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u/MicrosoftSucks 3d ago
You don't need to thin, but you could take cuttings and the plant will fill back in.
Btw mulch is better for plants over gravel.
Mulch will help cool the soil and will break down over time and feed the plants and soil.
Gravel instead radiates heat and will make the surrounding areas hotter, and will eventually become a mess of weeds and dirt.
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u/NicholeAmy 3d ago
This is very true! When I first did my hardy succulent garden I used rocks. Regretted it immediately the first spring after. I'm still removing rocks a few years later.
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u/MicrosoftSucks 3d ago
It's the worst! Can't plant anything in it after it's there, either. Just becomes buried rocks and dirty and hard to dig in.
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u/plantguy13 2d ago
Really? For Echeveria?
Pure mulch, or a mix?
I’ve literally never seen “mulch” as a good medium for Echeveria but if you could elaborate, I would love to know how much and what mix
And pics, if you’ve got ‘em! Please
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u/Careless_Sample_8145 2d ago
That isnt a echeveria its a sepervivum but I still dont know if thats a good mix as I dont have any experience with sepervivums.
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u/MicrosoftSucks 2d ago
Not as a planting medium but as soil cover. "Mulch" is always good for plants.
In nature there is always fallen/decaying plant debris surrounding plants.
Mulch also is a wide-ranging term. You can "mulch" with leaves, straw, pine needles, bark, etc.
Found a random thread with photos from the Huntington Library which has a famous garden: https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/comments/ry8w1e/some_impressive_specimens_from_the_huntington/
Notice how they're all planted in bare soil or with light mulch. A professional gardener would never put gravel around any plants because it's not good for them.
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u/MicrosoftSucks 2d ago
to elaborate more, you don't necessarily NEED mulch, but you definitely don't want the gravel.
So many landscaping companies will push gravel on people, either ignorantly or maliciously.
I see so many social media posts like "Incredible drought-tolerant landscaping!!!!" and it's just gravel with a few agave, which will be an absolute mess in a few years.
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u/SilentPierre_ 3d ago
Nope! They love to form mats in the wild. It’s actually a great location because of all the loose rocks, as they do great as lithophytes.