When most people hear the Bible “ container , ” they do n’t usually think of freedom . But when it comes to growing yuccas , a container represent almost limitless potential .
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With the right container , you ’re loose to put species ofYuccain places where their in - ground brother could never be , such as on a patio , a porch , or even somewhere indoors .
Photo via Alamy.
And with the right light exposure , ambient climate , and culture practices , you’re able to help them live prospicient and happy lives .
But it takes some specialized know - how to successfully grow yuccas in pots , planters , and the corresponding … and that ’s where we come in in .
From choosing a container to proper placement and caring for the plant within , this guide has all the information necessary for grow these succulent in pots and planters .
Photo via Alamy.
Here are the specifics of what we ’ll handle :
What You’ll Learn
A Yucca Primer
The 51 currently - accepted species ofYuccabelong to the Asparagaceae family alongside a grab bag of diverse plant such asspider plants , hyacinths , andmy least favorite vegetable as a child , asparagus(which has since originate on me ) .
A veryclose relative ofAgave , yuccas are heat - tolerant and drought - tolerant succulents , hail from the arid area of North America , Central America , and Bermuda .
The genus as a whole is hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 11 , with unlike species having vary tolerance for freeze and cold temperature .
resemble a tree or shrub in strain , a yucca plant is recognisable by its tough , fleshy , sword - shaped leaves .
set up in a beautiful rosette , they come in ghost of yellow to unripened to bluish - green , with some varieties flaunting stripes of chickenhearted , blank , or even ruddy variegation .
egress from the pith of the foliage are grandiloquent stems have a bun in the oven clusters of gong - shaped bloom , which are typically white to cream - colored , some with tinges of purple .
blossoming typically occurs in leaping or summer , although this can vary between species and locations .
Overall , dissimilar species occur in a wide mixed bag of pinnacle and spreads – the smallest develop just two feet tall and encompassing , while the largest can reach 40 feet in height !
You canlearn more about yucca plants and how to grow them in our guide .
Why Choose Container Growing?
So why put these succulents in container ? Let ’s go over some reasons .
Accessibility
With tons of garden tasks that require stoop and deform on your to - do list , act with a plant that ’s elevate in a deal can really facilitate a hurting lower back .
Also , I in person find it hard to ignore a flora in a container , making it more likely that I ’ll stop up on my yucca oft , like a responsible for green thumb should .
Flexibility
A container is essentially a portable planting site , so you have way more emplacement pick for potted yuccas thanin - ground specimen .
Not to observe that they’rewayless of a hassle to move or transplant .
If you require to move an in - land plant , you got ta apprehend it up , dig anewhole , softly maneuver the plant life into its raw gob , and then baby it for a while until it restore itself .
I ’d rather just haul a pot around for a mo , give thanks you very much !
Style
First and first off , a container should be operative . But once function is taken care of , you ’re able to go ball on esthetics , which ca n’t be say for unmixed ol’ garden soil .
Shape , cloth case , color , design … a jackpot can be “ jazzed up ” in many different ways . Plus , a pretty container can be reprocess long after the plant within is gone .
Choosing a Variety
First matter first , you should decide what kind of yucca you require to grow .
debate size , form , colour , and hardiness found on your needs , preferences , and your garden ’s hardiness zone – if you ’re putting the plant life alfresco .
If you need some help in picking a fabulous variety , give our yucca roundup a read .
Y. filamentosa , aka Adam ’s phonograph needle , is desirable for cultivation in Zones 4 to 10 . It rise to a mature elevation and spread of two to four feet in ideal shape .
Adam ’s acerate leaf
Showy ashen flowers are long - endure and appeal hummingbirds and butterfly .
you could find Adam ’s needle in # 2 and # 3 containersavailable at Nature Hills Nursery .
Or if you choose a variegated pick , Y. filamentosa‘Color Guard ’ boast creamy - yellow leaf , abut in green .
‘ Color Guard ’
‘ Color Guard ’ is alsoavailable from Nature Hills Nurseryin # 2 and quart - sized containers .
Choosing a Container
Next , you ’ll want to choose an appropriate container for your choose variety . And the first aspect ofthatto consider is the textile it ’s made of .
When it add up to enduringness , weighting , monetary value , and appearance , each variety of container stuff comes with its own benefits and drawbacks . And there ’s not necessarily a right selection in material , either .
But since a yucca is far from a thirsty planting , using porous and quick - to - dry cloth like concrete , terra cotta , and glassless ceramic may forestall overwatering better than non - poriferous , moisture - hold back options such as fibreglass , metallic element , or credit card .
Choice of material away , the sound way of life of preventing too much wet wouldby farbe to utilize drainage holes at the bottom of containers .
That means , any excess water can trickle right on out ! If you ’re be after to grow your specimen as a houseplant , ensure you choose a saucer to place underneath the pot so it does n’t make a heap .
Size - wise , test to select a container that ’s a few inches wider than the rootage ball .
The pot size of it will need to be relative to the current pinnacle and spreadhead of your opt specimen , typically in the one- to three - Imperial gallon range to start .
If you ’re dealing with a tree - like , top - leaden specimen , it ’ll need a tough pot to keep it from tipping over , along with a wheeled trolley if you want to move it around .
But if you opt the wrong sizing , do n’t niggle – these plants can handle mature in pots that are a number roomyora bite cramp . They ’re bad that path .
Potting Medium
Most yucca prefer to develop in coarse , nutritionally inadequate , and acidic soil conditions – remember the desert , the beach , or perhaps a bedding material boxwood that you ’ve spilled some Sprite in . Okay , maybe not that last one .
So to recreate such a barren medium , go with a potting mix fit forsucculents or cacti , or you’re able to make your own using a 3:1 proportion of landscape sand and peat moss .
Espoma Organic Cactus Mix
If you ’re looking for the former , Espoma bid a suitable constituent mixture for succulents and cacti in four - dry quart bagson Amazon .
Once you ’ve selected your media , take your container and fill it with your chosen media to about an column inch below its brim . Now you ’re ready to plant !
Planting and Placement
Before in reality establish your yucca , you should decide on where you ’re going to put them . And whether your site is indoors or outdoors , you must offer the good climate and sunshine photo .
A yucca that ’s grown as a houseplant can actually tolerate a large temperature orbit of 45 to 90 ° atomic number 9 . Although a range of 60 to 75 ° atomic number 9 would be idealistic , especially if you have other houseplants with similarly temperate temperature druthers .
Put your specimen in a spot where it can receive as much light as possible . If you ’re in the Northern Hemisphere , a arrangement next to a due south - facing window is perfect .
For outdoor specimen , check that that your garden is in a hardiness zone that matches the climate requirements of your prefer mintage .
If your region is too cold for your yucca to live outdoors twelvemonth - orotund , then you ’ll require to move the specimen indoors once temperature drop below the permissiveness of your chosen species .
In general , full sun exposure is good , unless your chosen variety take more shade .
Make certain you also consider the safety of small children and pets when choosing a location , as the spiky crown of the leaves on some species have the potential to cause injury .
Once you have your position pick out , dig a hole that ’s about as deep as and a bit wide-cut than your transplantation ’s root system , removing some of the potting mix in the process .
Lower the transplant in , backfill the hole with the dug - out mix , and then deep water it all in to serve with subsiding .
After your yucca is in place and potted - up , it ’s all downhill from here – these plant life are undemanding .
Container Care
Irrigation - wise , you ’ll desire to provide piddle whenever the majority of the surrounding soil is dry . If you stick a dirt tongue down to its hilt into the intermixture and it comes away ironical , then it ’s time to profoundly irrigate again .
Alternatively , you canuse a moisture meterto take the shot out of it . In a sufficiently hot environment during the growing time of year , this could be as often as once a week .
tap out any superfluous urine from the saucer under the can so that the roots do n’t become oversaturated .
During the dormant time of year , a plant ’s water needs are greatly reduced .
When it ’s inactive , a yucca should be watered about once or twice a month , or enough to prevent its leaves from drooping , desiccating , or otherwise becoming negatively strike by a deficiency of moisture .
These plants do n’t need much fertilizer , but a single , annual springtime covering of a balanced fertiliser can help oneself them grow without subject them to supernumerary nutrients and fertilizer salt buildup .
Jack ’s Classic Fertilizer
Something like this 20 - 20 - 20 piddle - soluble plant food from Jack ’s Classic would do the trick – it ’s usable in one - and - a - half - Syrian pound quantitiesat Amazon .
If you do n’t want your plant to flower , then you should prune the heyday stem before they blossom so that push is airt into more leafage maturation . If you revel the flush , you ’ll need to prune the flower stem at the base once the flower are spent .
utter of pruning , you ’ll also want to remove any dead , discredited , or diseased tissue as soon as you happen to see them . If you do n’t like the “ skirt ” look of the drooping lower leaves of some coinage , then those can be take out in one go at the beginning of every spring .
Unless a specimen becomes severely root bound within its container , you do n’t have to care much about repotting , since most yuccas can grow in the same container for many year without needing to change homes .
When you do decide to repot your plant , choose a container one or two sizing larger than the existing pot .
A Yucca in a Container: It’s a No-Brainer!
If you ’re wrestle with whether you should put this succulent in a potty or not , let me make that call for you – yes , you perfectly should !
A greater ease of drive , more placement opportunity , and extremely aesthetic possible action for containers . What more could you want ?
Needmore yucca growing tips ? We ’ve got you get over :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Cartesian product photos via Espoma , Jack ’s Classic , and Nature Hills Nursery . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
About
Joe Butler
