Hello,

I have been poking reading here for about a week now and can already tell I am in trouble. I have been making some hypertufa pots and was thinking I would plant them with succulents I really like echeveria and in my reading have become really interested in Sempervivum. I have purchased a few plants from local nurseries and have been looking at some online sellers here and already have a list of plants to order. The one thing I am a bit worried about is I might not have enough sun. I get full sun in different areas of my yard but only for a few hours here and a few hours there. I am not sure if the plants will be happy in these conditions they might grow but never really have nice color or grow kind of weak and elongated. It is bright in the yard. So I guess my first question is are there some varieties that do better with less full sun or should I really be rethinking growing these plants?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be really appreciated,

Thank you,

John

P.S. I live in zone 9a Sonoma County California

I have quite a few getting only partial sun and some getting mostly shade. I'm more concerned that your climate may be too warm overall. Semps usually color up best when they have a nice cold winter to make them go dormant.

John, to you, new member!
I also live in Sonoma County zone 9a and with my semps, there are some that shy away from the full sun for lots of hours. I have my semp bed in a place where it gets afternoon sun but I have to resort to shade cloth on top of the bed from 11:30 to 4:30PM so that they don't get fried. Also, last winter we did get temps that dipped to high 30's and low 40's and my semps colored nicely. I have some semps like the arachnoid types that are hairy, ciliated or fuzzy that aren't in the semp bed because they don't seem to do well there. Those seem to like the morning sun better.
Your echeverias should do fine as they don't need as much sun but in the winter, they need to be protected in some way. I chose not to overwinter them indoors as I believe in Tuff LOve and so I just pushed them against the house or under the eaves with frost cloth over them at nite.

Oops, wrong zone: I'm in 9b.

Thank your for the information. I will try them out and see how it goes at least they will be in pots so I can test them out in different areas and see what works best. And Bev it is good to see you are in a similar zone from the pictures I have seen of your plants they seem to be doing very well so that is encouraging.

John

Hi John, and a big to you. I love that you have been reading some of the threads and getting excited about trying sempervivum.
And the really wonderful part about your zone is that you can grow many of the tender succulents as well. The best of both worlds.

Calif_Sue is in zone 9a and growing semps that are doing nicely for her. Let me see if I can get her to pop in here and tell us her experience with semps.

I would think the bright light, but partial sun/shade would work well in your zone. I agree with Bev, to much sun in your area would fry them.

Hi Lynn,

Thank you for the nice welcome and support. I am getting really excited and have bought a few plants locally.

It will be nice to hear from Sue, Bev has already been a big help and has been so nice to offer to send my some babies.
I am feeling very welcome here already.

John

Bev does such a great job of raising her semps. They would be perfect to learn what is needed in your growing conditions.
And of course we will want to see photos of your progress, and the new plants you already have.
Did I tell you, we LOVE photos.

John, best of luck with your plantings! I would suggest the more tender succulents - like echeveria, which would do amazing things for you in your zone, without any fuss!! Bright indirect sunlight is perfect! There are also many sedums from Mexico/central america which are tender, and do well in your zone. Semps for you would be marginal, due to heat, so in your hotter summers they'd need extra attention, but in a more cooler summer they'd be great! And during winter they'd be fine there! All of these plants would want fast draining soil!! You'll love ATP - we're a friendly group - like Lynn says - photos please, before and after are fine! Photos of your pots and artwork would be great

Hi John. welcome to ATP! Where abouts in Sonoma County are you? More inland? I am in Sebastopol. What local nurseries have you shopped? Have you gone to Cottage Gardens in Petaluma? They have an excellant succulent collection and a beautiful display area!


I can also highly recommend a small nursery, Peacock Nursery on 116 http://peacockhorticulturalnur..., he has a great selection of sempervivum in the back of the nursery in full sun. A real fun nursery to peruse.

I moved here just over 2 years ago from the Bay Area so I went from a 9b to 9a, just enough difference for some of my succulents that are more frost tender like my aeoniums. I have most in pots near the house or tucked under trees and they all recovered from this past winter.
I have a few sempervivums, this shot is of a bowl I brought with me, it's in over half day sun and gets afternoon shade, when it's the warmest.


This noid one I planted underneath a large rose so it only gets some morning sun. Seems quite happy here.


An aeonium that I planted under a crepe myrtle, it had frost damage but each stem has now produced a large cluster.


One of my favorite aeoniums, not sure which one, the cold rarely affects it, probably because of the thicker leaves.


One plant that I leave out in full sun is Graptoveria (XGraptoveria 'Fred Ives') because I love the color changes from the heat and cold stress.


Graptosedum (XGraptosedum 'Pinky') is popped in pots all over the garden, full sun, part shade, regular potting mix with other perennials, no winter protection. It does not care! http://www.anniesannuals.com/p...

Sue that NOID looks to be in the perfect spot. It is so healthy and happy looking, and oh so beautiful.
Love all of the other photos, especially the aeonium under the crepe myrtle.

I find the Graptopetalum to be hardy even here in my zone 8b if given protection from our months of winter/spring rain.

I just stuck that semp in the ground, no special soil amendments but it's on a slightly raised area so water won't pool.

That Annie's link says the Graptopetalum is good down to 7b. Mine don't get any protection from the winter rains.

But do you have steady rain from Dec through May?

Yes we do, our average is 40", Nov.-May. But we get sunny days in between too. Our rains can be torrential downpours too.

This is good to know. I am feeling encouraged about leaving them exposed to the elements.

Me too, since I decided this year to try and leave out as many tenders as possible, and not try to get them all smooshed into my studio apartment - cozy and clean air but a little bit too tight really!

Hi John,

Glad you've joined us and if you're in trouble already, sounds like you'll fit right in! One nice thing about planting semps in your hypertufa containers is that you can move them around until you find the perfect spot for them. I'd love to see some pictures of your hypertufa too.

Yes, all of us would love to see photos of your containers John.