How to Grow Sedum

Sedum plants are members of the sedum genus, which includes approximately 400 species. They are commonly known as stone crops due to their ability to grow in rocky soil. Sedum plants have succulent leaves that they use to store water, allowing them to grow in arid climates.

Materials

• Compost


• Fertilizer


• Garden trowel


• Sedum plants

1. Grow sedum in mild temperate climates with light rainfall. The best planting site for sedum is in full sun with soil that provides good drainage. The growing season for these plants runs from spring through fall.


2. Obtain sedum plants from a nursery, ensuring that the plants are healthy with firm leaves and no brown areas. The nursery containers for sedum plants may be up to one gallon in size.


3. Dig holes for sedum plants that are no deeper than the nursery container with a garden trowel. Space the holes at least 9 inches apart. Mix a small amount of organic fertilizer into the loose soil according to the fertilizer's application instructions.


4. Place a sedum plant in each hole and adjust its position so that its soil level is the same as it was in the container. Fill in the hole with loose soil and pat it down around the plant.


5. Apply a 3-inch layer of organic compost around the sedum plants without getting any mulch on the plants themselves. Water the area around the plants until the soil is throughly soaked. Water sedum plants thoroughly each week during the summer if they do not receive any water that week.


6. Cut the dead growth for the sedum plants down to the ground in early spring with pruning shears before the plants begin growing. Apply a round of fertilizer to the top layer of soil. Replenish the mulch layer as needed to give it a thickness of at least 3 inches.