Sue Keehn launched her first of three outdoor lecture series (Gardening 101 with Sue) at the Harrison Township Public Library on Saturday, Feb. 22. The topic of conversation was none other than sensational succulents.
Sue is an active member of the Harrison Township Beautification Commission, a group that promotes environmental advancement in the community through a variety of gardens maintained by members, clean-up days, plant swaps, and other programs and events.
Sue is deeply passionate about the style and beauty of the Beatification Commission’s work. If you notice various colorful flowers and astonishingly beautiful plants at HTPL’s main entrance during the warmer seasons, it’s likely the work of Sue and other Beautification Commission members.
“It’s a joy to talk about gardening at this time of year, isn’t it? It’s time to get the hands dirty again,” Sue began. “Succulents are a group of plants with one of the most diverse forms, colors, and blooms. These easy-to-care-for indoor and outdoor specimens are really a dream for the busy gardener.”
As Sue explains, succulents are easily inspiring with their unique colors, textures, and growing variability. While they have grown in popularity as unique accents to a home or garden, their complexities make them hard to define.
“Oddly, some botanists and horticultural experts differ on which plants are technically succulents. Their appearance differs from species to species. One common characteristic is swollen leaves, pads, or stems,” she explained. “All types of succulents are pleasing to the eye, require minimal care, and produce delightful little surprises during their life cycle.”
Sue continued discussing three main types of succulents: echeveria, aeonium, and sempervivum. Plants in the sempervivum genus (often referred to as “hens & chicks”) are unique in that they can withstand harsh Michigan winters and temperatures as low as -20 degrees. Unlike other succulents associated with desert or jungle landscapes, sempervivum is astonishingly reliable for growing outdoors in places like Harrison Township.
Succulents are easily maintainable, Sue explained, as long as they get what they need and nothing more. It’s best to water them only when the soil is completely dry, fertilize succulents once per month, and use rubbing alcohol to take care of pests.
“The easiest way to kill a succulent is to overwater. We kill them with kindness, we think they need more, and they don’t.”
The most common problem is rotted roots when the succulents are watered too often and don’t have proper drainage. Sue encouraged succulent soil to be made of two parts potting soil, one part perlite, and one part small-sized gravel. This guarantees proper drainage needed for succulents to maintain healthy roots.
“So, why plant succulents? They require little water or fertilizer, they are unique and interesting, their colors and textures for outdoor and indoor gardens, many have blooms, they are easy to propagate, they improve the air indoors, they improve our mood during the winter months, and they are easy to share,” Sue explained. “That’s a lot of bang for your buck out of a little plant.”
The eye-catching presentation was the first of a three-part lecture series about all things gardening. Sue will return to HTPL on Saturday, March 8, at 1:00 p.m. to discuss the wonders of compost and how to do it yourself. Then, on Saturday, April 12, at 1:00 p.m., Sue will be back again to discuss the most important aspects of Spring garden clean-ups.
Maintaining a garden does not have to be daunting. Experts like Sue are here to help. She says it best; “Something very simple can become very creative and beautifully colorful.”
To register for Gardening 101 with Sue, call (586) 329-1261, visit htlibrary.org, or stop by the Harrison Township Public Library and register at the front desk.