Desert-esque raised bed

[teddytn]

With reinvigorated interest in all things plants since joining PT, working on a new dry, rock filled raised bed. The cherry on top of my many year project with these blocked terraces. Planning to fill it with yucca, cactus, agave, succulents, and stone crops.
This will have to do as a before pic. Notice no blocks to the left of the opuntia. First rows of blocksMost of the excavation done. Going at least 2 courses of blocks higher. With the whole side of the house sloping south, this already has great drainage. Planning to start filling with gravel and sand. And a generous amount of rocks. Here’s some plants I’ve started to gather. 
Hesperaloe parviflora
Cylindropuntia imbricataIf anyone is familiar with my yucca rostratas this is the wimpiest of the bunch planted separately from the 3 together. Perfect reason to move it and repurpose it’s old spot for another palm tree. Got a fair amount of roots with it. It’s in the shade under my deck for the time being. Some opuntia pads rooted from my biggest one.I will constantly add any updates with progress and newly acquired plants. If anyone has any plant suggestions for a wet winter zone 7 desert-esque bed feel free to suggest away. 

[teddytn]

First load of gravel and first load of sand in, going to get this built up a bit and then mix all of it. Added to the rock farmMore plants showed up today. Opuntia violacea Santa Rita opuntia basilaris Going to let these root in this tray in the shade, in a completely dry mix. This will not be the mix used when planting. 

[Meangreen94z]

Looking great

[Palmensammler]

Looks like you have a project. The O. basilaris has a nice colour. Waiting to see more plants.

Eckhard

[Merlyn]

That's a great project!  I've built a couple of big agave/cacti/aloe areas here in FL, pretty much the same way.  In mine I used leftover hurricane sandbags that people give away on FB marketplace, and mixed in a few 2cuft bags of perlite.  Our sand drains pretty fast here, so for many species it seems to be good enough to just add a little extra perlite or Turface MVP whenever I plant a water-sensitive type. 

I'm not sure if it would be cold-hardy for you, but the Opuntia "Sunburst" variegated is really neat and could be a cool color contrast with the O. Santa Rita.  I've struggled in my beds to get some color contrast, because most of them are just various shades of silver-blue to blue-green to green.  Some of the colored Mangaves could be an option too, though they'd probably burn to the ground in the winter.  "Kaleidoscope" is a fast-offsetting red/yellow one.  You could yank a couple of pups in the fall and overwinter them inside to replace dead ones in the bed in the spring.

[teddytn]

1 hour ago, Merlyn said:

That's a great project!  I've built a couple of big agave/cacti/aloe areas here in FL, pretty much the same way.  In mine I used leftover hurricane sandbags that people give away on FB marketplace, and mixed in a few 2cuft bags of perlite.  Our sand drains pretty fast here, so for many species it seems to be good enough to just add a little extra perlite or Turface MVP whenever I plant a water-sensitive type. 

I'm not sure if it would be cold-hardy for you, but the Opuntia "Sunburst" variegated is really neat and could be a cool color contrast with the O. Santa Rita.  I've struggled in my beds to get some color contrast, because most of them are just various shades of silver-blue to blue-green to green.  Some of the colored Mangaves could be an option too, though they'd probably burn to the ground in the winter.  "Kaleidoscope" is a fast-offsetting red/yellow one.  You could yank a couple of pups in the fall and overwinter them inside to replace dead ones in the bed in the spring.

I’ve done one other one that was a pure raised bed, it worked out great. This one I really want to dial in using rocks and giving off a professional vibe when finished. I had that thought as well about different colors. Sempervivums and stone crops at least come in a wide array of colors and plan on mixing those in where they make sense. Trouble is finding other “main plants” hardy enough to survive here  

[teddytn]

First plant in the ground yucca rostrata, kinda the vibe I’m going for for the whole raised bed. Super rocky, different elevations, planting in the pockets between the rocks. Flat ones are going to turn out great I think, going to put a bunch of potted cactus and agaves on those.Didn’t initially plan on coming this far up with the whole planting. There was an old azelea in this spot, put that in the compost pile. It only made sense there’s already yucca filamentosa and a small yucca gloriosa on the corner, gonna tie it all together. 

[teddytn]

Build it and they will come Gonna load up on the semps the next time I’m there. Just bring a stack of $5 bills. They must have 60 different varieties honestly.

[Merlyn]

Just make sure you keep the Utahensis dry, mine melted here in the sauna of summer rain. 

[teddytn]

47 minutes ago, Merlyn said:

Just make sure you keep the Utahensis dry, mine melted here in the sauna of summer rain. 

That’s what I’ve been hearing. It’s very wet here year round. I’ve lost a parryi here before. A. Utahensis may die this coming winter.  Might have to keep experimenting here until some the plants that are going to stay long term reveal themselves. @Silas_Sancona advised almost 100% grit and sand, and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. Toying with the idea of building a roof/ overhang covering this bed for the winter. 

[Meangreen94z]

Put that Utahensis on eBay. It won’t survive in any area that receives more than 20” of rain a year. Native habitat is less than half that. I’ve tried many times. 

[Merlyn]

1 hour ago, teddytn said:

That’s what I’ve been hearing. It’s very wet here year round. I’ve lost a parryi here before. A. Utahensis may die this coming winter.

I lost most Parryi except the JC Raulston type.  They just slowly rot away and die.  Parrasana are about the same and try to die in winter but recover in the summer.  Anything in the Victoria-Reginae or Nickelsiae group die quickly too...

[teddytn]

1 hour ago, Meangreen94z said:

Put that Utahensis on eBay. It won’t survive in any area that receives more than 20” of rain a year. Native habitat is less than half that. I’ve tried many times. 

I have a smaller Utahensis planted in a different raised bed. Thanks for the heads up, I’ll pot this one then! 

[teddytn]

17 minutes ago, Merlyn said:

I lost most Parryi except the JC Raulston type.  They just slowly rot away and die.  Parrasana are about the same and try to die in winter but recover in the summer.  Anything in the Victoria-Reginae or Nickelsiae group die quickly too...

Any recommendations for agave? 

[teddytn]

1 hour ago, Meangreen94z said:

Put that Utahensis on eBay. It won’t survive in any area that receives more than 20” of rain a year. Native habitat is less than half that. I’ve tried many times. 

Any recommendations worth giving a shot for agave?

[Meangreen94z]

13 minutes ago, teddytn said:

Any recommendations worth giving a shot for agave?

I looked up your area, around 50” inches of rain annually. USDA zone 7a? Ovatifolia should do well in those conditions and the many hybrids Plants Delight Nursery produces. I have their “Bluebell Giant” and that would do great there. If I see any offsets pop up I’ll let you know. Agave Asperimma will survive in 7a but your rain level might cause them to regress. They did poorly while I was in Houston(52”+ a year) but do great in Austin(36”). There’s plenty of hardy agave but add water and it reduces that list drastically.

[teddytn]

8 hours ago, Meangreen94z said:

I looked up your area, around 50” inches of rain annually. USDA zone 7a? Ovatifolia should do well in those conditions and the many hybrids Plants Delight Nursery produces. I have their “Bluebell Giant” and that would do great there. If I see any offsets pop up I’ll let you know. Agave Asperimma will survive in 7a but your rain level might cause them to regress. They did poorly while I was in Houston(52”+ a year) but do great in Austin(36”). There’s plenty of hardy agave but add water and it reduces that list drastically.

Literally right next to the utahensis at the nursery I was at there’s maybe 6 or 7 ovatifolia....perfect excuse for a trip back there 

[Merlyn]

Ovatifolia would definitely be a good choice, there are several types to choose from like "Frosty Blue" and Vanzie."  They've all done great here except the "Ovatisana Sea Star" which is a hybrid of Ovatifolia and Parrasana.  Expensive, and rotted in the winter.  As Meangreen mentioned, Asperrima/Scabra all died on me slowly here in FL.  Others that may do well for you are Montana, "Emerald Giants", Gentryi, "Stairway to Heaven", "Ripple Effect," Angustifolia/Vivipara marginata, Gentryi "Jaws," and "Mr. Ripple."  Some of those are unknown hybrids, and might do well to 10-15F but die in the single digits.  I have all of the above here and they are doing fine, so they can definitely tolerate the water and humidity.  Jaws, Emerald Giants, Stairway to Heaven, and Bluebell Giants are all puppers, though I don't have any growing up right now.

[teddytn]

@Merlyn @Meangreen94z how we looking now? Really thank you for the suggestions! 

[Merlyn]

Nice!  If you like big, green, and stabby, then Montana is another good one.  This thread is a great general reference for hardiness, though some of them (like Utahensis) are capable of extreme cold but rot with any moisture. 

https://www.agaveville.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=426

[teddytn]

On 6/9/2021 at 6:49 PM, Merlyn said:

Nice!  If you like big, green, and stabby, then Montana is another good one.  This thread is a great general reference for hardiness, though some of them (like Utahensis) are capable of extreme cold but rot with any moisture. 

https://www.agaveville.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=426

Yes of course hardiness lists definitely based on ideal conditions with mature plants. Same as palms

[teddytn]

Made a little progressBig opuntia strictas in the backEchinocereus triglochidiatus inermusyucca rigida next to yucca rostrata sempervivums

[teddytn]

Little more progress. Block is finished, planted the cylindropuntia. Still working on where to place all the agaves. This will be the last in progress shots. Hope to have this thing finished off in the next couple weeks!!! Flat rocks are going to work out good to put pots on for the summers

[Merlyn]

I love the big flat stones!  I've been thinking of doing that in my big agave bed, but have had too many other projects...  How much did the big stones cost?

BTW - good choice on keeping the Celsii "Multicolor" in a pot.  Those burn bad with any frost.  They are barely hardier than an Attenuata.  Supposedly they are not Celsii/Mitis at all, but some other Caribbean agave like Boldinghiana.  But I don't think anyone knows for sure.

[Paradise Found]

Loving all the professional looking rock work and all the new desert plants. 

[teddytn]

5 hours ago, Merlyn said:

I love the big flat stones!  I've been thinking of doing that in my big agave bed, but have had too many other projects...  How much did the big stones cost?

BTW - good choice on keeping the Celsii "Multicolor" in a pot.  Those burn bad with any frost.  They are barely hardier than an Attenuata.  Supposedly they are not Celsii/Mitis at all, but some other Caribbean agave like Boldinghiana.  But I don't think anyone knows for sure.

Ah thank you! Tennessee has its disadvantages as far as palms and other warmer weather plants go, a clear advantage being all the rocks! The metal fab shop I work at has a small mining operation going on out back, means all the free gravel, sand, and landscape rocks I want. Anyone here has access to free rocks though, there’s big pull offs on the side of the interstate where you could hypothetically fill your car or truck everyday with rocks where they blasted the interstate through hillsides. Oh yeah no chance of the celsii surviving here lol, may have a hard enough time with the tougher agaves I have. 

[teddytn]

3 hours ago, Paradise Found said:

Loving all the professional looking rock work and all the new desert plants. 

Thank you, I appreciate that! I’ve got a long way to go to catch up with you lol

[teddytn]

[teddytn]

[teddytn]

9 hours ago, teddytn said:

Sorry for the double post

[teddytn]

Some more in progress shots before it was finished, feels crazy it’s done. Worked on it everyday with a few exceptions for the past month. Even let the wife pick out the spots for the filler plants. 

[Silas_Sancona]

Looks great!

[teddytn]

3 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Looks great!

Thanks man, I appreciate all the advice. I’m glad it turned out as good as it did, but In reality this is an experimental planting right now. Gonna have to see how things look in the spring. Definitely going to protect all the agaves this winter.

[SeanK]

Looks like you found O.imbricata. O.whipplei is a little thinner.

I'm not a fan of pad cacti as they all look alike, far too common, and get too big - too fast. I found D.wheeleri cold hardy as well as H.funifera.

H.parviflora is bullet proof as is Y.recurvifolia and Y.aloifolia.

[teddytn]

58 minutes ago, SeanK said:

Looks like you found O.imbricata. O.whipplei is a little thinner.

I'm not a fan of pad cacti as they all look alike, far too common, and get too big - too fast. I found D.wheeleri cold hardy as well as H.funifera.

H.parviflora is bullet proof as is Y.recurvifolia and Y.aloifolia.

Yeah that’s right cylindropuntia imbricata. I know what you mean about pad types. They’re over planted in Tennessee for sure. I planted 2 o. basilaris, and 2 o. santa rita. The Santa rita I’m def. looking forward to. Pictures I’ve seen when the whole plant is purple is crazy cool looking. Appreciate the other suggestions!!!

[Merlyn]

I have a few Opuntia, but not too many for the same reasons. 

Opuntia "Angel Wings" White Bunny Ears Microdasys; Opuntia Consolea Rubescens "Road Kill" ; Opuntia Ellisiana "spineless"; Opuntia "Emerald Wave"; Opuntia "Fat Fingers"; Opuntia Ficus-Indica; Opuntia Ficus-Indica "Burbank"; Opuntia Fulgida "Boxing Glove" Cholla; Opuntia Polyacantha "Dark Knight"; Opuntia Quimilo; Opuntia Red Bunny Ears Microdasys; Opuntia "Red Gem" hybrid; Opuntia Subulata Monstrose "Gumbi"

Most of the above are smallish ornamentals like "Crazy Bunny Ears" and not hardy. "Roadkill" takes frost damage in the upper 20s.  

[teddytn]

A little more progress to the top of what I call yucca hill. Going to build up the rocks until I cover that drain pipe. Have a bunch of planting holes ready for next spring, going to fill all the spots up here with various yuccas.

[teddytn]

Got cylindropuntia spinosior in the ground a few weeks ago.

[Meangreen94z]

Looking great

[teddytn]

On 8/24/2021 at 10:23 PM, Meangreen94z said:

Looking great

Thank you sir!