Finally found a bit of time to help my neighbor with her over-abundance of hens and chicks she planted a couple years ago. She’s been going through a rough patch and my ministry of help has been readily welcomed. I’m glad to help howsoever I can. She just had bladder cancer surgery on Monday. By the time I finished replanting the exterior circle of her succulents at my house and went back out with my dog she had received a call that her sister had just passed away from leukemia. Not been a great day for her.

This is what I had left over after filling my planter at home:

Here’s what I planted in my own container:

It’s rather full isn’t it? I have to leave enough room for them to settle a bit. They were getting all scraggly in her outdoors man-made planter area. But what to do with the leftovers in that white bucket? It’s a half gallon food service bucket by the way. Come in handy for a great many things! Just one of my wonderful finds at the recycle/dump center. Yay! I’m always finding great stuff there!

This broken cup I couldn’t pass up out of a dumpster recently. There had been a set of four. One was chipped on the rim and this one had a half side broken. Perfect for little planters! I decided to add the broken off pieces to the bottom for drainage. And since I couldn’t readily get to my usual handful of rocks from my collection I decided to use a couple of my empty medicine bottle lids. Those things like never break down in a landfill anyways! Then I added a pretty cupcake liner since a coffee filter is obviously too big and I didn’t want to waste a good filter for my coffee. (wink, wink). I suppose a person could also use a knitting needle, a crochet hook, a pencil, an ink pen, a drinking straw, a pair of inexpensive scissors (NOT children’s!), a specific length of coat hanger wire from a shop that uses a uniform service ie a service station. Most of those places are throwing away those coat hangers anyhow. I find them in the dumpsters all the time. I’m sure you can come up with even more ideas for poking stem holes than what I’ve been able to list here.

I then proceed to add the pitiful leftovers of my potting soil from last year. I probably should have long since thrown that out but I do so tend to hoard forever what I think I will need someday. Just so happens I’ve needed this a couple of times now! And since the cup is broken on one side I decided to bank the dirt to one side for appearance.

After wetting it down I have to admit I lost a bit of the dirt. Not enough to make a difference. It would have been best if I had worked with wet dirt to begin with. Then I grabbed one of my long handled paint brushes laying close by to help poke holes for the long stems/roots of my hens and chicks. You can also use a chopstick, a stick from the yard, a knife handle (dull knife please!) or the handle from a plastic fork, knife, spoon, or that odd spork in the back of the junk drawer.   (Grin!)

I started by adding the straggling smaller chicks to the lower edge and letting them hang over a bit. I had to pack them in tighter. Then I started adding some bigger hens with more pronounced roots. Had to get a bit creative and shove the holes at an angle to get the stems to go in the direction that was correct for the tilt of the head. Then I filled in with a couple of medium sizes and a larger one at the back.

I know all of the plants will settle a bit after sitting for a while. That’s what is so nice about succulents. They are very forgiving! This little cup full of loving went to live with my oldest Daughter at Mosey Cottage. But look at what I STILL have yet to plant!

I am definitely going to need a bigger planter! I wonder if I can make a living wreath for my door with these? Hmmmm……how to keep it damp? I live in an interior apartment building. Spritz it daily? Soak it once a week? Any ideas?

Until next time I assure you I’m still living life….only my “whole” seems to be getting a wee bit tight now days!

Bonnie aka Peabutton’s Mom