With spring right around the corner it is never too late to think about the flowers that will be filling our lives. The great thing about succulent plants is that it doesn’t have to be spring to enjoy these beauties. They can be planted and loved during any season because they are, mainly, “in-home” flowers.
Succulents are known for their thick, fleshy leaves that store water. They are amazing home décor elements and come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, from small rosettes to large tree-like forms.
Succulents are popular for their low maintenance and ability to thrive in a range of conditions, making them a popular choice for indoor and outdoor gardening.
Also, maybe due to the small size, they are great for DIY projects. I made this amazing tiered centerpiece garden in the past and featured this Summer Succulent Wreath.
I love when you combine them with different colors and creative planter containers. A Wooden planter, mason jars, tins, upcycled planters (my favs!) … can’t wait to embark in my next succulent projects!
How to Make Succulent ideas?
There are many creative ways to incorporate beautiful succulents into your home or garden.
Here are 5 of the easiest I have found to show you. They are very basic and you’ll only need basic tools (if any!) like glue or a drill.
With this kind of beauties mostly is your thumb what you need, lol. Following these, some more ideas a little bit more for the pros.
Faux Succulent Flower Box
Creative Ramblings comes from a family of gardeners and is the perfect person to get tips from when it comes to flowers. Here, she shows you how to create this cute little box for your faux succulents for those who are allergic to flowers.
Bright & Cheerful Zen Garden
Dream a Little Bigger brings a fun and creative way to creating your succulent planter. She does it in a glass dish. Really easy and pretty inexpensive.
Succulent Garden Bowl
I love these little planters in glass bowls! They remind me a little like fairy gardens. Inspired By Charm shows you everything you need to create one of these for your home. These terrariums make a great succulents centerpiece!
Book Planter
This is by far the most creative I have found. Apartment Therapy shares this awesome way for displaying your succulents. Inside an old book! They will take you step by step of exactly how to get this cool modern look.
Succulent in a Pumpkin
Place Of My Taste teaches us how to plant succulents in a pumpkin in her tutorial. Amazing!
Other Creative Ideas
Let’s look at other ideas for inspiration in your journey into a succulent garden.
Succulent terrarium
We have already seen one of these, the fairy ones. But so many other possibilities! Create a small enclosed ecosystem using a glass container and a variety of succulents. Add small rocks or gravel for drainage and a layer of sand or moss for aesthetic.
Succulent wreath
Create a wreath using a wire frame and a variety of succulents. This is perfect for a front door or to hang on a wall.
Here’s a Summer Succulent Wreath example.
Vertical Succulent planter or Wall Planter
Create a living wall of succulents by attaching small pots to a wall or fence using wire or hooks. This can work for both indoor and outdoor.
Empress of Dirt shows as how to make this amazing vertical planter.
Succulent Topiary
Succulent topiary is a great way to add visual interest and a unique element to your garden or indoor space. They are relatively low maintenance, and with the right care, they can last for many years.
It is made by training succulents to grow into a specific shape or form. This can be done by using wire frames or shaping with pruning shears, etc.
Check this original idea from Gardening in the Shade, a turtle topiary! So cool.
FAQs and Other Tips
Can you make your own succulent soil?
Yes, if you want to avoid buying the ready-made potting mix, you can make your own succulent soil by mixing together several different ingredients. Here is a basic recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 part coarse sand or perlite
- 1 part potting soil or well-draining topsoil
- 1 part organic matter (such as coarse peat moss or coconut coir)
Instructions:
- Mix all the ingredients together in a large container.
- Add water and stir until the soil is evenly moistened, but not soaking wet.
- Allow the soil to sit for a few days to allow any excess water to drain off.
- Once the soil is dry to the touch, it is ready to use.
It’s important to note that succulents need well-draining soil because they are susceptible to root rot if the soil stays too wet. If you don’t have access to sand or perlite, you can use pumice or coarse builder’s sand to achieve a similar drainage.
You can add a small amount of fertilizer, like a slow-release type or a liquid type of fertilizer to boost their growth. It’s recommended to fertilize the succulents once a month during the growing season.
For more detailed info, check out Getbusygardening.com recipe and their step by step tutorial to make your own soil.
Do succulents need soil or rocks?
Succulents do need soil to grow, but they also can grow in other mediums like rocks or sand. This is known as “hydroculture” or “soilless” method. In this method, the roots of the succulents are grown in a medium that does not retain moisture, like coarse sand, gravel, or LECA (lightweight expanded clay aggregate) which is a clay pellet.
This method allows the roots to dry out quickly and prevents them from rotting due to overwatering. Succulents grown in hydroculture need to be watered more frequently than those grown in soil, as the water does not stay in the medium as long.
Can succulents grow in just water?
Totally! but it takes much longer than when propagating in soil, the process of rooting can take several weeks to months, and the survival rate of the cuttings is not as high as when propagating in soil.
These are commonly called “Hydrophytic succulents” and they are adapted to grow in water-logged conditions such as bogs, swamps, and other wetlands. These succulents can survive and even thrive in water-based environments.
Examples of hydrophytic succulents include:
- Pistia stratiotes, commonly known as water lettuce, it is a floating aquatic plant.
- Crassula helmsii, commonly known as the Australian swamp stonecrop, it is a small herbaceous perennial that can grow in water up to 20 cm deep.
- Echeveria aquatica, it is a rosette forming succulent that can grow in shallow water.
It’s important to keep in mind that they need specific conditions such as high humidity, bright indirect light, and consistent water level, and they are not suitable for all types of aquariums or terrariums.
Is a cactus the same as a succulent?
Cactus and succulent are not the same thing, but they are related.
Cacti (plural in latin) are a type of succulent, meaning they have thick, fleshy leaves or stems that store water. All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.
Cacti are a unique group of succulents that are adapted to survive in extremely dry desert environments. They are characterized by their thick, fleshy stems, which can take on a wide range of shapes and sizes, and by the presence of spines, thorns, or other specialized structures that allow them to survive in extreme conditions.
Succulent, on the other hand, is a broader term that includes all plants that have the ability to store water in their leaves, stems, and roots, and have adapted to survive in arid and semi-arid environments.
Succulent plants can be found in a wide range of habitats all around the world, including deserts, mountains, and tropical regions, and they come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and forms. Besides cacti, succulent plants include Agave, Aloe, Echeveria, Crassula, Sedum, and many more.
Is Aloe Vera a cactus or a succulent?
Aloe vera is a succulent, not a cactus.
Aloe vera is a member of the Aloe family, which is a large group of succulent plants that are native to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Like other succulents, Aloe vera has thick, fleshy leaves that store water, which allows it to survive in arid and semi-arid environments.
Aloe vera is well known for its medicinal properties, particularly the gel found inside its leaves, which is used topically to soothe burns, cuts, and other skin irritations. It’s also used in cosmetics, and personal care products, as well as in traditional medicine.
Aloe vera is a popular houseplant and is easy to care for, it prefers bright, indirect light, well-draining soil, and infrequent watering. It’s also considered a low maintenance plant, making it a great choice for both indoor and outdoor gardening.
How do you make homemade succulents?
It is possible to propagate succulents, which is the process of creating new plants from existing ones, and thus make your own homemade succulents.
After a bit of research, here are a few methods:
- Leaf Propagation: Simply remove a leaf from a mature succulent plant and place it on top of a well-draining soil mix. Keep the soil moist and in bright, indirect light. New roots will begin to grow from the leaf, and eventually, a new plant will form.
- Stem Cuttings: Cut a stem from a mature succulent plant, making sure to include at least one set of leaves. Allow the cuttings to callus over for a day or two, then plant them in a well-draining soil mix. Keep the soil moist and in bright, indirect light. New roots will begin to grow from the stem, and eventually, a new plant will form.
- Offsets: Some succulent plants will produce offsets, which are small plants that grow from the base of the parent plant. These offsets can be gently removed and planted in their own pot to form a new plant.
Note that the process of propagating succulents can take several weeks to months, and not all types of succulents can be propagated by the same method. Also, it’s important to use a clean, sharp tool to take the cuttings, and to let the cuttings dry before planting, this will allow the wounds to heal and prevent rotting.
The book is my fav! What a cool idea!