I'm looking to plant a sempervivum flower bed here in Richmond, VA (zone 7b), where they can thrive outdoors all year. I want to create an outdoor space that feels warm and inviting. Does anyone have tips on preparing the bed? Should I use succulent soil, pea gravel, or something else? I know I can't just use regular dirt or garden soil, so I'm hoping for some advice on what will work best!
2 Answers
The native soil in Virginia tends to be pretty wet and loamy, which might not be ideal for sempervivum. To prevent losing them in the rainy season, I definitely recommend amending your soil for better drainage. Maybe consider mixing in some sand or gravel to your garden bed.
When preparing your bed, you generally want to dig it out and fill it with a combination of gardening soil and some amendments for drainage. Here in clay-heavy areas, I've had great results digging down about a foot, mixing in expanded shale, and then topping with gardening soil. My sempervivum and stonecrops thrive that way!
That sounds super helpful! So you're saying regular gardening soil works better than succulent soil?
Thanks for the tip! I’ll look into adding sand for better drainage.