Jack, my place gets pretty cold too. Low 30s and an ocassional 29 are the norm here in the winter. Tender plants are near the house and in sheltered locations. Everything else was pretty much selected for being able to withstand those temperatures. I was getting tired of protecting plants in the winter (duranta, tecoma, hibiscus...). According to different sources, a majority of the plants I've planted would be able to survive a freeze down to the low 20s, some could live through colder temps. I know book knowledge and actual happenings are not always the same, but i figured that if I fear for a specific plant, I could always uproot it and place it in a heated shed for the duration of a prolonged freeze (like the 2007 freeze), then replant it the following spring. Good luck with your landscape!!!

I can totally understand the confusion!! I actually started out looking for that form of DE, but could only find the powder format first. Most of my plants seem to retain the DE rather well. I have a few older cacti where I have added more to the soil (below a top layer of scoria) when I water, and because of the small size it sinks into the soil with successive waterings. In my organic mixes, the powdered DE stays much easier, and acts as a soil dryness indicator for me as well. I've always been afraid of handling pesticides, especially around rarer species. Stapeliads that maintain a "jumping stem" growth form in culture need finer soils a lot of the time. For instance, I recently purchased a Stapelianthus madagascariensis that needs fine soil around the fine, small roots it grows at its various rooting points. Typical large particle gritty soils will dry out its roots and kill it. In my opinion, the trick to having a good finer gritty mix is maintaining a diverse particle size range. For instance, the finer mix version I use still has 60-80 percent larger particle sizes that are traditionally found in gritty mixes. The fatter Pseudolithos species arent that picky about growing media in my experience. As long as 70-80% of the media is porous lava material of some kind, the rest can be almost anything that isn't too rich or wet. I have used finer inorganics, DE, coir, and even mechanically minced/small particle sphagnum peat moss, and the only rot I have encountered so far has been from errant sprinkler water kicking normal topsoil mud onto a part of one of my cubiformis plants, but that was it. And the main body of that plant was unharmed and continues to thrive in ~40% fine, gritty soil. However, I do live in Florida, which has the highest average UV index in the US as well intense heat and humidity for 6 or 8 months out of the year, compared to most other US states. For instance, it consistently hits 90 to 100 here with 100% humidity from May to September. The more south you go in FL, the larger this range gets. In my hometown 150 miles further south, it's very hot and humid from about March to the end of September. I also live in an area with great wind exposure and by a lake, so I have a constant humid breeze. As such, I haven't had a problem with drying out due to clogged soil pores or lower levels of absorbent material, but rotting due to standing water in fine mix has been a concern of mine. However, maintaining a diverse particle size range helps alleviate this problem by maintaining excellent drainage.

Unfortunately no. Succulents are popular in Southern California landscaping because of water restrictions due to the drought. Friends and family who gave me clippings planted succulents out of practicality. It is a hobby for me but to them it is a solution to keeping the yard looking nice with very little watering. Is it not okay to ask for identification of multiple plants on this forum? If the people who gave me the clippings knew what they were I wouldn't have asked...

I am here to help if anyone needs it or if you'd like to share ideas that would also be great for all of us! thank you and I hope you visit my channel. Check out my channel about my succulent collection and vlog. https://www.youtube.com/user/asulikeit22