If you have a garden and you have decided to decorate it, but you do not want to spend hours taking care of it, it is better to place one with plants that hardly need water and that are adapt to everything. In other words, you may be looking for how to make a cactus rock garden.
Wait, you don’t know what that is? Don’t worry, because we’re not only going to tell you what a cactus rockery is, but we’ll also help you learn how to make one in your garden.
Contents
First of all, what is a cactus rock garden?
The first thing you need to understand is what a cactus rockery is. It is a solution that is carried out on uneven ground. Instead of leveling them with a machine to be able to plant, they are left as they are and the stones are combined with plants, usually cacti and succulents, which provide a special view (at the beginning, when they are small, not so much , but later is impressive).
To place a cactus rockery, the most important thing is to know the ideal location.. And it is that, only those located in the south or west are the best. The reason for this is that you need to find a place where they get plenty of natural light and at the same time are sheltered from the wind.
How to make a cactus rock garden
Now that you have a better idea of what a cactus rockery is, let’s get to work? To do this, you must know that there are certain steps that you must follow to achieve this goal.
clear the ground
We start with the most tedious and the biggest. Once you have chosen the land you are going to use as a rock garden, you must “clean” it. That’s to say, You need to remove all the weeds that are on the ground.
This is important because these herbs not only will they make your garden ugly, but they can “steal” energy from it to the plants you place.
We know that once you take them out, they’ll be out in no time. In this case you can consult a nursery, or a professional, to use a product that eliminates them without damaging the rest of the plants or the soil.
make the earth softer
Taking into account that you are going to plant to create your garden, something you must the weight is whether the terrain you are using is suitable or not. Imagine you have a garden and you know that the earth is pure, very hard rock. As much as you want, if you don’t treat these soils, they won’t help you plant anything.
What should you do? We will try dig a little so that the earth is softer and lighter. It will also help you know if it is good or not, and at the same time, you can mix it with rooting soil as well as aggregate (which is better for cacti and succulents).
Keep in mind that just because it’s a rockery doesn’t mean it all has to be stone. It will actually have a substrate, but then a layer of stones is added, usually limestone (like limestone), as well as granite. Of course, it is recommended that they be irregular, with different sizes, so that they are not completely buried, but remain visible.
A mistake often made is, after this step, to move on to planting. In fact, it’s not the best thing to do, but it takes a few weeks to locate the plants. The reason is that the land must be settled and well regulated. And that involves a waiting time.
In addition, the best time to plant is in the springso if you prepare the ground in January, more time will have passed so that when the weather opens you can already place the plants.
Place the plants
This may be the step you will look forward to the most, as it involves planting each of the plants. Make sure everyone has their space. The hole should be about 30 centimeters in which, if you did it well, you will have one part of aggregate and another part of substrate for rooting.
When laying plants try not to be too linear. Place them scattered, yes, making sure there is a balance between colors and plant types. For example, those that will grow more, place them at the ends of the garden, and if possible as far back as possible. On the other hand, those who will barely grow, leave them closer and in the center.
Some recommend that when you’re done, you water. But not us. The plants will be very stressed at this time and it is best to leave them alone for about 24 hours before watering them. (unless you see that they lack water). In this way, you do not also subject them to irrigation, which must be moderate.
If you see that it is still cold or there may be frost at night, using a little bark will solve the problem because you will protect the root part.
Cacti rockery, just cacti?
It is possible that you have doubts if in a cactus rock garden you can only place this type of plant and not others. In fact, it is recommended to focus only on cacti and succulents. But the truth is sometimes they can be combined with others such as shrubs or dwarf conifers. Large trees are not recommended as they have very strong roots. and which distribute below, preventing those of the plants from developing well (because they can conflict or directly lose against the others).
Among cacti and succulents, you have the choice. It is recommended to always choose those that adapt well to your climate zone, and not get carried away by their appearance. Yes, we know they will attract more, but if they die in your garden, the only thing you will get is having to work harder to plant, remove and replant more.
Finally, you should know that making a cactus rockery doesn’t have to be right outside, but inside the house, you can also put it in a terrarium or in a planter or an area of your house where you can decorate with soil, stones and plants. Of course, consider the lighting they will need.
Has it become clear to you how to make a cactus rock garden?