Soil
Out of doors in-ground ghost crops require well-draining, sandy loam with a pH of 6.1 to 7.8.
If you happen to’re utilizing containers, be sure that they’ve a number of drainage holes and use a cactus and succulent potting combine, or comply with these directions to make your personal.
Free, lean soil facilitates drainage and reduces the chance of rotting.
Water
Ghost crops retailer moisture of their leaves and have wonderful drought tolerance. When established, these rising within the backyard gained’t want water until there’s a prolonged drought.
Permit the soil in containers to dry out fully earlier than watering. You possibly can use a moisture meter to information you.
If you happen to reside in a neighborhood with municipal water, it’s possible you’ll discover that mineral salts construct up on the soil and sides of containers.
Treatment the state of affairs by watering with purified or distilled water. You possibly can discover extra details about watering succulents right here.
Fertilizer
It’s not essential to fertilize ghost crops. If you happen to select to take action, wait till they’re at the least a yr outdated to keep away from burning the creating roots.
Use a liquid product formulated for cacti and succulents diluted to 1 / 4 or half power in early spring. It must be low in nitrogen to keep away from producing quick progress that ends in spindly stems.
If you happen to want a suggestion, I take advantage of Miracle-Gro Succulent Plant Meals.
Miracle-Gro Succulent Plant Meals
This product has an NPK ratio of 0.5-1-1, making it very low in nitrogen and delicate.
Yow will discover Miracle-Develop Succulent Plant Meals accessible by way of Amazon.
Our information to fertilizing succulents has extra data.
Cultivars to Choose
When purchasing, you’ll discover varied choices accessible, although typically they’ll simply be listed as “ghost plant” or “mom of pearl.”
The straight species has the everyday whitish-gray-green foliage and white flowers with pink accents.
Ghost Plant
Yow will discover the species in two-inch pots accessible from Sprout N Inexperienced by way of Amazon.
Bronze
G. paraguayense cv. bronze, generally listed as ‘Bronze’ has brightly hued foliage that shade orange and pink with ample solar publicity, however inexperienced in low mild circumstances.
The star-shaped flowers are yellow.
Bronze
This cultivated selection contrasts sharply with inexperienced succulents for a daring blended grouping.
Yow will discover specimens in four-inch pots accessible from The Subsequent Gardener by way of Amazon.
Purple Haze
‘Purple Haze’ is a hybrid of G. paraguayense and G. superbum, a pink-to-lavender species with yellow flowers. It has gray-to-lavender foliage and basic white flowers with pink flecks.
Pair it with the species for a complementary pastel lavender and pearlescent gray-green show.
Variegated
The naturally occurring variegated type of the species, G. paraguayense f. variegatum, has white, purple/pink, and gray-green foliage.
The white flowers are speckled with pink, crowning the eye-catching foliage.
Variegated
Excellent as a standalone specimen, this feature requires a full-sun placement for optimum leaf variegation.
Variegated ghosts are accessible from DH7 Enterprise by way of Amazon.
Upkeep
Ghost crops require little upkeep when their primary cultural necessities are met.
Because the lowest leaves age, they flip yellow. You possibly can gently twist them off to maintain the rosettes tidy and encourage new progress.
Take away any foliage broken by pathogens or pests to cut back susceptibility to additional issues.
After flowering, trim flower stems to their base to tidy up.
Repot container-grown ghost crops when roots begin to emerge from the drainage holes, transferring them right into a pot only one measurement bigger.