The World of Succulents

Who doesn’t love an easy to care for plant? Succulents are beloved for that and so much more. Here is a great guide for making and maintaining your own succulent container.

When picking a container for succulents, consider that they need lots of drainage. They do not like staying wet and need little water. I prefer terra cotta as it can easily drain excess moisture. Rocks, pebbles, or broken terra cotta can be used at the bottom of the container to assist in drainage. The soil mixture needs to be well-draining, so a succulent specific mix with perlite and sand is a great option.

Now that your container is ready, it is time to get creative! Succulents have a very small and shallow root system, so you can really pile them in to create a full look. Make sure your succulent babies have all the excess soil off their roots and trim away and dead or rotten roots. Now you can arrange them as you please. Rocks, pebbles, and marbles can be used to decorate and help secure the freshly planted succulents.

Your container is done! So now you have to care for it. Water your fresh container generously and decide on where you will put it. If inside, place your succulent container in bright light. Outdoors, place it in a covered area that receives bright, indirect light. Let your soil dry out in between watering. Depending on humidity and location, you will need to water 1-2 times every 2 weeks. Be careful not to get any water on the foliage of the succulents as this can scar them.

Here is one I came up with! I used a shallow terra cotta pot, cactus soil mix, hens and chicks succulents, and contrasting white and dark pebbles. I wanted it to look like a shoreline on a rainforest beach. I used babies from a hens and chicks succulent that had been neglected, so they’re very small for now!