When most people hear the word “container,” they don’t usually think of freedom. When it comes to growing Yuccas, a container offers almost unlimited potential.
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With the right container, you’re free to put species of Yucca In places that their in-ground cousins couldn’t be, like a patio, porch or even inside.
You can make them happy and healthy by ensuring they are exposed to the correct light, climate and cultivation practices.
But it takes some specialized know-how to successfully grow yuccas in pots, planters, and the like… and that’s where we come in.
This guide will help you grow succulents in planters and pots. It includes everything from choosing the right container to the proper placement of the plant.
Here are the specifics of what we’ll cover:
A Yucca Primer
There are 51 species currently accepted as a part of the genus Yucca Asparagaceae, along with a wide variety of other flora species such as Spider plants, Hyacinths. Asparagus was my least favorite veggie as a kid This has become a part of me.
A Very Close relative AgaveThe yucca is a heat-tolerant, drought-resistant succulent that originates from the arid areas of North America and Central America. It also grows in Bermuda.
The entire genus is hardy within USDA Zones 3-11. Different species have varying tolerances of frost and low temperatures.
A yucca is easily recognized by its thick, slender, and tough leaves.
They come in many shades, from yellow to green, to bluish-green. Some varieties have stripes of white, yellow or red.
The tall stems are topped with clusters of white, cream or purple bell-shaped flowers.
Flowers usually bloom in the spring or summer. However, this depends on species and location.
Overall, different species come in a wide variety of heights and spreads – the smallest grows just two feet tall and wide, while the largest can reach 40 feet in height!
You can In this guide, you will learn how to grow yucca plants..
Why Choose Container Plant Growing?
Why do you need to put these succulents into containers? Let’s go over some reasons.
Accessibility
With tons of garden tasks that require stooping and bending on your to-do list, working with a plant that’s elevated in a pot can really help a hurting lower back.
Also, I personally find it harder to ignore a plant in a container, making it more likely that I’ll check up on my yucca frequently, like a responsible green thumb should.
Flexibility
Potted yuccas can be planted in a variety of ways, unlike those that are grown in the ground.
Not to mention that they’re The Right Way to Buy It is easier to move or transplant.
You have to dig up an underground plant in order to move it. New Zealanders are able to purchase new cars. Hole, gently move the plant into its hole and then nurture it for a little while until it establishes itself.
I’d rather just haul a pot around for a bit, thank you very much!
Style
A container must be functional first and foremost. But once function is taken care of, you’re able to go nuts on aesthetics, which can’t be said for plain ol’ garden soil.
Shape, material type, color, design… a pot can be “jazzed up” in many different ways. A pretty pot can also be reused after the plant inside is no longer there.
Choose a Variety
Decide first what type of yucca plant you wish to grow.
Consider size, form, color, and hardiness based on your needs, preferences, and your garden’s hardiness zone – if you’re putting the plant outside.
You can get some assistance in choosing a great variety. Read our yucca roundup.
Y. filamentosa, aka Adam’s needle, is suitable for cultivation in Zones 4 to 10. The plant can grow to a mature height of 2 to 4 feet, and spread up to that.
Adam’s Needle
White flowers that are showy and long-lasting attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
You can find Adam’s needle in #2 and #3 containers Nature Hills Nursery – Available at Nature Hills Nursery.
If you want a more varied option, Y. filamentosa ‘Color Guard’ features creamy-yellow leaves, edged in green.
‘Color Guard’
‘Color Guard’ is also Nature Hills Nursery: In quart and #2-sized containers.
Choose a Container
Next, you’ll want to choose an appropriate container for your selected variety. The first thing to consider is the type of container. The following are some examples of how to use to consider is the material it’s made of.
Consider the following: durability, weight, price, and appearance Each type of container material has its own advantages and disadvantages. And there’s not necessarily a correct choice in material, either.
Concrete, terra-cotta, or unglazed ceramics are porous, quick-to-dry, materials that may help prevent overwatering. These are better options than non-porous moisture-retaining materials such as metal, fiberglass, or plastic.
Aside from the choice of material, the best method to prevent too much moisture is to use a breathable fabric. Far and away, Use drainage holes on the bottom of containers.
So, excess water will trickle out. If you’re planning to grow your specimen as a houseplant, make sure you select a saucer to place underneath the pot so it doesn’t make a mess.
Size-wise, try to select a container that’s a few inches wider than the root ball.
Pot size should be in proportion to the height and spread of the chosen specimen.
If you’re dealing with a tree-like, top-heavy specimen, it’ll need a sturdy pot to keep it from tipping over, along with a wheeled trolley if you want to move it around.
But if you choose the wrong size, don’t fret – these plants can handle growing in pots that are a bit roomy The following are some examples of how to use A little crowded They’re tough that way.
Potting Medium
Most yuccas prefer to grow in coarse, nutritionally poor, and acidic soil conditions – think the desert, the beach, or perhaps a litter box that you’ve spilled some Sprite in. Okay, not the last one.
To recreate this barren medium, choose a potting mixture that is suitable for Cacti or succulentsOr you can create your own using a 3:1 ratio of peat-moss and landscape sand.
Espoma Organic Cactus Mix
If you’re looking for the former, Espoma offers a suitable organic mixture for succulents and cacti in four-quart bags Amazon.
Once you’ve selected your media, take your container and fill it with your chosen media to about an inch below its brim. Now you’re ready to plant!
Planting and Placement
Before actually planting your yuccas, you should decide on where you’re going to put them. Whether you are planting your yuccas indoors, outdoors or both, it is important to provide the proper climate and sun exposure.
A yucca that’s grown as a houseplant can actually tolerate a large temperature range of 45 to 90°F. Although a range of 60 to 75°F would be ideal, especially if you have other houseplants with similarly moderate temperature preferences.
Your specimen should be placed in an area that receives as much natural light as possible. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, a placement next to a south-facing window is perfect.
Make sure your outdoor specimens are in the right hardiness zone for their climate.
If your region is too cold for your yucca to survive outdoors year-round, then you’ll want to move the specimen indoors once temperatures drop below the tolerance of your chosen species.
It is generally best to expose your plants to full sun, unless they require more shade.
Consider the safety and comfort of your children or pets when selecting a site. The sharp tips of some leaves can be dangerous to small children.
Once you have your spot picked out, dig a hole that’s about as deep as and a bit wider than your transplant’s root system, removing some of the potting mix in the process.
Backfill the hole using the dug out mix and water the whole thing to settle it.
After your yucca is in place and potted-up, it’s all downhill from here – these plants are undemanding.
Container Care
Irrigation-wise, you’ll want to provide water whenever the majority of the surrounding soil is dry. If you stick a soil knife down to its hilt into the mix and it comes away dry, then it’s time to deeply water again.
Alternatively, you can use a moisture meter Take the guesswork out. If the environment is sufficiently hot during the growing period, you could do this as frequently as once per week.
Tip out any excess water from the saucer under the pot so that the roots don’t become oversaturated.
During the dormant season, a plant’s water needs are greatly reduced.
When it’s dormant, a yucca should be watered about once or twice a month, or enough to prevent its leaves from drooping, desiccating, or otherwise becoming negatively affected by a lack of moisture.
These plants don’t need much fertilizer, but a single, annual springtime application of a balanced fertilizer can help them grow without subjecting them to excess nutrients and fertilizer salt buildup.
Jack’s Classic Fertilizer
Something like this 20-20-20 water-soluble plant food from Jack’s Classic would do the trick – it’s available in one-and-a-half-pound quantities Amazon.
If you don’t want your plant to flower, then you should prune the flower stems before they bloom so that energy is redirected into more leaf growth. If you enjoy the blooms, you’ll need to prune the flower stems at the base once the blooms are spent.
Talking of pruning, you’ll also want to remove any dead, damaged, or diseased tissues as soon as you happen to see them. If you don’t like the “skirt” look of the drooping lower leaves of some species, then those can be removed in one go at the beginning of every spring.
Unless a specimen becomes severely root bound within its container, you don’t have to worry much about repotting, since most yuccas can grow in the same container for many years without needing to change homes.
Choose a pot one or even two sizes larger than your existing container when you decide to repotter.
A Yucca in a Container: It’s a No-Brainer!
If you’re wrestling with whether you should put this succulent in a pot or not, let me make that call for you – yes, you absolutely should!
Containers that are easier to move, have more options for placement, and offer a wide range of aesthetic options. What more can you ask for?
Are there any questions that you still have unanswered? You have some great wisdom you’d like to share. Your comments are welcome below.
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