CasaSugar

Decorate Your Tree With Succulent Ornaments

Elka Karl — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:55:31 PST

When I first discovered these Flora Grubb-designed succulent ornaments, I couldn't believe how simple and brilliant they were. My favorite part about these ornaments, which are designed and manufactured in San Francisco, is that you can plant them in your garden after the holiday season is over, and reuse the backing hooks year after year with new, small succulents.

The living succulent cuttings used for these ornaments will easily last through the holiday season and retain their color and vibrancy. You can buy a Single Succulent Ornament ($19) or a Set of Three Succulent Ornaments ($55) from Flora Grubb's webshop, or pick one up at her must-visit store in San Francisco.

Keep clicking to see how to display the ornaments and how to plant them at the end of the holiday season!

Low Maintenance Plants For Your Cubicle

Leta Shy — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:05:54 PDT

There's nothing like a good desk plant to liven up your cubicle and brighten up a day at the office, not to mention the great feng shui benefits. And as an added bonus, office plants combat what NASA calls the Sick Building Syndrome by purifying the air you breathe. Here are some low-maintenance plants that do well in low or fluorescent office light. Click on one you like to pick it up and start feeling healthier at your desk!

Clockwise from top left: Golden Pothos ($17), Peace Lily ($40), Mini Leaf Jade Plant ($8), Sansevieria (Mother-in-Law's Tongue) ($17), Strawberry and Cream Rubber Tree ($8), African Violet ($28).

Create Major Wow Factor in Your Outdoor Spaces With Succulent Orbs

Elka Karl — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:30:09 PDT

When I was at Sunset Celebration Weekend earlier this Summer, I fell in love with DIG Garden's succulent orbs. These hanging globes of succulents provide such an unusual plant display and would make an amazing impact in a front entry, porch, or patio area of a home. You can buy a succulent orb form ($15 and up, depending on size) from DIG Gardens to make the process easy to DIY. Or, if you live within driving distance of the Santa Cruz, CA, store, you can pick up one ready made (contact DIG Gardens for more details).

For those of us interested in making our own orbs, DIG has thoughtfully provided all of the directions. Check them out below!

Completely submerge the orb form in water for approximately two minutes.
The following day, after the form has dried out slightly, is the time to start planting your succulent cuttings.
Starting from the bottom of the orb, (use a empty flower pot or bowl to set it upside down)
With a pencil or chopstick, insert half a hole into the orb, and then take a cutting and insert it into the hole.
Use florist wire, or any thin wire you may have around, and cut the wire into two-inch pieces. Bend the wire into a U shape. Secure the stem of the succulent into the orb using the wire for the bottom half of the orb. This way, when you turn your orb right side up again, all the succulent cuttings will stay in place until they root.
Completely cover the orb with cuttings, or put clusters of succulents in patterns around the orb.
Keep outdoors in a partially shady area like a covered patio or indoors in a very bright room.
After two weeks with no water, gently water with a hose once a week.
Under the right conditions your orb should last, at least, six to nine months. Then re-cut the succulent plants down, and reinsert them again as they grow out.
Enjoy your living art!

Make Seasonal Plants Last Year-Round With Oversize Pots

Elka Karl — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:42:03 PDT

Today, Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary posed with their children outside Grasten Castle. The castle grounds are lush and lovely, but come Winter, it will be quite a different scene. Chilly temperatures and snow cover often mean that gardeners give up on planting favorite shrubs or vines that prefer a more temperate climate. In areas like Denmark, New York, Vermont, and other colder climates, jasmine, palms, and other favorites won't deal well with being outside year-round. Take a tip from the Danish royals and plant your favorite mild-temperature-loving outdoor plants in oversize pots. This way, you can move them indoors when the seasons change. To make things easier on your back, make sure to borrow a hand truck to transport plants from outdoors to indoors at the first sign of frost. Keep reading to see what famous Midwestern designer has used this same gardening technique.

Kitty Lovers, Just Say "No Thanks" to Easter Lilies!

PetSugar — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 03:46:42 PDT

I've shared doggy dangers lurking in your Easter basket, but I wanted to remind you about a popular holiday flower that should never be brought into a home that includes cats.

Easter lilies are one of the most poisonous flowers for kitties. In fact, just one or two leaves or flowers can fatally harm a feline so, even if you think your pet will show no interest in this plant, please take no chances. This lily (along with Tiger, Asiatic, and other varieties) causes depression then vomiting, loss of appetite, and loss in body weight with the first symptoms showing up within 30 minutes . . . and acute renal failure coming at about 48 hours post-ingestion.

While lilies are non-toxic to dogs, horses, and (most likely) lil chicks, please brush up on other poisonous plants and have the ASPCA poison control hotline handy. Don't hesitate to rush any pet you fear has gotten a hold of a dangerous stem or blossom to the doctor immediately!

An Easy Flower Frog Succulent Arrangement

Casa Community — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 10:30:00 PDT

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member and Sugar staffer Lauren from the Su Casa group:

I had bought a couple of flower frogs with the hopes to use them in arrangements, but since they have been sitting in my garage for at least six months, I decided it was time to try something else out with them. I went through my pots of succulents and broke off the smaller ones for a grand total of probably 15 little succulents. With a small pile of spanish moss and the aid of a screwdriver, I stuffed the flower frog about half full of moss. I gingerly placed the succulent stem and their roots within each of the individual slots. After placing all of my succulents, I used more moss and the trusty screwdriver to add even more moss to the frog and stabilize the succulents.

On my next garden store outing, I will probably pick up a couple more small succulents to add. I am hoping the moss will provide enough moisture and structure to allow the plants to establish themselves. If not, it is lovely to add a little greenery to the house!

Have you done any home projects lately? Be sure to share your decorating photos in the Su Casa group!

Weekend DIYs

Elka Karl — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:00:12 PST

Do you feel compelled to make some Charlie Sheen-inspired magnetic poetry this weekend? How about adding some pretty accents to your houseplants? Or creating some ombré napkins? You'll find the plans for all of these projects and much more in this weekend's DIYs!

Do You Decorate With Orchids?

Elka Karl — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 05:30:00 PST

For years, my experience with orchids was spotty at best. Oftentimes they died shortly after blooming, and I never had any that rebloomed. But three years ago I was given an orchid that has, since that time, rebloomed eight times, and just this past week, another orchid displayed three new flowers. When I met with gardening expert Flora Grubb last week, she told me that the real secret to orchids is to leave them alone: don't repot them, and once they find a sunny spot that they like, leave them there. Apparently I'd been heeding this advice through simple laziness. Hey, if it works, why change?

Source

Japanese Plant Sensor Uses Experts to Help Grow Your Crops

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 08:30:40 PDT

Like the EasyBloom and iGrobot before it, the Garden Sensor uses technology to help poor souls without a green thumb to grow perfect plants on your porch or garden . . . only this time, you get expert advice on how to keep your plants in tip-top shape to boot.

Coming straight outta Japan, the Garden Sensor lives in your planter box and wirelessly transmits water levels, nutrients, and sun exposure to plant experts. The experts evaluate and monitor your plant's health status, then send frequent email updates with advice on how to care for it directly to your cell phone. It's like your own gardener right in your pocket! This service doesn't come cheap, though. Find out how much it costs (and when you can get it) after the break.

Five Tips For Successful Plant Hydration

CasaSugar — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 10:00:44 PDT

Falkland in Fife, Scotland, recently won the Britain in Bloom Champion of Champion Awards from the Royal Horticutural Society. Since the town has won this award for the second year in a row, it's safe to say that its residents must know a thing or two when it comes to keeping their plants and flowers in top shape. One important requirement is proper watering, so today I'm going to offer you some ideas for keeping your potted plants properly hydrated. Check out my tips below.

Either lift your pot to see if it's too light (pots should have heft to them if there is adequate water content) or stick your finger in the soil of the pot. If it is dry to half an inch, it's time to water.
Check water levels frequently, since potted plants dry out much more quickly than in-ground plants.
Is the plant drying out more quickly than its potted neighbors? It may be time to transplant it to a larger pot.
Water the plant with a watering can slowly and evenly, allowing the soil to absorb the water.
Make sure to use a saucer under each pot to catch water. This will help your plant to reabsorb any collected water, and will also prevent the water (mixed with planting soil) from staining your steps, railing, or sidewalk.

What tips do you find helpful to follow when watering outdoor plants?