Succulent DIY Tutorial
Succulents are all the rage these days. For me, it’s mostly because they are hard to kill…but not only do these plants require little water and maintenance, they come in a range of aesthetically pleasing colors, shapes, and textures. I went to my local plant store and picked up a variety of small succulents. I realized that there are SO many types of succulents, so I did some research and want to share it with you all! Here’s how I started my little craft project:
Step 1: Choose your bowl
It’s okay to use a bowl that doesn’t have a drainage hole. Continue to Step 2 to find out why!
Step 2: Fill a bowl with rocks
Fill bottom of bowl with 1”-2” of pebble rocks. This will allow the water to drain through the soil and dry easier. You don’t want to keep succulent roots consistently wet, like most plants. This will cause root rot.
Step 3: Add soil to the bowl
Fill your bowl with cactus soil on top of pebble rocks to desired height. (After I got all my succulents planted in the bowl, I replaced the whole 2” outer edge of soil with the black pebble rocks, for better drainage/drying – See Step 5)
Step 4: Get your green thumb on!
Plant your desired succulents! See the list and photos below to find out which succulents I used. Make sure not to pack down the soil as succulents’ roots need to have plenty of drainage. I kept most of the soil that came with the succulent, but used my fingers to break it up a little before I planted it.
These were my favorites, but there are so many succulents to choose from! Country Living put together a handy list called 24 Types of Succulents We Love.
Step 5: Style it
Dress it up! As mentioned in Step 3, I replaced the whole 2” outer edge of soil with the black pebble rocks for better drainage/drying. I also placed the black pebble rocks on top of the soil in and around the succulents for aesthetics. I added a miniature friend – a pink flamingo! Look in the fairy garden section at your local greenhouse, or in the dollhouse accessories section at any craft store for mini friends! While I was at the craft store, I also found this gold basket that fits perfectly around my ceramic bowl.
Step 6: Care for your succulents
I decided to help my succulents out a little more since I do not have the greenest of thumbs, so I use Liquid Cactus Plant Food from Bonide. The directions say to dilute 1/8 teaspoon in 1 quart of water. I use this mixture and sprinkle each succulent once a week. I look forward to my weekend routine and I can’t stop staring at my little babies! Have fun arranging your own succulent grouping! Hope you enjoyed my tips and are inspired to DIY! Do you have succulents are home? Show us how you styled them! Bonus points if you can figure out their name!
– Stefanie
