Succulents combine effortless beauty with fashionable appeal. Their distinctive forms, lively hues, and intriguing textures bring instant character to any space. Ready to explore your gardening skills with a creative twist? Prepare to get your hands slightly messy while making some delightful succulent planters!
In this article, we’ll walk you through making two lovely succulent bowls and a contemporary mini terrarium – ideal for both new gardeners and experienced plant enthusiasts.
Collecting Your Materials
Selecting the Proper Container
Succulent planters are wonderfully adaptable. Let your imagination lead the way! Low bowls, trays, uncovered terrariums, or creatively reused items such as teacups and antique tins can all make excellent choices. Simply confirm that the container includes drainage holes so your succulents stay healthy.
Soil Suitable for Succulents
Succulents flourish in soil that drains efficiently. Specialized cactus and succulent potting soil is available at most garden centers and home improvement shops (Walmart carries it as well). Cactus and succulent potting mix is formulated to dry out quickly.
Picking Your Succulents
Here comes the enjoyable part! Choose an assortment of succulents in varying shades, forms, and textures. Consider a rosette-style Echeveria, a cascading String of Pearls, or a bright Zebra Plant. Have fun experimenting with different pairings!
When shopping in person, visit your nearby greenhouse and look among the houseplants for succulents. Home improvement shops are another option.
Amazon and various online plant sellers offer a broad selection of succulents.
Essential Succulent Planter Tips
Here are a few things to understand before beginning.
Mapping Out the Design
Take a moment to picture your desired planter arrangement before planting. Place taller succulents in the middle or near the back, while trailing types can spill gracefully across the sides.
For these projects, I’m working with a collection of 20 petite succulents featuring assorted forms and textures.
Time to Plant
Add soil until your container is at least half full. Carefully take the succulents out of their nursery pots and arrange them in the soil to form an attractive display. Add extra soil around the plants to hold them securely in place.
Because the succulents I’m using are small, I’ll fill the containers with cactus potting mix so that the plants sit higher than the planter bowls once everything is complete.
To take succulents out of nursery pots, gently press around the pot’s sides while holding it upside down…avoid this method with cacti (ouch!)
Including Decorative Details (Optional)
For a refined finish, spread a layer of tiny decorative stones or sand across the top. You could also include moss, figurines, or bright pebbles to create a more playful effect.
Craft shops and even dollar stores are good places to search for pebbles, stones, and moss.
3 Succulent Planter Styles
I’ll share 3 unique ways I arranged my succulents. We’ll explore 2 distinct planter bowls along with a tiny terrarium.
Lively Succulent Bowl Overflowing with Charm
For my first succulent planter concept, I’m creating a densely planted arrangement in an attractive green, bowl-shaped ceramic container.
I began this arrangement near the rim. Because I’m aiming for an especially lush appearance, I’ll position the smaller succulents as near to one another as I can.
Since succulents develop gradually, I might need to refresh and replant the arrangement eventually, though that won’t be necessary for quite some time.
Once the first succulent was planted, I kept introducing more miniature plants, mixing up their colors and textures along the way.
I positioned the trailing succulents along the ceramic bowl’s sides, angling them slightly as well.
To complete this succulent bowl, I’ll scatter small pale-green stones over the spots where the soil remains visible.
While this last detail is not required for a succulent planter, it adds a refined finish to the overall project.
Suggestion…
If soil becomes trapped between the succulent leaves, gently brush it out with a small paintbrush.
Contemporary Succulent Look for Your Office
Because succulents require very little care, they make excellent additions to an office or work area. For this planter, I’m choosing a cleaner, more contemporary style.
For this second succulent bowl, I selected an 8-inch scalloped ceramic bowl from Walmart.
Rather than filling it with as many succulents this time, I’ll leave wider gaps between them so more of the stones remain visible.
I began by placing 7 succulents along the bowl’s perimeter, following the approach used for the first planter: freeing the plants from their nursery containers, forming openings in the potting mix, and setting each plant inside.
After arranging the plants, I watered the bowl. A succulent planter does not need to be drenched; a small amount of water is enough.
To completeit off I utilized small rocks to adorn the bowl. Carefully place stones in your planters so the succulent leaves remain unharmed.
This would look wonderful on your office desk! I enjoy surrounding myself with plants at work because they bring my space to life.
Tiny Terrarium
For today’s last succulent craft, I’ll demonstrate how to create the sweetest little terrarium for your home.
If you’re new to plants or concerned about caring for many of them, this is the ideal place to begin!
While purchasing the other two planters for these projects at Walmart, I also grabbed a glass and metal terrarium along with a terrarium kit.
Inside the terrarium kit were sand, pebbles, stones, and moss. First, I spread sand across the base of the terrarium, then added a layer of the tiny pebbles and topped it with the bigger rocks.
To place one succulent in the middle, I made a slight hollow among the rocks while leaving the potting mix undisturbed. After positioning the plant, I finished the terrarium with a small amount of moss.
This terrarium makes a lovely addition to a bookcase or desk. Be sure to keep it away from direct sunlight.
Looking After Your Succulents
A handful of simple guidelines for keeping succulents healthy.
Lighting Needs:
Light Matters:Most succulents flourish in bright, indirect sunlight. A few hours of morning sunshine shielded from intense afternoon rays is best. Pay attention to your succulents – if they grow “leggy” (becoming tall and stretched), they probably require additional light.
Water Carefully:
Too much water is enemy #1! Allow the soil to become completely dry between waterings. When it’s time to water, soak it thoroughly so moisture reaches the roots, then permit all excess water to drain.
Proper Soil, Proper Pot:
Select a quick-draining soil blend made for cacti and succulents. Pick containers with drainage holes so root rot can be avoided.
Common Questions
That’s all you need to make your own charming succulent masterpiece! Try various containers, plant pairings, and decorative accents to reflect your personality. Allow your imagination to flourish as you bring these touches of greenery into your home.
Now collect your materials and begin creating your own one-of-a-kind succulent retreat. Remember to post pictures of your masterpieces in the comments – I’d be delighted to see what you make!
xo, Jennifer
