Although we are into October, most of my Echevaria, Aeonium, and Crassula are still very happy out of doors, as are many of my Aloes, Gasteria and Mesembs.  Happy that is except for those that have been favoured by the slugs.  Slugs and snails seem to be very particular as to which plants they like.  They absolutely love Glottiphyllum and green Aeonium, they are less interested in black or variegated Aeonium and completely ignore Gasteria and most Aloes.   When frosts threaten and I have to take my plants indoors I will have to take great care that I don’t take any unwelcome visitors in as well,

 There were two interesting shows this month.  The Oxford Branch and Haworthia Society Show was of a very high standard with exhibitors from as far away as Yorkshire.  There were over six hundred entries and there were many that I would gladly have taken home. I wish I knew how to persuade my Haworthia  to adopt the wonderful red colouration of some of the exhibits. If anyone knows the secret please let me know. 

 The other show last weekend was the Bristol Mesembryanthemum and Succulent Show. Although they had only about half as many entries as Oxford there were still many interesting plants.  My favourite exhibits were the miniature Conophytum. The class for nine plants in two inch pots must have been very difficult to judge as every entry was of such high quality. I must admit that a few of the Mesembs hold very little appeal for me, they just look like rather dried up weeds, but they do say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 I usually start my Lachenalia bulbs into growth in August but this year I forgot all about them until half way through September I noticed some shoots appearing in the pots although they had not been watered since Spring. I gave them some new top soil and some water and they are now looking good.  It will be interesting to see if they will flower later or if maybe they will stay more compact instead of getting long straggly leaves.