Ruby's garden

Succulent and cactus galore! Join me on my plant adventures 🌱

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I don’t have the money for good or even really subpar soil for my succulents. Any tips/tricks/DIYS to improve my cheap soil?

Add perlite, sand, gravel, and/or small pebbles! Perlite you do have to buy, but it is usually under 5 bucks for a bag that will last you quite a while. Just mix any of these thing into the soil you have on hand for better drainage. I hope this helped a bit! 💕

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I’m back from vacation! New plant pics, tips, and stories to come.

Please tell me if there are any of my plants you would like updates on! My instagram has lots of photos that aren’t on this blog so go check it out at https://www.instagram.com/rubysuccs/?hl=en. Also, if there are any plant related topic you want to learn more about or get advise on, hmu! I’m not an expert, but chances are I will know something useful, and if I don't, I love to research. Also, thank you guys for over 600 followers! I am legit in awe of how many of you like my blog and I hope it continues to provide joy and knowledge for my fellow plant people 🌱😁

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BOOTY PLANTS! and how to care for them!

I know that a lot of you plant experts already know this stuff, but I thought I would share for my newbies! 

Butt plants, aka, lithops, are a type of mesemb or mimicry plant. Mimicry plants are native to Africa, where they have evolved to survive the harsh climate and natural predators. An understanding of this evolution is crucial to keeping your very own butt plants alive. So lets learn a little bit more, shall we?

Evolution and it’s importance in caring for your lithops:

Lithops’ unique look is due to evolution. They evolved over the years to look like rocks as a defense against hungry predators.

Also due to evolution, butt plants have a very strange watering schedule, which we will go over later. All you need to know right now is that in the wilds of Africa, lithops would only get rain certain times of the year. This means that they are very picky when it comes to water. If you water them at the wrong time they will not be happy campers.

Another important point to bring into consideration when caring for your butt plants is how much light they need. In Africa, they will get a lot of sun all year round. They have evolved to take in as much light as possible. If you don’t get a lot of sun all year round, there is a pretty simple solution that will make your butts happier! Just don’t bury them as deep in the soil. Let the top of that booty stick out girl! This will expose it to more sun and will also let you admire even more of your butt!

Now that you understand why lithops are the way they are, lets move on to what they need to survive.

Necessities in lithops’ care:

Fast draining soil. This is a must for keeping butt plants alive. Like all succulents, they are not fond of sitting in damp dirt. I mean, who is? Fast draining soil will prevent root rot on your lithops. One trick I learned from succy place (https://www.succyplace.com/single-post/LithopsCareTips) is to squeeze a handful of soil. If it sticks together and forms a clump, add more perlite/pumice (or another porous medium that will help with drainage).

A tall but cozy pot with a drainage hole. Lithops grow very long roots, so it is important that your pot is tall. Lithops also like being a bit cozy on the sides, so you won't need too wide a pot (unless you are putting multiple butts in it). A drainage hole, of course, will help with drainage.

Last but not least, is 

Lithops’ watering and growth schedule:

Please be aware that this is a very general guide specific to the Northern Hemisphere. Also, your plants’ growth schedule may differ slightly depending on temp, light, etc. where you live.

Early through mid Summer: Do not water your lithops. They go dormant during this time of year.

August (Late Summer): Resume watering! Your butts should be out of dormancy. If your lithops are 3 years or older, they might flower! If you have never seen lithops in bloom, you should def google it!

Early Fall: Stop watering once the flower is gone. If your lithops are too young to have flowers, stop watering right when fall starts. It is always better to underwater your lithops than overwater. During Fall, your lithops are growing new baby leaves inside of the old ones. These baby leaves are getting nutrients from the old ones, so no watering is required.

Late Fall through early Winter: Do not water. Your lithops should look very wrinkly and sad. Don't worry, this is just the old leaves being shed. 

Later Winter: Resume watering once the new leaves have emerged, and the old leaves have been fully absorbed and/or look like paper.

Spring: Continue watering. Your lithops’ new leaves are growing bigger and stronger. Keep watering until the cycle starts over and Summer is here again. Congrats! You kept your lithops alive for a full year!

Thanks for reading! I hope you are inspired to go get your very own butt plants bc they really are quite a joy 😊

Resources:

https://www.succyplace.com/single-post/LithopsCareTips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp4xVHICdRM

https://altmanplants.com/mimicry-succulent-plants/

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An old photo of my Echeveria ‘Tippy’. She is not looking quite as fabulous now, but she’s a lot bigger (I actually need to re pot her soon haha)

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@rubysuccs on Instagram:

Look how beautiful this huge Echeveria ‘Etna’ is from @kind.succulents! The colors and never stop amazing me 😍 Who else loves bumpy, cabbage-like succies? Thanks so much @kind.succulents, this cutie was packaged perfectly, arrived in pristine condition, and is now my favorite plant ❤️

A post from my instagram on my absolute favorite plant in my collection! Go check it out for 2 more photos of this beauty! 🌱💕

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I have an instagram account if anyone is interested! Here is the link: https://www.instagram.com/rubysuccs/. You can also just search rubysuccs on instagram.

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My very first Echeveria Lola! I’m so excited for her to get bigger 💕 *Correction, it is a topsy turvy. My mistake!

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My new split rock plant named Neil A. He’s got a bit of a stacking problem going on, but isn’t he cute?! I’m hoping he will bloom soon ☺️💕

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Where to find cheap succulents

Ok I know you broke plant lovers out there probably already know all of this, but imma say it again for those in the back.

Grocery Stores!

My first succulents were from Shoprite; I still have a v cute Zebra Plant from a while ago that I got for like 5 bucks. The plants aren’t too high quality, but great for the price. If you want more of a variety to choose from, then I suggest going to Whole Foods. They are a bit more expensive, but some of the plants they get are pretty uncommon (for a grocery store at least). 

CVS or any drug store!

You would be surprised how many plants I have from CVS. Gorph, aka the cactus from my last post, was 2 bucks from CVS. The prices are insane for the quality. I’ve found they have more cacti then succulents, but I’m sure that changes with the seasons. Beware, the selection is small and unpredictable, meaning it will change from store to store. 

Home Depot!

Home Depot is a succulent lover’s heaven. I got every plant in my pig planter (photos a couple posts back) for under 20 bucks. That is 5 plants for 4 bucks each. Home Depot’s selection is huge and also very beautiful. Make sure to go at the beginning of every season for new plants and at the end of every season for sales. Some succulents from Home Depot are kinda expensive, but there are so many that you are sure to find a deal somewhere.

Etsy!

Etsy has the biggest variety of them all, and you are for sure going to find any plant you want. Some, of course, will be expensive, but a lot of Etsy shops hold giveaways and sales pretty often. Just find a few shops you like and follow their social medias, then just be patient. This is a great way to snag up something you have been eyeing for a long time without paying the outrageous fee.

Propagation!

This one is kind of a waiting game, but if you are patient, it will work great. Just go to any of the places listed above and ask if you can take the leaves that have fallen on the ground. Most likely, they will be happy for you to do so. Then just propagate as you would with your own succulent leaves. This does have its downsides, as it takes weeks and also it is a mystery as to which type of succulent you are propagating, but I think it’s worth it. After all, it’s practically free if you already have the pots and soil.

Thats about it. Please leave any other places/stores in the comments bc I would love to see them! Happy shopping 🌵💕

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My cactus, Gorph. He is a grumpy old viking man. I have no idea what kind of cactus he is so I would love to hear if anyone knows!

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Miss Pigletta is very content with her new plant friends. 

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A little introduction

My name is Ruby. I have just recently gotten very into plants and wanted to create a place where I could share everything I’ve learned. I’m planning for this blog to be full of pictures of my plants, tips & tricks, and info about gardening. I’d love to learn from you guys too though, bc I am in no way an expert. Photos are coming soon, so stay tuned.

Xo, Ruby