It seems like the most common question when it comes to succulent care is about watering. Most new succulent owners have heard that succulents don’t need a lot of water. This is true. However, many people interpret this wrong. They tend to think that this means that when they water, they should only pour on a little bit, giving their plants little sips of water here and there. In truth, this is the opposite of what is best for your plant. This method of watering will likely result in an unhealthy or dead plant. This can easily be avoided, however, if you know a few key pieces of information Succulents are native to a warm, dry climate, places like Mexico, Arizona, and California. In their native environment, they will go stretches of time without water. However, when they do get rain, they get a lot. This is why succulents have their characteristic plumb leaves. They use these leaves to store the water they get when it rains so that they will have it available for dry times. The truth is, succulents do need a lot of water. They just don’t need it very often. So what does this mean for my watering? This information plays a part in three areas of succulents watering: timing, technique, and soil. Soil We’re starting with soil because, in some ways, its the most important part of the trio. If you are watering correctly, but you don’t have the right soil, it won’t work. Your plants won’t thrive, and will likely die. Luckily for you, the succulents you buy from Thrive already come in a soil that keeps them healthy and happy, so you really don’t have to worry about this aspect of watering. However, the unfortunate truth is that most succulents don’t come in the right soil. Many commercial growers use a soil that is designed for exactly what they want it to do, keeping their plants alive in their greenhouse with minimal care. Many times, they will use the same soil they use for their other plants to simplify things. This method may work for them, but it's not the best for you. In this method, the plants are in an environment where they have the water they need to live, but not their ideal soaking-drought cycle. Because of this, they are not able to live up to their full potential. Good succulent soil can look like a lot of different things. The soil I use is a mixture of Cactus potting mix and Perlite. This combination creates a very well-draining soil. But this isn’t the only option. Any soil that dries out between waterings and lets roots of the plant breathe will work. Timing The reason why you need a well-draining soil comes into play when you look at the timing aspect of watering. Having well-draining soil lets your plant dry out in-between waterings, creating the soaking-drought cycle I mentioned earlier. During the soaking part of the cycle, the plant receives the water it needs. During the drought, it does most of its growing. This is why letting the soil dry out in-between waterings is so important. If you don’t give your plant this time, it won’t be able to Thrive. Because of this, the best time to water is a few days after you plant’s soil dries out. A rough estimation for this 1.5 weeks, but there are a lot of variables that can influence it, so it is best to pay attention to your plants to see when they are looking like they need a drink. Technique When you notice that your plant needs to be watered, completely saturate your it’s soil. If your pot has a drainage hole, this is pretty easy. All you have to do is continue to pour on water until the soil can’t hold anymore and it flows out the drainage hole. If your pot doesn’t have a drainage hole, this is a little harder. You have to use a little guesswork because if you give your plants too much water, it will sit at the bottom of your pot and possibly drown your plant. Guessing the right amount is pretty easy for a small pot, but the bigger you get, the harder it gets. Because of this, I always make sure that my larger arrangements are equipped with a drainage hole. Once your soil is completely soaked, let it dry out, and then repeat! Once you know the right way to water your plants, and figure out a routine, keeping them alive and happy is pretty easy. Another great thing about succulents is they are pretty forgiving, so if you forget them, it isn’t a big deal. Just get back on your watering schedule, and the should perk up again. If not, you can always get help on my Q&A page!
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If you read my last post, you already know a little bit of what inspired me to start this business (if you haven’t, scroll down, it’s right below!). With the 3rd annual Art Market coming up, I thought I share another important piece of Thrive’s story: this amazing event! Three and a half reasons why Art Market is great: 1. Kids get to create and sell their art 2. Other people get to buy that art 3. 10 percent of all sales go to ACTs 3.5 I helped create it :) Ok, so I might be a little biased. But even so, I bet I can still convince you that this is a pretty great idea. My friends and I had the idea for Art Market in 7th grade. In previous years, our school had held its own “Art Prize” where kids could submit an art project, and their peers would vote for a 250$ winner. This was a wonderful event and I’m really glad our school had it, but it did have some frustrations. First of all, because students were voting, the votes didn’t necessarily go to the best art project. Second, only a few people could win. You could spend a ton of time on your project, but not earn anything. Out of these things, the idea for Art Market was formed. When I shared my idea with my friends, I didn’t think it would actually happen, so when my friend Ellie said, “let’s do it” I was like “what!?” But we did do it. Ellie, Mackenzie, and I talked to our art teacher, and then to the principle, and things just kept going from there. We stayed in from recess to make posters and organize spreadsheets. We had an assembly and spoke over the announcements multiple times. We sent out flyers and emails. This was our vision: to give kids a place where they could share and make a profit from their art. It turns out, the kids liked the idea too. When we sent out sign up forms, they came right back in and soon we had over 40 kids ready to participate in this event! On March 3, all of our dreams came true. Our idea had become a reality! First, our artists showed up, carrying in their beautiful creations. We had kids making magnets, baked goods, stuffed animals, jewelry, candles, and more! I was very impressed. Our artists had put in a lot of work, and you could tell. The things they created weren’t just good for kids, they were actually good! These were things that adults would and did want to buy. Every kid made a least 20 dollars. Several made over 100! It was so fun to look around the Eagle Crest gym and see customers and artists talking, exchanging, and just having a good time. Just a few of our artists We were also able to have some representatives of ACTs come so that people could see what some of their money was going towards. For those of you that don’t know, ACTs is a non-profit organization that works to support at-risk kids in this area. They create a sort of family where kids can come and be safe and accepted. One of the ways they do this is through art! Through this event, we raised $509 which they were able to use to buy supplies for their new house. Check out their website: http://www.actsholland.com/ We had such a good turn out, that we decided to do this event again next year! We recognized that this would be our last year at EC, so we added some people to our team and trained some younger students so that they would be prepared to run it after we were gone. Art Market gave me a little taste of what it would be like to have my own business. It is really what lead me to create Thrive. This year, I will be returning as an EC alumnus to sell my art. I would love you have you come to check out my art and see what this event is all about. This event is totally free and open to the public, so if you just wanted to come to browse, that is great. However, I would suggest bringing some cash in case something catches your eye. This year, it is on Saturday, April 13 from 9-12, in the Eagle Crest Charter Academy gym. See you there! Hello and welcome! Because this is my first blog, I decided to talk a little bit about what this business is all about and what inspired me to start it. To those of you who have already check out my "about" page, this will look very familiar, since this story is written there also.
I named this business “Thrive” because that is my goal, to help people and plants thrive. To me, the word thrive represents quality of life, living beyond just trying to survive. When you are thriving you are able to appreciate life and the blessings you have, pursue your dreams, and use your gifts to help others. I believe that art using plants helps people thrive by adding beauty and creativity to their lives. I also think that it is a great way to share the amazingness of creation with everyone, no matter how much experience with plants they do or do not have. This brings me to the second meaning of Thrive’s name: the plants. I want the art that you buy to continue to thrive in your care. I don’t want it to look great for a week or two, and then slowly go downhill, or, worst of all, die. Part of this is for myself because I want to know that the plants that used to be mine are in good hands. Mostly though, I want you to be able to enjoy your art! I recognize that many people don’t have experience caring for plants, or think that they have a “black thumb.” Personally, I think that the whole black thumb-green thumb thing is a myth. Yes, helping a plant thrive is easier for some people, and harder for others, but nobody is doomed from birth to be a plant killer. If you have the right information and are intentional about caring for your plant, you can keep it alive. This is why I make sure that the art I sell comes with organized and understandable information on how to take care of it. It is also why I set you up for success right from the beginning by creating art with the right kind of soil, pot, and spacing of plants, so you don’t have to worry about those things. This business helps one more thing thrive: me! I love plants and art, and Thrive lets me spend more time doing what I love, and share it with others. Being a high school student (if you didn’t know that already, surprise!) I don’t have a ton of extra time. With Thrive, I can make money doing something that I genuinely want to do, instead of spending that time doing something like working at Pizza Hut, which would be incredibly boring, and less useful in the future. It also gives me more flexibility, so I can spend more time with my family and doing the other things that I like to do, such as reading, rock climbing, and playing the saxophone. So, although I would likely make more money working a Pizza Hut, I’m glad that I chose to do this instead. |
Megan KamperHi! I am the creator of Thrive Living Art! I love to learn about how to help plants thrive, and then combine that knowledge with my creativity to make living art! On my blog, you'll learn more about taking care of succulents and other plants. You'll also find out what Thrive is up to, and where I'll be selling my art next! Buy your creation in person!Archives
December 2020
Are you struggling to keep your plants alive?Get some advice!
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