It has been a challenge this year, Lynn. I've lost quite a few, but the remaining ones are a joy to see. I love all of the colors they turn! I was just out watering them this morning. My bed needs cleaning up the weeds and dead flower stalks.

How are you doing Karen? Are you able to weed now? Wish I lived close enough to help.

I have enough energy to do small things every day. I plan what I want to do. The rest of the day has to be reading, working on the computer or napping.

Our youngest daughter and her husband are making masks. The local fabric stores have ridiculous prices so I went through my cotton quilt fabrics and got them a big box of fabric that will make neat masks. She uses them in her vet clinic, and then they pass the rest on to the hospitals near them.

Yesterday I made it to the greenhouse and worked a while cleaning, pruning, and putting down a systemic on a hibiscus that is constantly buggy. I've battled the bugs for 5 years. Safer soap daily didn't work on the aphids and whiteflies.

Hello everyone,

I have now on my better half's behalf ordered up a number of
Semps as you call them

The Sempervivum varieties that I have gotten and will get include:

'Jade Rose'
S. heuffelii 'Irene'
S. heuffelii 'Chocolate Sundae'

Congrats on your new semps! I'm betting they will be the beginning of a large collection if you are like most of us!

Hi Willinator, nice to meet you.
Very nice choices. We'd love to see photos once they are planted and settled in, if you have time.

Well I have gotten a large number of new succulents along with the Semps

We love photos.
Did you get them for your wife? Or yourself? Or both?

Well my wife is the real fan of cacti and succulents so more for her.
My favorites are roses and I do grow chili peppers.

Well, those are good also, I just don't need many of either of those. I have 4 roses, and will grow a few pepper plants this year.

Lynn, in some of your pictures it looks like you are growing in cement containers. Did you make those or buy them somewhere?

You mean like this Kathy?


I grow in cement block beds. This keeps them up where I can sit in a garden chair and work the beds. The only way I garden now.

Melissa,
Love your comment on "Another One Bites the Dust.
The manager of one of the markets I attend in summer is also the DJ. (we do not have live music) . He plays that song every day to close the market. Some days it is very fitting.

valleylynn said:You mean like this Kathy?


I grow in cement block beds. This keeps them up where I can sit in a garden chair and work the beds. The only way I garden now.

Lynn, yes. Some of the blocks looked different than the regular blocks I've seen. I made a strawberry bed out of some. I like your set up so may try to do something like that.

That looks like a great way to grow cacti and succulents
and I know I can find cinder blocks fairly cheaply.

Kathy and Willinator, this is a great way to grow succulents. Easy to work the beds, keeps them high and dry during our very wet winter and spring. I use the cement blocks that are called split face. It gives a bit more of a granite rock look. You never have to replace them.

Well I have several more succulents to plant including two more Semps.
'Chocolate Sundae' and 'Irene'

Well all of my Semps are planted in Pots and I hope they like the
heat. Because I know we will get lots of heat and humidity here in
Houston, TX

You will have to make sure your pots are very fast draining, and then give them lots of moisture. It probably needs to be daily in the summer. Good luck!

It is about right for the plants that are in direct sun, I also have several on the deck which get lots of
shade, and I can put a lot of the pots out where they get a mix of sun and shade. I will have to
experiment I guess.