Clearance Bin Voodoo

15 years ago

I need to seriously stay away from the clearance bins at big-box garden centers! But what a coincidence that I was drooling over chaparralgirl's Carmel-By-the-Sea photos... especially the purple and green Aeonium... and then I see this poor miserable little guy...

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banished to no-plants-land with 3 other already fully dead plants on the clearance cart at Lowes. Sound familiar? I just found a giant Gollum jade marked half off that I posted about a few weeks ago. My jade is doing SOOO much better thanks to the great advice from this forum...

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So my question... Does this $1.25 Aeonium labeled "Voodoo" have ANY hope? What kind of action should I take? I gently tamped off most of the moist soil and dipped the roots in water/superthrive, let them dry out on paper towels... and then I put them in a crunchy soil mix. Now do I just let it sit forever before rewatering? Am I on the right track???

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Comments (8)

CorpsmanCooper
15 years ago
Who's jealous? THIS girl is jealous, that's who! That's an awesome find! Sorry I haven't gotten back to you about my 'Hobbit' I think it needs a bit to recoup from the mistreatment and then I'll send a piece off to you. Anyway, nice find!
Colleen E
15 years ago
Oooooooooo I am jealous; one I have not found! Get 'em potted right up in proper soil and they should be super pleased. It's a wonderful Aeonium time of year here, with everybody beginning to wake up from dormancy.
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chicagardens
15 years ago
wow, good find! lucky you! is that clearance at OSH? I've found some succulents for .25 at lowe's. Not these particular succulent, but some fang succulents.
postpunkgirl
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks guys! But it looks pretty crummy... I guess I am a bleeding heart for half-dead plants! Lol! I hope it makes it!

Chica, unless OHS means Office of Homeland Security... I am CLUELESS to your acronym. And this site was NOT helpful either! HA!

Here is a link that might be useful: OHS
postpunkgirl
Original Author
15 years ago
Still nada when I actually type what YOU typed! SMH!!!
User
15 years ago
Hi All,

Sorry I have no idea what these initial are that you're both referring to.

PPG, can I offer the suggestion that you not dip the roots of succulents into any liquids? It sort of re-wets them when one really needs them to dry out & stabilize.

What's in your crunchy mix? How will you know when to water under those rocks (pretty, but not so practical, if you're a newbie, even not, maybe somewhat less so)? Sometimes the less one does, the better.

That Gollum looks great, nice staging.

Nice find, but beware the clearance bins, sometimes the plants are buggy &/or diseased (not always so visible or easy to see); also check under the outside pot rims.
postpunkgirl
Original Author
15 years ago
I'm a third year gardener, pirate girl. Still soaking up whatever I can! I thought that dipping the root might be a bad idea, but sometimes my flights of fancy are already in motion before I actually stop to think. So then I grabbed the paper towels!

My mix is perlite, orchid bark, and 1/4" gravel. I put a few of the larger river stones on top to hold in the stalks... and to look pretty. But you're right, with the Gollum it's been sort of a pain checking the moisture. I'm new to this type of soil as it is! I have no idea how often to water! I have about 12 Hoyas in a fast draining perlite orchid bark mix which seems a little easier to 'read'. Jades and succulents in mostly rocky soils are completely new to me!

As far as bugs and willpower against the clearance bins... I really like neem spray. And I try to keep most new plants away from the rest until they seem healthy. I WOULD be pretty hacked off if a $1.25 plant ruined my meager collection though!

I guess I'm at a live and learn stage right now with succulents... I want to thank all of you for contributing to that process! I have come so far in my precious Texas natives and Hoyas... So I hope to have the same luck here!
amccour
15 years ago
"I WOULD be pretty hacked off if a $1.25 plant ruined my meager collection though! "

I had that happen once from an Echeveria coccinea :/