Aside from starting my own homestead and learning how to propagate hens and chicks, I have also taken an interest in growing succulents! Succulents are plants that have fat, fleshy leaves. They don’t need to be watered that often, since they store water in their leaves. Many succulent varieties come from dry areas of the tropics and deserts. Some succulents even have health benefits, such as aloe vera and the common houseleek.

(Common Houseleek)

Since all succulent varieties have similar needs, here’s how to take care of them:

1. Succulents need bright light. To figure out whether your plant is receiving enough sunlight, check the leaves. Some succulents will scorch if suddenly exposed to direct light. The leaves will usually turn brown or white as the plant dies out. A succulent that is not receiving enough sunlight will also start to stretch. It will have an elongated stem and widely spaced leaves. To fix this, you can prune the plant and provide it with adequate sunlight.

2. Succulents are actually pretty good at handling the cold. Since desert nights are cold, succulents thrive when nights are colder.

(Succulent cuttings)

3. Water your succulents regularly in summer, but in the winter, limit watering to every other month. Succulent plants are dormant in the winter. When your plant is over-watered, they are soft and discolored. To save it, you can check the roots. If they’re brown and rotted, cut away the dead parts and repot the plant into drier potting soil. You can also take a cutting and propagate the plant. To do this, take a sharp knife and cut away the part of the plant you would like to propagate. This could be a stem, or a leaf. Allow the cutting to dry for 24 hours until it forms a scab. Then, simply plant the cutting cut side down. You should see roots start to form in a few weeks. If you are under-watering the plant, it will stop growing and start to shed its leaves.

(Succulents in vintage teacup)

4. Succulents should be potted in a fast-draining potting soil designed for cacti and succulents. If you can’t find that type of potting soil, you can create your own by mixing a normal potting mix with perlite to increase drainage.

5. As for fertilizing, you can fertilize your succulents like any normal plants, but limit it only to summertime. Do not fertilize succulents in the winter.

(Purple Echeveria)

Photos: Cactus Jungle, Succulents and Sunshine, Hirondelles Blog, Etsy.

Weeds. Every yard has them. They are stubborn, pesky, and ruin your lovely lawn and flowerbeds. Buying generic weed killer from the store isn’t exactly the safest way to go about getting rid of weeds, as they are full of toxic chemicals. Keep your family and pets safe with these 5 easy solutions:

1. Boiling Water and Salt

This is the easiest and cheapest method. Simply boil tap water in a pot and add a cup of salt. Mix until the salt has dissolved and pour over any weeds. Be sure not to get it in contact with other plants, though, as this will kill anything that grows.

2. Weed Killer Spray Recipe

This spray is sure to kill any weeds it comes in contact with! Simply add 4 oz of lemon juice to 1 litre of apple cider vinegar. Pour into a spray bottle and spray thoroughly onto weeds.

3. Baking Soda

Since baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, it’s extremely deadly to weeds. Simply sprinkle a generous amount over weeds, and avoid other plants or grass.

4. Dish Soap

Dish soap breaks down weeds and makes them vulnerable to the sun’s rays. Add 6 tbsp of dish soap to a spray bottle and fill it with water. Spray this mixture onto weeds on a sunny day when the sun can help dry them up.

5. Fire

Another method that is widely used is burning the weeds with fire. Sometimes this method has to be done several times before the weeds are completely gone.

Photos: Dobies, Craftsy, Organic Gardening.