If you have a desire to garden, but in the past have found that you just don’t have too green a thumb, then maybe you need to consider something else besides dumping tons of money into sensitive, difficult plants at your local nursery. Similarly, indoor plants can be high maintenance, and maybe vegetable gardening is out too. So what are the options? Well, for the garden novice looking for some no-nonsense plants that will virtually take care of themselves while beautifying your yard, why not try cacti and succulents?

Succulents, while not being entirely maintenance-free, do prove to be a great deal easier to take care of when compared to other types of plants. And if you live in a desert climate to begin with, let’s say southern California, then you’re going to fare even better than others, as this category of plant life is a native species to dryer, desert conditions. So what else is there to know?

To start, succulents and cacti can be grown indoors, with sufficient light and just a tiny bit of water and plant food. Cacti, which can be purchased cheaply at the nursery in very small pots, are often ready to go from the store to your home, making them a great solution for a quick fix when you’re entertaining and want to have a little green life around the place. When you plant cacti and succulents in the yard, consider the size they will ultimately grow to as some cacti get quite large over time. Also, make sure to check whether or not the succulent you’ve purchased acts like ground cover, self-propagating and spreading out quickly when maybe you don’t want it to.

If you’re forgetful, never fear. Cacti and succulents tend to hold their own water, making them the perfect partner to a gardener who can’t seem to remember to get on top of a regular watering cycle. You won’t need to transfer them up to larger pots every season, like other plants, either. They grow slow the vast majority of the time, making them perfect for larger arrangements where you can have several varieties planted right next to each other.

Lastly, they are great with mistakes! Poor treatment, though obviously not recommended, will generally be tolerated well and if you plant them one place and then wish to move them to another, they should hold up quite well.

(Image Via: Florico.com)