some planting, either blessing seeds into the soil or transplanting seedlings.
• Work in the garden or the yard clearing away the dead foliage from winter, look for signs of new life and fertilize your bushes and trees with compost.
• Meditate on the rising sun and the lengthening days. 
• Paint and consume hard boiled eggs. Eggs represent fertility and rebirth. 
• Decorate your altar with the symbols of Ostara - eggs, feathers, flowers, seeds, rabbits. 
• Write down a wish or goal you want to accomplish this season, roll the paper as though its a scroll and "plant" it into the earth. Cover the hole and take time each day to meditate on your scroll. 
• Clean your home, focus on renewal and the banishing of harmful energies. Many witches use their ceremonial besome to sweep out the home as well. 
• Smudge your home with sage bundles to remove any residual energies from the past year.  
• Have breakfast for dinner! Both dairy, biscuits and eggs are had in plenty for an Ostara dinner.

CORRESPONDANCES.

SYMBOLS: Eggs, hares, deer, lambs, foxes, four-leaf clovers, flowers, seeds, baskets

COLORS: Green, yellow, white, and all pastel colors

ANIMALS: Hares, deer, chicks, lambs, butterflies, baby animals

GODDESSES: Eostre, Persephone, Diana, Astarte, Hera, Venus

GODS: Pan, Dionysus, Eros, The Green Man, Ares, Thoth
INCENSE: Jasmine, sage, rose, violet, and honeysuckle. 

CANDLES: White, silver, gold, yellow, pink

PLANTS: All new growth, all bulbous flowers, ash, birch, dogwood, olive, iris, honeysuckle, tulips, iris, peony
STONE: Clear quartz, rose quartz. jasper, moonstone, opal, turquoise 

ALTAR DECOR: Flowers, eggs (painted or plain), birds nests, seeds, budding flowers, stag antlers, light colored feathers

FOODS: Dairy products, eggs, biscuits, hot cross buns, roasted seeds, sprouts, spinach, lettuce, bacon, maple syrup 

sources: plentifulearth,com, whitegoddess.co.uk, wikipedia, thoughtco

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