SUCCULENTS: You most likely already develop some perennial ones in your backyard, and maybe others that aren’t hardy are amongst your favourite houseplants. However what if a few of these indoor sorts began taking part in seasonal roles within the backyard, too?
That’s what Harnek Singh, a longtime gardener at Wave Hill in New York Metropolis, has been serious about and experimenting with currently to some fairly gorgeous impact. It helps when you’ve got a spare backyard space to experiment in like they do at Wave Hill, the place what’s known as the Paisley Mattress (as a result of it’s formed like a large paisley) is planted in an entire new theme every year.
This 12 months, till someday in October, it’s all about succulents, and the design consists of most of the vegetation within the cacti and succulents assortment that Harnek cares for in Wave Hill’s conservatory, only one a part of his total horticultural function there. He advisable some favourite succulents for indoors and outside, and gave us some tips about learn how to develop them and use them (like why even the houseplant sorts want some outside time every year!), and even which of them are straightforward to propagate extra of.
Learn alongside as you hearken to the July 17, 2023 version of my public-radio present and podcast utilizing the participant under. You may subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts right here).
versatile succulents, with harnek singh
Margaret Roach: Welcome, Harnek. Thanks for becoming a member of me right now on this summery day within the backyard.
Harnek Singh: Hello, Margaret. Nicely, thanks for having me on this present. I feel it’s good that I’m getting a bit of break from gardening. It’s scorching [laughter].
Margaret: I do know it’s scorching there right now, whereas we’re recording.
Harnek: I’m delighted.
Margaret: The Paisley Mattress—I’ve seen a lot of its designs through the years at Wave Hill, however that is fairly distinctive. Earlier than we speak concerning the succulent model that you simply’ve performed this 12 months, inform us a bit of bit about another latest paisley beds. And about this concept of getting this naked space that may be one thing totally different yearly.
Harnek: Yeah, it’s a small part that’s proper in entrance of the Customer’s Middle at Wave Hill. We plant normally spring bulbs within the winter, or within the fall. Then after these bulbs are taken out, we normally develop one thing only for the season. Up to now, we’ve performed it with the greens, a number of instances truly, that’s what it was final 12 months. We’ve performed it with simply foliage. That will probably be Coleus or Alternanthera or another issues which have seasonal impact by the foliage. Typically simply easy-to-grow annuals from seeds, simply throwing a lot of seeds in there and see how they undergo the seeds. So it has performed alternative ways prior to now.
So I did it as soon as earlier than, about 10 years in the past. That point I attempted to make a bit of type of knot backyard, simply actually easy. So this was my second attempt on the Paisley Mattress, so we determined to do it with the succulent home.
Margaret: And now you make it sound… You stated “simply greens” or “simply foliage.” However it’s at all times spectacular as a result of even when it’s “simply greens,” it’s so fantastically designed, and lets say it’s “simply succulents.” However boy, what you’ve performed on this paisley-shaped mattress, and I consider throughout it’s a little piece of garden, yeah? So it’s reduce into a bit of garden. You’ve additionally made nearly this mosaic of those sculptural, geometric vegetation on this mattress. It’s fairly gorgeous. So how did you get the thought to deliver among the succulents from the gathering exterior?
Harnek: So I’ve been caring for the succulent assortment right here for fairly a while, greater than 10 years. Truly, as a interest gardener, I used to be fascinated by symmetry of among the succulents like Agave, or Echeveria, Aeonium. I’d at all times say, “Oh, who wants flowers when you might have these stunning shapes?” So since I used to be doing this for years and utilizing vegetation exterior within the backyard in smaller scale, like a container, or simply few vegetation which might be planted within the floor. So over the time, we’ve fairly a couple of issues that had been simply rising right here and there.
So we had plenty of vegetation that we thought, “Oh, we have to use them,” as a result of we’ve been tending them for a lot of, a few years. In order that’s how the entire thing began. I stated, “Oh, nicely.”
Then we determined to take some cuttings off, another straightforward circle in order that we will discuss, that anyone can principally do and simply develop them in an everyday backyard setting or in a family setting. In order that’s the way it began.
And all of the vegetation which might be truly planted this 12 months are just about, I’ll say 95 p.c of them we grew them in home. We didn’t want to purchase a lot stuff. We did purchase couple issues like Dichondra or another groundcover issues that work nicely with the succulents, however principally it’s vegetation from our assortment, in order that was the thrilling half. [Above, Agave americana and other agaves summering outside the Wave Hill conservatory with the silvery groundcover Dichondra, and purple Alternanthera.]
Margaret: You like propagation, do you? [Laughter.] Yeah.
Harnek: Sure. I imply, in fact.
Margaret: Yeah. So inside this paisley-shaped mattress, you confirmed me an overhead image the opposite day of its progress report, and it appears like there’s some paisley designs throughout the paisley. Is that the case?
Harnek: Sure, definitely there are. I at all times wished to make paisleys inside paisleys. [Laughter.] That’s what you see whenever you see paisleys generally.
Margaret: Materials and so forth, yeah.
Harnek: Within the materials, yeah, precisely. So I by no means had the chance and when it wasn’t initially a part of my plan. So after I begin laying issues out, it simply clicked. I imply, I had the essential idea. So the best way it’s planted, vegetation from the Previous World are type of on one aspect, and the vegetation from the New World are on one other aspect.
Margaret: Oh!
Harnek: Americas or Africa. So inside that, a spread of vegetation that we’ve propagated, it simply turned type of pure to have some enjoyable, I’ll say. So creating paisleys inside paisley was enjoyable. So the mattress is paisley-shaped. Then there are three paisleys throughout the paisley planting: One is with the big vegetation. Then these are giant vegetation are blended from cacti and enormous Euphorbia, Agave, and Aloe.
Then the smaller sections additionally, nicely, that I name them bedding vegetation, like several bedding animals. They’re straightforward to plant them in mass to create a pleasant impact. So yeah, one paisley with the African vegetation, and there’s one paisley with American vegetation inside this paisley.
Margaret: Attention-grabbing. So this isn’t… Seeing a bedding-out scheme, so to talk, a design with principally non-hardy vegetation. It’s not one thing you see with succulents within the Northeastern United States very a lot, is it? One thing totally different, one thing actually totally different. However it actually encourages us to consider can among the “houseplants” we’ve inside, a few of that are most likely succulent, play a job in our backyard seasonally.
And also you’ve actually taken that to the utmost, as a result of you might have this nice assortment and you’ve got the power to propagate and so forth. However yeah, I imply it truly is spectacular.
So I wished to ask you, you’ve gone and liberated among the assortment. You’ve allow them to out for the summer season [laughter]. What are they pondering? What are the vegetation? How are they responding, a few of these vegetation that develop normally in a greenhouse? [Below, some of the plants were plunged, pots and all, in the Paisley Bed, others unpotted and put into the soil.]
Harnek: Nicely, from my expertise, vegetation through the rising season, like all succulents, they wish to be exterior. They don’t actually like being within the greenhouse. Even in a family setting, too, if anyone has a sunroom, it does get scorching in locations. Particularly in a greenhouse it will get so scorching, and I can’t even discover sufficient time to water them. Even folks say, “Oh, succulents, they don’t want water,” however they do. And it’s like 115 levels within the greenhouse every single day.
Margaret: Oh, my.
Harnek: So over the time after I was bringing vegetation out, I imply they had been a lot happier. Nonetheless, I deliver the vegetation out, those I deliver them out through the season, simply depart them as containers, they at all times are a lot happier than those which might be left within the greenhouse from our assortment. In order that was type of an encouraging half, simply seeing potential of those vegetation. A few of these issues, we’re rising them as tiny… The best way our greenhouse is, it’s a set. We’ve nearly 800 totally different type of succulents in a tiny little greenhouse.
Margaret: Oof!
Harnek: So it’s so laborious to think about that what these vegetation can do if they’re given room to develop.
Margaret: So that they’re rising. A few of them are rising [laughter]?
Harnek: They crammed in, it’s been a month because the mattress was planted.
Margaret: Wow.
Harnek: Some issues have tripled in dimension.
Margaret: Wow.
Harnek: Yeah. Even among the issues which might be usually are so sad, like Haworthia type of stuff that doesn’t develop within the scorching climate that a lot, however once they’re planted within the floor, simply the air circulation, perhaps simply the corporate of different companion vegetation, they appear so plump.
Margaret: Huh, fascinating. To date so good. Not solely is it stunning, however they appear completely happy, too.
Harnek: Precisely. I’ll encourage anyone who collects succulents, or has few succulents as houseplants, simply put them to work when the season comes. And plenty of these are really easy to take cuttings off as nicely. And a few of them could possibly be used as specimen vegetation, like Agaves or cacti type of stuff. However then there are lot of vegetation that could possibly be simply, you may make 10 vegetation out of 1 plant, much more, and divide some issues. One plant could possibly be divided into extra. [Above, divided Echeveria runyonii ‘Topsy Turvy’.]
Margaret: I’ve a few actually huge Sansevieria, what do they name it? Snake plant or one thing?
Harnek: Snake plant, yeah. Or mother-in-law’s tongue.
Margaret: Mom-in-law’s tongue, proper. A few huge pots. And if I’m doing a gaggle of pots exterior, generally that simply offers it a lot. It may be different annuals from the backyard heart or no matter, however generally you simply put these two sculptural items within the combine, and it simply modifications all of it, doesn’t it? To have one thing… And people are succulent.
Harnek: Completely. I really like Sansevierias personally. At dwelling, I’ve a set of them, small ones. I imply, a few of them get fairly huge, like Sansevieria cylindrica, which is a superb houseplant for a big scale, however it’s additionally an awesome centerpiece for any blended container.
So these vegetation, they’re a lot happier once they’re exterior. I imply, these vegetation, you do should be sure to type of acclimate them earlier than you set them in… earlier than you alter their surroundings from a greenhouse, from a home, bringing exterior. However finally they’re completely happy. I imply, they’ll take full solar, even these vegetation.
Margaret: Actually?
Harnek: It relies upon, if you happen to can alter them to-
Margaret: Regularly, yeah.
Harnek: Regularly, sure.
Margaret: Oh, and now you stated cylindrica, the species cylindrica. Now, is that the one which it doesn’t have the flattened foliage, however it has the foliage that’s cylindrical, like a tube, like a finger? Have you learnt what I imply? That it’s pointed on the finish.
Harnek: Yeah, it’s spherical. I imply, it may well get fairly thick. I imply, I’ve seen them 4 toes tall, most likely extra some locations, so sure. Then there’s a flat-leaf one, Sansevieria grandis, which is without doubt one of the widest leaf Sansevieria, which is one other actually, actually stunning plant. I really like that plant. Makes an awesome houseplant, and simply similar, good backyard plant if planted exterior.
Margaret: So I may most likely steadily give mine a bit of extra gentle and a bit of extra gentle. I had them in a vibrant, shady location. I by no means knew, as a result of I’d by no means actually taken them out till the previous couple of years. One factor I’ll say, I shouldn’t say this as a result of it’s a downer [laughter], however Harnek, what occurred final 12 months is in August or September we had a hailstorm, and I had them exterior and so they acquired, the cylindrica truly, and so they acquired pitted by the hail.
Harnek: Sure.
Margaret: Yeah. I imply, my coronary heart was damaged as a result of it doesn’t develop again in two minutes.
Harnek: Precisely. However yeah, that’s truly, speaking about hail: So proper after the Paisley Mattress was planted, we had a hail storm inside per week.
Margaret: [Laughter.] Oh no, I didn’t know that.
Harnek: So it was fairly huge sized hail and all of these, Agave attenuata, I name it delicate agave. All of their leaves acquired a bit of sparks on them with the hail. So the climate, there’s at all times a bit of little bit of uncertainty, however being a gardener, you’ve acquired to take probabilities.
Margaret: Yeah. So I wish to get some recommendations. I do know you might have many rarities, and also you stated 800 vegetation or one thing, and even some fussy issues in that assortment, and doubtless some that it’s a must to give super-careful consideration to. However as dwelling gardeners, if we’re going to think about adopting extra succulents perhaps this fall or no matter, that then we’re going to have as houseplants and perhaps use part-time exterior subsequent 12 months, are there a few stable performers that you simply want folks can be alerted to undertake? Or some favorites that you simply assume are actually adaptable as houseplants?
Harnek: So I feel I’ll begin with the big vegetation. After we are speaking about utilizing these succulents exterior within the backyard, I normally divide them into three, 4 classes. One, your giant vegetation or vegetation that stand out. They might take into account a gaggle of vegetation that I primarily use for texture, totally different texture and shade. Then there a 3rd of the vegetation are small, engaging vegetation, like Echeveria or Aeonium type of stuff. I’m speaking concerning the small Aeonium.
So in relation to giant vegetation, if anyone wish to develop one thing as a houseplant, one thing that they’ll deliver out and simply use it within the backyard, I’ll begin with Agave, like Agave attenuata, which I name it delicate Agave. It’s an awesome, nice plant. So long as it may well spend 4 or 5 months through the rising season exterior.
Margaret: O.Ok.
Harnek: It’s an awesome container plant. Simply hold it as a houseplant through the colder months, then deliver it exterior, put within the backyard anyplace in a container. Then one other Aloe is bracteosa, generally often known as Octopus agave, which is one other nice agave. It doesn’t chunk, it’s not as prickly as another agaves. For dwelling gardeners, I’m beginning with these two which might be. Mainly easy-care. I imply, agaves could possibly be vicious.
Margaret: Would I exploit synthetic gentle, like my seed-starting lights or one thing like that, to make them happier within the months indoors, or…?
Harnek: Nicely, when you’ve got a south-facing window or west-facing window, I feel they need to be effective.
Margaret: O.Ok., simply wished to ask.
Harnek: Yeah. It will depend on if anyone’s giving these additional vegetation within the basement or one thing, sure, you definitely want some type of synthetic gentle.
Then among the many little smaller vegetation, or the vegetation that I develop them for his or her form and shade, there’s a Euphorbia known as ‘Sticks on Fireplace.’
Margaret: Oh, sure!
Harnek: It will get stunning, vibrant orange, and it additionally must exit in a cooler climate a bit of bit to get the perfect shade. Then there’s plenty of stunning Kalanchoe (or Kalanchoe, nonetheless everybody needs to say them).
Kalanchoe pubescens has a wonderful leaf that, a lot enjoyable to the touch. Then there’s Kalanchoe known as orgyalis, which is rusty, brownish leaves. It’s fairly frequent plant, I imply it could possibly be. And it may well get two, three toes tall. So then similar with the Aeonium, Aeonium arborescens, they get fairly giant and have stunning leaves. Euphorbia milii is an effective star, which I’m horrible with the frequent names. Milii is the one that-
Margaret: Oh yeah, it’s the crown of thorns.
Harnek: Crown of thorns, thanks. Particularly its variegated kind. This can be a superb type of it, stunning, stunning leaf.
So there are vegetation that that could possibly be simply used as a… They might add texture to any type of planting. Then there are small vegetation that could possibly be used as fillers or for his or her shade and texture. There’s so many Echeveria. Echeveria, you can simply divide them. There’s Echeveria prolifica, which because it’s identify says, one plant turns into 20 vegetation in a single season.
Margaret: Prolific [laughter].
Harnek: Sure, so there are vegetation like that. Or when persons are going purchasing for these vegetation, one also needs to search for… Even the perennials, I search for a plant that I can deliver dwelling and divide into multiple plant instantly.
Margaret: Sure, that’s an excellent level.
Harnek: Yeah. So similar for these circles. Typically you, there’s a Echeveria known as ‘Topsy Turvy,’ I feel species is runyonii, which it additionally, it’s a wonderful plant. Every plant could possibly be 8 inches vast when it’s completely happy, but in addition kinds pups readily. So if you happen to’re shopping for one plant this season, assure you’re going to have early six vegetation for the following 12 months’s planting.
Margaret: Proper. Yeah, that’s a wonderful one. Yeah.
Harnek: So choosing vegetation like that, that helps.
Margaret: And I wish to ensure that we’ve time. We don’t run out of time to speak about learn how to make extra. And I feel as you stated earlier, you propagated so much for the beds for the Paisley Mattress, so you can have multiples of among the issues within the assortment, and grew them your self, which was type of enjoyable. And what are a pair which might be actually good, straightforward to take cuttings of, and when will we do this as dwelling gardeners? When will we do this?
Harnek: So it could possibly be performed within the fall or late winter, like February or early March. Being in a backyard setting, we’ve all totally different type of issues. If anyone has these cellpack flats, one may take cuttings and put them in these particular person little cells. [Aeonium cuttings being propagated, above, in cellpack flats.]
Margaret: Oh.
Harnek: Simply principally depart them alone for like two months, and so they could possibly be immediately planted from these little cell packs immediately into the backyard mattress that they wish to do with the succulents. So the entire Paisley Mattress planting, principally all vegetation had been saved in flats. Nothing was potted in 4-inch pots. So Senecio are nice. There may be Senecio cylindricus, which is a blue chalk plant. They’re two totally different species, then there may be Senecio mandraliscae.
Margaret: Yeah, that’s a tough one [laughter].
Harnek: Yeah, precisely. Like a tongue tornado for me. So then plenty of Aeonium. Particularly small Aeonium, there’s a wide range of Aeonium known as tricolor, which appears like a small Echeveria, however one may take cuttings off it to make a number of vegetation.
Margaret: So to take a reducing, you’re speaking about Aeonium or the Senecio, what am I reducing off? If it’s one thing that has a rosette, so to talk, am I simply hoping it makes pops and separating the smaller rosettes? Or am I taking items of, what am I utilizing as cuttings?
Harnek: So if the plant is a rosette, which is usually Echeveria vegetation, the rosette is nearer to the bottom, so there you don’t have an excessive amount of probability of taking a stem reducing. So these vegetation needs to be grown from the leaf cuttings, which is a bit of longer course of. In order that’s why I used to be emphasizing on the vegetation that you could divide, sure varieties.
Margaret: Thanks, sure.
Harnek: Yeah. When involves different vegetation like Senecio, some Aeonium, Euphorbia type of issues, and there’s some Kalanchoe, so these are the vegetation that you could take reducing cuttings off. So these are the issues that normally the a number of stems. Normally your plant will get leggy, by finish of the season it will get, and that little Senecio cylindricus could possibly be 2 toes tall, so you possibly can take a number of cuttings from that one plant.
Margaret: From the highest of the stems.
Harnek: Precisely.
Margaret: Tip reducing, so to talk.
Harnek: Sure.
Margaret: Yeah. Okay, so not in contrast to if I’ve a Coleus that I let develop, and it’s actually a particular one, and I wish to have it once more subsequent 12 months within the fall, I’ll root some recent stuff from the highest, yeah?
Harnek: Precisely. I imply, simply snipping a number of cuttings from one stem, one on the highest, then one other one.
Margaret: Oh!
Harnek: Simply be sure to bear in mind which aspect is you’re going to stay within the medium. You don’t wish to stick them upside-down, that won’t be good.
Margaret: So I can take not simply the very tip, however I can take from behind that. Oh, fascinating.
Harnek: Precisely. It’s not, I imply.
Margaret: Wow.
Harnek: Most succulents, they’re so translucent, so they’ll root. However it’s a must to be sure to’re utilizing the fitting materials. I imply, you wish to ensure that your soil is porous. You don’t water them; you type of mist them till they begin rooting.
So it takes a bit of little bit of time. It takes a few month a minimum of throughout these days when there may be not an entire lot of sunshine. However now any succulent may root inside two weeks.
Margaret: Oh, wow. That’s fairly thrilling truly, the concept that I may make extra. Now you see, I’m going to be in huge hassle Harnek due to you [laughter].
Harnek: Nicely, it’s going to be plenty of enjoyable although. [Above, a bowl of succulents from the collection, including a couple of different Mammillaria, Sedum rubrotinctum, Echeveria and Pachyveria.]
Margaret: Yeah, that’s nice. Nicely, so we should always say to folks on this final minute, we should always simply say, clearly folks, anybody who’s by no means been to Wave Hill, it’s within the Riverdale part of the Bronx in New York Metropolis, and it’s simply this unbelievable public backyard. Actually a particular place, an previous property, incredible views of the Palisades throughout the river, proper throughout the Hudson River. I imply, it’s a should vacation spot. And now there’s one different motive to go to, which is that this loopy succulent Paisley Mattress that you simply’ve made, sure?
Harnek: Oh, definitely. Nicely, Wave Hill, one received’t be disenchanted even coming right here in through the lifeless of winter. It’s a wonderful place. However through the rising season, it’s an escape for thus many individuals. So I encourage all people to come back in and simply wander round and see all gems that we’ve right here.
Margaret: Nicely, thanks for giving us but another excuse, Harnek. I’m so glad to speak to you, and I hope I’ll speak to you once more quickly.
Harnek: Thanks, Margaret. It was so great speaking to you.
(All pictures from Harnek Singh and Wave Hill.)
extra about wave hill (and the paisley mattress)
want the podcast model of the present?
MY WEEKLY public-radio present, rated a “top-5 backyard podcast” by “The Guardian” newspaper within the UK, started its 14th 12 months in March 2023. It’s produced at Robin Hood Radio, the smallest NPR station within the nation. Hear regionally within the Hudson Valley (NY)-Berkshires (MA)-Litchfield Hills (CT) Mondays at 8:30 AM Japanese, rerun at 8:30 Saturdays. Or play the July 17, 2023 present utilizing the participant close to the highest of this transcript. You may subscribe to all future editions on iTunes/Apple Podcasts or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts right here).
