The Wormies
We have been avid vermicomposters for the past 5 years mainly in the production of worm castings using the famous Red Wriggler worm and standard composting tumblers to provide nutrient-rich compost substrate which provides excellent humus to the soil for all of our plants including our beloved succulents. Our method to house the Wrigglers is called a Worm Factory 360 and is akin to a vermicomposting high-rise tower. As you provide more food and bedding to the trays the worm population grows and occupies the available floors or “apartments” you provide to them. We use a combination of blended paper goods and coco coir as well as their blended food. Worms also require some form of grit for their gizzards to help digest, crushed eggshell works great for this. There are now many generations of worms working in our tower and it’s always a good feeling to see the population and, in turn, our production of castings grow. Get your own worm castings here.
The Hoomans
Our specific succulent obsession started with one succulent arrangement my (Adriane’s) mom gave me quite a few years ago that we have just let grow in its pot, not really doing much to care for it. When I started working with Orchids, I became more interested in succulents. Brett and I got a couple of our own succulents from OSH or a big store like that and we started our own little succulent garden. While all of this was going on, we were renovating a backyard space at one of our rentals and we became infatuated with growing veggies and flowers. I then started to work for a plant maintenance company where I was getting cuttings from the succulent displays that had to be cleaned up– this is where my collection took off and has grown to the operation we have today. We started with 30 succulents; through propagation and sourcing plants from local nurseries, the collection has grown to include hundreds of succulents, cactus, air plants, and even houseplants.
Watch out for more on the people who have thumbs to do the heavy lifting, Brett & Adriane, in the future.
The Chicks
When you’re visiting Suburban Succulents maybe you’ll hear one of the 21 hens running amuck in the gated backyard. They seem to love their lives of frolicking under the trees and woodpiles, poking through the grass and mulched areas, and mostly, conquering the giant compost pile to find whatever grub may be unlucky enough to find itself there. We appreciate the never-ending supply of eggs and manure in return from the gals
