Gardenerd's Echeveria garden

My fascination with echeveria’s is that they look like flowers themselves, rose flowers more specifically, and while I don’t grow roses, at all – the fact that these plants resemble a blossom was all it took for me to start grabbing and snatching.


For the most part, they all follow the same relative care schedule, appreciating full sun with protection from the hottest afternoon summer sun – otherwise, they’ll scorch. Water them only when BONE dry, they rot easily. trust me.

To combat this they need a fast draining soil, I currently use cactus soil with added perlite and vermiculite but I imagine any potting soil would be fine. The trick is to use only one part of that to 2 parts each of the perlite and vermiculite.


in the winter, I don’t ever give them a big drink, only a small one to keep the roots from drying out completely and that is done once every month, if that. They will need protection from frost as they are not cold hardy.

During the growing season, I fertilize with schultz succulent fertilizer everytime I water, generally every 3-4 weeks but again, that is dependent on the weather – just make sure the soil has dried out and been dry for 2 days before watering again.

Propagation from leaf cuttings is PRESUMABLY really easy but I have had one success to a fistful of failures so when/if I ever get a technique down that works tried and true, I will lovingly share.