Hot Stuff Blog

Succulents of all kinds are easy to use in crafts and projects; find the latest weird and wonderful ways to plant these tough yet beautiful plants in odd and unusual displays.

Growing them in containers or in gardens doesn’t mean you’ll be glued to the garden hose; they don’t need lots of water.

Low maintenance doesn’t mean dull; you’ll see lots of fun ideas and ways to use drought tolerant plants in your garden.

These are new or updated pages; nothing but the most current releases here!

Dec 10, 2022

Horticulturist or Horticulturalist – that is the question

Horticulturist

Is it Horticulturist or Horticulturalist? That is the question; find out what it takes to become a garden and plant expert, you may be surprised!

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Nov 14, 2022

Companions ??

Can I plant creeping Tyme in the pot of my ginsing bonsai tree .. I thought maybe they would look nice together.. please see attached photos

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Nov 13, 2022

Help with Cactus Plants

Help with Cactus Plants

I have a black thumb. Anyway, I made a cute planter by filling a melamine bowl full of cactus soil and placing it in a glass punchbowl, then filling the

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Nov 07, 2022

Prepare Your Succulent Containers for Winter

Prepare Your Succulent Containers for Winter

Winters coming – how do you prepare for it? If you have containers filled with hardy succulents, this is an easy one – in most cases, those types of containers

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Oct 23, 2022

What variety is this – squash or gourd and can you eat it?

What variety is this

What variety is this ? Squash or gourd and can you eat it? Northern east California

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Oct 10, 2022

My prayer plants has yellow leafs at the bottom

My prayer plants has yellow leafs at the bottom

I got this plant a week again i thought i was going good but i notice the small bottom leaves are turning yellow and the brown spots are on the un rolling

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Sep 30, 2022

Winterizing Succulents e-Book

Winterizing Succulents e-Book

Winterizing Succulents e-Book

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Sep 21, 2022

Aglaonema in trouble

Aglaonema in trouble

Hello I got this plant about 20 days back. Watered it scarcely but did spary after 2 3 days. It is losing its leaves, this is the second leaf. Stem becomes

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Sep 19, 2022

Succulent problem

Succulent problem

Hello. I woke up this morning and my succulent seedlings (all effected are in the same trays) are covered in splotches and tiny indents. There aren’t any

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Sep 15, 2022

Two for the price of one, please?

Two for the price of one

My first question concerns two Crassulas in my collection, cotyledon and perfoliata, which are both suffering from what looks like black mould. They have

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Sep 07, 2022

Opinions on coco coir/coco byproducts?

Opinions on coco coir/coco byproducts

Hello! I just wanted to ask for your opinion on coconut byproducts. I have used coco chips/coco fibre/coco coir in the past for most of my aroids, but

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Sep 07, 2022

Cut my Dahlias or leave them in the ground

Cut my Dahlias or leave

Hi I live in zone 8B my Dahlias are outside, I’m leaving my home in November before the first frost, should I cut them down before I leave or leave them

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Aug 29, 2022

Hallucinagen

I need to know how harmful these mushrooms are to my dog. I’m finding conflicting information online. They show up in the morning but are usually gone

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Aug 29, 2022

‘Blind’ plants?

Blind' plants

Hi Jacki. I’m wondering if you can help with this query pleasee? I live in south east Endland, very near the coast. I have several plants which are growing

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Aug 22, 2022

Peperomia leaves propagation

Peperomia leaves propagation

Hi there! I got a peperomia maculosa on a rare plant festival yesterday in Leeds and 3 leaves fell off. They feel pretty wilted but they still have

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Aug 21, 2022

Desperately seeking help to revive my plants (if possible)

help to revive my plants

Hi! My name is Reena, I live in Houston, TX. I fell in love with owning houseplants during my freshman year of undergrad and have kept mainly succulents

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Aug 14, 2022

Yucca vs Yuca… YUCKA!

Yucca vs Yuca

Good afternoon. My name is Kelli. All of the websites contradict one another when it comes to Yucca and Yuca. Some even use the two interchangeably when

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Aug 05, 2022

Sand for potting mix

Sand for potting mix

I shoveled sand for my daughter to mix with potting soil for her succulents and cacti. However it was sprayed cause weeds were growing in the pile. There

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Jul 30, 2022

burning walnut leaves

burning walnut leaves

will burning the leaves from walnut trees destroy the juglone?

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Jul 25, 2022

Sedum matrona – stonecrop for borders and beds

Sedum matrona

Sedum matrona is as the name suggests, rather motherly and robust; the unusual tone of the foliage combines well with other hardy succulents with Matrona as a sturdy and robust backbone…

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Jul 23, 2022

What should I do about this Cactus?

this Cactus

Hi, I live in London and I have recently bought home a nopal cactus that was in clearance in a market. Despite it being a bit marked, I bought it home

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Jul 19, 2022

Pest Control – eliminate insects and pests on succulent plants

Pest Control

Use natural Pest Control to eliminate insects and pests on your succulent plants; mechanical methods such as trapping, using diatomaceous earth or other natural materials or cultivation…

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Jul 19, 2022

ornamental crabapple tree

ornamental crabapple tree

My ornamental crabapple tree had three limbs. One was cut off summer 2020 by order of hydro because it was interfering with incoming power line. Last summer

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Jul 17, 2022

Ginko seeds

Ginko seeds

This may be a silly question but, Im in central Oklahoma and I am trying to grow a Ginko tree from seeds dropped from my tree. I watched videos and

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Jul 15, 2022

Potted Museum Palo Verde?

Potted Museum Palo Verde

Hello! I just bought a home in Central California, Hardiness Zone 9, and I am planning the landscaping for my small yard. There is not a lot of room to

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Jul 14, 2022

rehome mango

rehome mango

I have a stump of a mango tree that is dead but a tree has grow out of its root. can I this tree to another location and transplant it. if so. then how

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Jul 11, 2022

Mini Hypertufa Garden – especially for the fairies

Mini Hypertufa Garden

Making a Mini Hypertufa Garden especially for the fairies that hide in your garden; pick some tiny plants to go with it…

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Jul 09, 2022

Sedum Plant List – find your favorite stonecrop here

Sedum Plant List

Finding your favorite Sedum plant is a challenge; there are so many to choose from; tall, short creeping, blue foliage, green with white flowers…

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Jul 06, 2022

A pest is eating my succulents

A pest is eating my succulents

Hello, I live in Los Angeles, CA and am growing several succulents outdoors. They’ve been growing about 3 years and have been doing great. This morning

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Jul 04, 2022

Styrofoam Planters – insulated and long lasting, surprisingly

Styrofoam Planters

Styrofoam Planters – keep it out of the waste stream…

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Jul 03, 2022

Dreaded Marestail

Dreaded Marestail

I have loads of marestail in my garden. I started trying to dig it up,then read that the roots are very deep. What is the best way to get it under control

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Jul 02, 2022

Clematis species; who knew they were so tough?

Clematis species

Who would have guessed that Clematis species were so tough and reliable? They look as though a stiff breeze would break them into a million pieces…

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Jul 02, 2022

Your HOA and Xeriscaping – Lobby for your ideal landscaping

Your HOA and Xeriscaping

Change the covenant of your Home Owners Association and get them to allow (happily and eagerly) Xeriscaping…

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Jun 30, 2022

A bolting tropical?

A bolting tropical

Hi I am wondering what this plant is doing! I don’t even know what kind of plant this is! It has been making that extra stem for months now! I thought

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Jun 28, 2022

Should I Repot My String of Pearls?

String of Pearls

I purchased this string of pearls plant on March 17, 2022. It’s been in the same nursery pot since. It seems to be doing ok, but I’ve lost a good amount

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Jun 28, 2022

AccidentalPlantKiller123

AccidentalPlantKiller123

Can you tell me what is wrong with my aglaonema? Over water? Underwater? I just repotted her from a department store, she is in mild indirect sunlight

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Jun 27, 2022

Sweetheart Kerri Hoya

Sweetheart Kerri Hoya

Can you tell me why my Kerri Hoya is growing one long stem? It’s has been growing like this for months now.

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Jun 27, 2022

How to Plant Sempervivum – tips from the horticulturist

How to Plant Sempervivum

Tips from the Horticulturist | How to Plant Sempervivum…

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Jun 26, 2022

Thyme Lawn – low maintenance & tough turf alternative

Thyme Lawn

Make a Thyme Lawn, and take the summer off; no mowing, fertilizing or fuss with a great lawn alternative…

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Jun 21, 2022

Remaking Hens and Chicks – Sempervivum Rejuvenation

Remaking Hens and Chicks

Sempervivum getting a little tired looking? Remaking your Hens and Chicks is easy to do and gives them a new lease on life…

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Jun 20, 2022

What is a “responsible”:rose (if any), to use ?

responsible”:rose

In a garden in Santa Fe, NM , growing zone 6? For outdoor property beautification?

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Jun 20, 2022

How To Plant Sedum Cuttings – the tricks of the trade

How To Plant Sedum Cuttings

Sedum cuttings take a few tricks – here’s How To Plant Sedum Cuttings…

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Jun 20, 2022

Solstice – the longest day

Solstice

Solstice – celebrate the longest day…

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Jun 19, 2022

Pocket Gardens – jewel like focal points in the xeriscape garden

Pocket Gardens

Pocket Gardens are jewel like focal points in your xeriscape garden; plant them with special plants…

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Jun 18, 2022

How to Grow Sempervivum – tips for the happiest Hens and Chicks

How to Grow Sempervivum

Learn How to Grow Sempervivum, the hardy hens and chicks plants; tips and techniques for happy houseleeks

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Jun 16, 2022

Succulent Sphere; wire garden spheres filled with succulents

Succulent Sphere

Make your own Succulent Sphere; globes or orbs planted with Sempervivum & succulents for a unique garden craft; simple to make and plant…

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Jun 16, 2022

Succulent Identification Chart – find your unknown plant here

Succulent Identification Chart

Use the Succulent Identification Chart to find your unknown succulents; puzzling over their names and how to care for them?

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Jun 12, 2022

Chemicals in plants

I am testing plants and am assuming the below are botanical expressions. Ph level was NV % of Ca0, N, P2, 05, K20, Mgo N = Nitrogen Mgo and the others

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Jun 09, 2022

Leaf Curl

Leaf Curl

I have a plum tree that we planted last year and I am seeing the leaves curl on the tree. I have sprayed with soapy water…to no avail. What can I do

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