Zygocactus
Zygocactus come in many colours and put on one of the most striking floral displays of any plant.
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The old adage ‘never judge a book by its cover’ rings true for the humble Pigface (Carpobrotus edulis). Often overlooked due to their unfortunate common name, these hero plants of the Australian garden not only provide an abundance of bright and cheerful flowers in Spring (that bees just love!), they also play an important role as a soil stabiliser around our beaches. Due to their love of salty and harsh conditions, pigfaces are great to have around pools, cascading over the edges of hanging baskets or just as an attractive ground cover. Better yet, the leaves and fruit are also edible adding a delicious salty taste to your garden salads.
How to grow pig face in your garden
- Choose a well-drained spot in the garden that attracts full sun to part shade.
- Enrich the soil in the planting bed with Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed before planting.
- Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots.
- Position in hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down. Form a raised or doughnut shaped ring of soil around the outer edge of the plant's root zone. This helps keep water where it's needed. Always water in well after planting to settle the soil around the roots and keep the soil moist for several weeks while the new plant establishes.
- Mulch around the base with organic mulch like bark chips, woodchips or pea straw, keeping it away from the base of the plant.
- Feed every 1 to 2 weeks with Yates Thrive Natural Fish Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate.
How to grow pig face in a pot
- Choose a pot at least twice the size of the root-ball. Position in full sun to part shade and fill with quality potting mix, such as Yates Thrive Cacti Succulent Potting Mix.
- Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots.
- Position in hole and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well.
- Feed every 1 to 2 weeks with Yates Thrive Plant Food Spikes Cacti & Succulents.
Growing tips
- Pigface are great to grow from stem cuttings. Their ability to strike quickly makes them perfect for kids or first time propagators.
- For an easy care display, plant them in hanging baskets. As they grow they will creep their way over the edge creating a cascade effect.
- Perfect for poor soils, around swimming pools or areas where soil erosion is common.
- In cooler climates, grow them in pots so that they can be moved to sheltered positions in the winter months.
- Prune well in winter to promote an abundance of Spring growth.
Yucca
Yuccas are striking plants that make a strong impact in the garden. Flowers are commonly white & held on strong stems above the foliage.
Rhipsalis
There is no plant like the Rhipsalis with long cascading green stems create an instant green waterfall wherever they are placed in the home.
Pig Face
Pigface provide an abundance of bright and cheerful flowers in Spring, they also play an important role as a soil stabiliser around our beaches.
Recommended products
Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed
A certified organic garden input boosted with NZ Seaweed to gently nourish plants, enrich the soil and encourage a strong healthy root system.
Yates Thrive Natural Fish & Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate
A complete plant food enriched with natural fish, seaweed, humates, molasses and more - boosted with NPK to improve plant and soil vitality.
Yates Thrive Cacti & Succulent Potting Mix
Specifically formulated for the successful growing of cacti and succulents, both indoors in pots and outdoors in the garden bed or pots.
Yates Thrive Plant Food Spikes Cacti & Succulents
Yates Thrive Plant Food Spikes Cacti & Succulents are specially designed to feed your cacti & succulents where they need it most, at the roots.
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