HOW TO PLANT SUCCULENTS BEAUTIFULLY!
I must admit, it took me awhile to warm up to succulent. But once I did I fell for them in a big way! Succulents are plants that are the most easy going ones in a greenhouse! With just a little care when planting, succulents will reward you by adding interest to your outdoor AND indoor rooms! Let’s take a look at these fat little plants that can be planted in almost anything!
Succulents are hardy plants, but they do need a little tender care when transplanting them. From experience I know that the leaves will easily fall off if they are roughed up. So use a gentle had during the planting process!
First, make sure to find an absolutely fabulous container!!! Succulents can work with rustic or glam or modern or any style in between.
I found an old vintage colander and knew it would be a great home for my succulents. Before planting it I lined the colander with a cocoa fiber liner like the ones used to plant hanging baskets. This keeps the soil from eroding through the holes in the colander.
Choose a variety of succulents to plant. Tall ones and creeping ones and big ones and thin ones and fluffy ones. And pick a variety of colors too! The object is to make the arrangement as pleasing to the eye as possible and full!
Once you have found your perfect container like a soup tureen, white ceramic box, a tea cup or even galvanized tray and the perfect succulents… it’s time to plant!
Use 2/3 regular potting soil and about 1/3 small pebbles. You should be able to get both at your local nursery. Mix the soil and pebbles well. This is the best potting soil for succulents. They need to drain and the pebbles will help the soil not get too muddy when watered.
Fill your container of choice with succulent and cacti potting soil and gently remove the succulents from their pots. It’s a good idea to play a little with the succulents to find the best way for them to be arranged. I like to put the creeping succulents and the spillers near the edge of the pot and the more upright ones towards the middle. Plant them close together, but give them a little room to grow and spread.
Carefully, plant the succulents in your container. Gently water them in, using just enough water to moisten the soil but not to get it soggy!
Now you can fill in the spaces with pebbles or moss, like I did! I love this moss’ white almost papery look! I think it works well with the succulents and it’s something just a little unexpected!
Now find a sunny place and ignore them! They just need a little water each week… just a little! And enjoy these darling little plants!
You might also like SUCCULENTS… CARE OF A TRENDY PLANT for more tips and care for succulents!
Remember to pin this to your Pinterest GARDEN or DIY boards. You can follow me on Pinterest and see all the great things I’m finding to pin HERE!
Like you, I didn’t love them instantly , but this black thumb LOVES them now! Your images are beautiful! Happy weekend, Yvonne!
I love succulents! I have a rock garden with a small pond and waterfall with succulents tucked in everywhere. I also had a large antique metal coffee pot which I planted some in this year that looks really cute. Yours are beautiful! I’ve never seen that particular moss that you have. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it.
Thanks for the how twos ,,they are cute. Sounds like they may do good outside with no direct sunlight.
Have a great day,
Pamela, succulents love sun. Put them in the full sun and they will thrive!
Yvonne, your succulents look fabulous in that vintage colander! It’s such a great color and tucking in the moss was genius!
My daughter gave me a beautifully planted basket of succulents for mother’s day. I have nearly killed every one of them.
If I don’t water the leaves drop, if I water the plant rots. I have them indoors on my counter top under a skylight. My family tells me I have a green thumb but the green thumb is not working with these. This is my first experience with them and I was so excited when she gave them to me. Now I can’t wait until the last ones die to get them out of my life.
Oh my Joyce! Get them outside in the sun and ignore them!
Don’t put them in the sun for long, they have to be acclimated…gradually since they’ve been indoors…you can’t just put them in full sun and ignore them..they will burn up if its very hot!
Thanks, Becca!
Beautiful! I’d love to see a wider angle of the plants…just a little zoomed out version to take in the amazing “pot”.
I did as you said and took them outside. They look worse than ever. The center plant was an aloe plant, the only healthy one. After going outdoors it looks awful. I placed it on a table on my covered patio but it gets a lot of afternoon sun. Maybe too much too soon. By the looks of things it may be gone in a week. Sadly my daughter paid quite a bit for it.
what is the name of the lime green succulent? I love lime green plants with dark purple next to it.
Hi Mary Ann. I’m not sure. I just picked out pretty succulents at our local nursery.
I love your idea of planting in a colander.I also love succulents but have not had good luck with them.I am going to try again!Thanks for the inspiration to try again!
I too am not having luck when transplanting.
Your succulents look fabulous! I like the idea of using the cocoa fiber liner.
I’m buying a colander today! Can’t wait to get started.
What is the name of that beautiful papery moss you used?
It is Spanish Moss. Hope this helps.
Aloha,
Ive been transplanting my succulents recently and they all have been dying. They start off by flattening and then turning color and dying. Ive read alot and watched a lot of vids, i still cant seem to get it right. Lots of $ lost
Yes, I bet that can be frustrating. Would not know how to advise you as I need to see them.
I also have a love of succulents! They make great gifts, tucked into old antique containers! I love the colander you used, and all your ideas.
Thank you!
I have succulents and I need to repot them, they a grown quite a bit this summer. Thanks for the container ideas. Where did you get the white moss? I really like the look it gives them and I’m sure it keeps them from drying out so quickly?
Then what do we do with the colander of succulents in winter- like Wisconsin…??
The succulents in the colander can be taken inside and used as an indoor plant. One of the many reasons I love succulents!