Gardeners are avid learners who love to try their hand at anything new and exciting. On Tuesday, May 18 Vermilion County Master Gardener, Charlie Collom, presented a Make-it and Take-It Succulent program for the Champaign Master Gardener's regularly monthly program. Members from the community were invited to create their own succulent garden.

All 36 participants were able to select 6 varieties of succulents. Some varieties included trailing, spikey, and my personal favorite, fuzzy succulents. Charlie works for International Greenhouse Megastore in Danville which provided the potting mix (a mixture of perlite and potting soil) to provide the succulents extra drainage as most are native to hot, desert climates.

Succulents are architecturally interesting plants. They come in varieties of sizes, shapes, and textures. They have fleshy leaves, stems, or roots that store water making them great for those of us who forget to water (such as myself). While most succulents cannot handle Illinois winters, they are great additions to summer container plants and houseplants. Fellow Program Coordinator Trent Hawker talks more about succulents in this previous The Garden Scoop post.

Vermilion County Master Gardeners are hosting Charlie tomorrow, June 2 at 6:30. Class will be held at Crossroads Christian Church, 3613 N. Vermilion St. in Danville. Pre-registration is required as space is limited. Click here to register.

Join Champaign County Master Gardeners and Vermilion County Master Gardeners every month for their regular Tuesday programs. Visit our calendar for a complete listing of upcoming events.