Hi...brand new here and I am sure many have asked in the past, but where do folks buy from (mail order) or anywhere near Southern New Jersey?

Hello, tate1963 and to the forum!

Nice photo! No idea about New Jersey (southern Californian here!), but my three favorite mail order companies are Mountain Crest Gardens, SMG Succulents, and Young's Garden Center. I've also gotten them at nurseries and off of eBay before. Careful with eBay though, sometimes you will get one that has mealybugs. with Mountain Crest Gardens I often receive only one rosette for each kind that I order, whereas SMG and Young's send you a paper bag with multiple rosettes of each plant. All three are good companies!

Welcome, Tate! Try this link for a place that's located in Wisconsin which is nearer to you then the neat semp nurseries we have out here in the West. It's the Sempervivum Patch that belongs to our member Goldfinch4

http://cubits.org/TheSemperviv...

Thanks - - I have long wanted to order from SMG ( so long ago it was Squaw ). I've done ebay with success a few years back and am ready to re-stock up.

Hello Tate1963 glad to see you! Another source is here...suggest waiting until weather is a bit cooler, but there are a couple people selling semps on here @Springcolor and @Valleylynn both are selling semps currently.
Good luck and post pics!

If nothing catches your eye from SMG (or the others), check back from time to time because different things show up as they become available. I love all the different species they offer! The hybrids are more popular, but the species are very special and SMG carries quite a few of them from different regions!

Something I forgot to mention, Young's always gives you a free one. Always exciting to see what the mystery one will be!

Hi Tate1963, glad you found us!
I'm not sure where in S NJ you are. When we lived in OC, NJ, there were a few nursaries that carried semps on the Black Horse Pk. Tom's was one. Can't remember the others.
Mail order from members that sell is always a great choice! As well as preferred vendors previously mentioned.
Your sandy, well drained soil should be perfect for semps!
Now I miss my OC beach and boardwalk!

Hi Tate, and a big to NGA. So glad you found your way here.
I love your enamel ware and bucket containers, perfect for semps.
Here is a link for a list of sites that sell semps and other succulents.
http://garden.org/thread/view_...

Hi Tate, welcome to NGA and happy to have you here!

There's no shortage of places to tempt you to buy new semps! Hope you're able to find some special ones!

TerriStanley said:Hi Tate1963, glad you found us!
I'm not sure where in S NJ you are. When we lived in OC, NJ, there were a few nursaries that carried semps on the Black Horse Pk. Tom's was one. Can't remember the others.
Mail order from members that sell is always a great choice! As well as preferred vendors previously mentioned.
Your sandy, well drained soil should be perfect for semps!
Now I miss my OC beach and boardwalk!

I am just outside of Philly, Collingswood, NJ. I am not familiar with Tom's on BHP...what town? I am guessing all of the nurseries you are mentioning are near the shore?

My soil tends to be clayish...no Pine Barrens sand here. I just picked up a lot of stone from Sunset aka Diamond beach Cape May over the weekend for my semps though. I do need to get in the Barrens and pick up some sand.

valleylynn said:Hi Tate, and a big to NGA. So glad you found your way here.
I love your enamel ware and bucket containers, perfect for semps.
Here is a link for a list of sites that sell semps and other succulents.
http://garden.org/thread/view_...

Funny...I was going to ask what type of planters people prefer to use. I have found best success in galvanized metal. I have had minimal success in the ground. Enamel is relatively new to me and I am starting to explore old advertising cans etc...

I use terra cotta and plastic for all my succulents. I have tried galvanized metal troughs for different things, but our desert sun killed almost everything I tried to grow in them. Only lavender and chives made it through! Shame because I love the look of metal containers.

For sempervivum I like terra cotta in my climate because it breathes and on hot days you can just wet the outside of the pots with water and that combined with the wind helps the plants to stay cool. Looks nice as well. Never too worried about overwatering with terra cotta because the excess just works its way to the outside of the pot and evaporates. Flip side you have to water more often. Plastic of all kinds works well too but I have to be more stingy with water. My newest ones this year I just bought some 84 cent clear plastic storage bins at Target, drilled holes in 'em, and filled them. Not very attractive but it works (budget gardening lol) and it's neat to see all the little white roots and how quickly they grow. I wish I could have mine in ground but between the hot summer sun, gophers, voles, ground squirrels, jack rabbits, etc too much of a hassle. And our "soil" here is just dusty sand (think footage from the Dust Bowl) on top of sandy clay. terra cotta followed by plastic works best where I am. Yours look really good in the containers you have!!

tate1963 said:

I am just outside of Philly, Collingswood, NJ. I am not familiar with Tom's on BHP...what town? I am guessing all of the nurseries you are mentioning are near the shore?

My soil tends to be clayish...no Pine Barrens sand here. I just picked up a lot of stone from Sunset aka Diamond beach Cape May over the weekend for my semps though. I do need to get in the Barrens and pick up some sand.

Yeah, down the shore. But, there are lots of other options.
I grew up in the Philly burbs! Cape may is great! Make sure you wash those gorgeous stones well though. You don't want to kill your plants with sea salt. Beach sand is a bit too fine IMO. I use course arena sand, but just a bit. Potting soil with pumice, perlite, chicken grit is what works for me.
Just make sure it drains well!

TerriStanley said:

Yeah, down the shore. But, there are lots of other options.
I grew up in the Philly burbs! Cape may is great! Make sure you wash those gorgeous stones well though. You don't want to kill your plants with sea salt. Beach sand is a bit too fine IMO. I use course arena sand, but just a bit. Potting soil with pumice, perlite, chicken grit is what works for me.
Just make sure it drains well!

It will be a long while before I use those stones....quite possibly 1 year+. I would not use the beach sand, but I'm ready to make a trip out to the Pine Barrens.

cahdg6891 said:I use terra cotta and plastic for all my succulents. I have tried galvanized metal troughs for different things, but our desert sun killed almost everything I tried to grow in them. Only lavender and chives made it through! Shame because I love the look of metal containers.

For sempervivum I like terra cotta in my climate because it breathes and on hot days you can just wet the outside of the pots with water and that combined with the wind helps the plants to stay cool. Looks nice as well. Never too worried about overwatering with terra cotta because the excess just works its way to the outside of the pot and evaporates. Flip side you have to water more often. Plastic of all kinds works well too but I have to be more stingy with water. My newest ones this year I just bought some 84 cent clear plastic storage bins at Target, drilled holes in 'em, and filled them. Not very attractive but it works (budget gardening lol) and it's neat to see all the little white roots and how quickly they grow. I wish I could have mine in ground but between the hot summer sun, gophers, voles, ground squirrels, jack rabbits, etc too much of a hassle. And our "soil" here is just dusty sand (think footage from the Dust Bowl) on top of sandy clay. terra cotta followed by plastic works best where I am. Yours look really good in the containers you have!!

Terracotta works great here till it freezes over and cracks/breaks...sometimes they will last several years, but it is only a matter of time. I understand the galvanized getting to hot, but I have had the best results with galvanized. Different regions, different weather :)

I am experimenting with vintage enamel and various other metal etc. I made a trough a few years back and really want to do that again as well as carve a niche in a big rock.

Indeed, Tate the average life span of terra cotta here is five to seven years or so it seems. Carving into a big rock would look so neat! Especially as they begin growing and spreading over the surface and tumbling over the sides. Whisky barrels cut in half are another fun option too. Lowes and Home Depot both charge about $60 here for one.

I'm not too-ooo far away from you, about 9 hours North (almost to Canada), and have ±150 named varieties growing outdoors in raised beds. Ridiculous amounts of plant material and very reasonable prices for clumps (NOT individual rosettes). This photo is a few years old - better photos coming soon - most of the beds are really full.

LabourofLove said:I'm not too-ooo far away from you, about 9 hours North (almost to Canada), and have ±150 named varieties growing outdoors in raised beds. Ridiculous amounts of plant material and very reasonable prices for clumps (NOT individual rosettes). This photo is a few years old - better photos coming soon - most of the beds are really full.

I would love to visit your place. Slightly too far away though.

LabourofLove said:I'm not too-ooo far away from you, about 9 hours North (almost to Canada), and have ±150 named varieties growing outdoors in raised beds. Ridiculous amounts of plant material and very reasonable prices for clumps (NOT individual rosettes). This photo is a few years old - better photos coming soon - most of the beds are really full.

Hi.....funny I was thinking about a leaf-peeping trip just yday.

cant wait to see more pics!

tate1963 said:

Hi.....funny I was thinking about a leaf-peeping trip just yday.

cant wait to see more pics!

Sounds like a plan. Peak viewing (leaves) is usually the first week or so in October. AND, I have guest rooms.