Greenhouse tour at the botanical garden changed my whole view on plant spacing

I went to the spring open house at the Denver Botanic Gardens last month. They had this huge tropical greenhouse with plants packed super tight like a jungle. Looked beautiful and lush. But the head gardener told me they lose 15% more plants to mold in that setup compared to the sectioned off beds. So here's the debate: do you cram your pots together for that full look or keep them spaced out for air flow? I always packed my succulents tight because I liked the look. Now I'm wondering if I'm killing them slowly. The curator said tight spacing works for some plants but not others. Anyone have a concrete rule they follow for spacing? I need a straight answer before I repot everything this weekend.

2 comments

2 Comments

christopherwilson24d ago

Tight spacing killed half my succulents before I learned my lesson lmao.

sarah_mason24d ago

Read somewhere that succulents need their own breathing room just like people do.