I’ve been admiring the live succulent art I’ve seen in stores for quite a while. What I didn’t admire were the prices. These pieces can range from $50 to $100. Since I had some succulents I needed to propagate, I decided to try my hand at making my own DIY Live Succulent Art. The finished result was not only easy, it looked impressive. At least to me. Here’s how to make your own art piece using supplies you might already have around the house. If not, they’re available at any garden center or big box store gardening section. You can also find some of these supplies at the dollar store.
DIY Live Succulent Art
The first step is to prepare your pot. Succulents don’t like “wet feet” so proper drainage is a must. I used a ceramic pot that didn’t have holes in the bottom. To ensure the soil didn’t get to wet, I added a layer of pea gravel to the bottom of the pot and mixed styrofoam packing peanuts in with my soil. The packing peanuts are a good choice because they take up space, using less soil, and get rid of all those peanuts from the Amazon packages everyone is having delivered.
Next, you’ll need a special soil usually sold under the name “Cactus and Soil blend.” You’ll also need pebbles and succulents of your choice, along with decorative elements. I used the top of a broken ceramic pot.
Now, we’re ready to begin. After placing the layer of rocks, and filling the pot with soil and packing peanuts, I positioned the top of the broken ceramic pot. Hint: Tilt it outward to look like an actual flower pot.
Next, I arranged the succulents to resemble a pot of flowers. After I had the succulents in position, I filled around the succulents with a thin layer of pea gravel. I used a lighter color on the top half of the pot and a darker color on the bottom half. Boom! You’re done and you’ve saved a ton of money.
Printable Supply List
- Pot of your choice (Terra Cotta is good for beginners as it has drainage)
- Pebbles for drainage if your pot doesn’t have drainage holes
- Succulent Potting Mix
- Packing Peanuts (optional, but good for drainage)
- Succulents of your choice
- Pea Gravel or Decorative stones of your choice
Succulents I Used
Sedum reflexum “Blue Spruce Stonecrop”
Echeveria ‘Black Prince’
Sempervivum ‘Royanum’
Sedum praealtum “Shrubby Stonecrop”
Sedum adolphii ‘Golden Glow’
Succulent Care Tips
*Succulents are an easy plant to care for, but they like to be dry. Provide them with good drainage and lightly spritz them with water when the soil is dry-probably about one to three times a week during the summer, depending on your area if you keep them outside.
*Succulents love sunlight. They grow best in an area where they will receive full sun. Rotating plants to give all sides an equal amount of light is important if succulents are indoors.
I’ve been challenged by my friend, Dawn McAlexander at Cheap is the New Classy, to come up with creative ways to pass the time in quarantine. We’re calling it Motivational Mondays. If this post inspires you to create your own succulent art, I’d love to see a picture.
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That’s so pretty! I love succulent. I am going to try this idea soon.
These really cool DIY with live succulent. I have few cactus plant never tried any of this. I will try this one so easy.
I’m obsessed with succulents. I have several in my kitchen, and I’d love to get more and do some art like this.
I love doing projects with succulents. They are so pretty and fun!
I love succulent plants inside the house. Thanks for this post, I will try to make one too!
Succulents are just the cutest. Hubby got me one before but it died. Don’t know what I did wrong. I’d love to do this.
I love succulents! This is a great way to save money. I have several broken pots that would be perfect for this type of project.
I love succulents, and I work in a greenhouse, so needless to say, I have a lot of succulents! This looks like a fun project.
I always admired this art but have no idea how to do it. Thanks for these hacks!
Oh wow! This is fun! I never tried DIY Succulent Art before and I think this is such a great chance to enjoy this with my wife. Thanks for sharing.
I love succulents because of how low maintenance they are. I love using them in my daughter’s fairy gardens.
These are so pretty. I have a lot of succulents here at home and would love to make one.
You’ve made it look so easy and do-able. My grey thumb appreciates this!
Thank you for sharing this. I love how all of this turned out.
Great tutorial! I had no idea that it took such a detailed approach, but the end product is gorgeous.
I love succulents! I think they’re so pretty, and I love all the creative things people do with them. I have the worst black thumb, so the less plants I have to care for the better, but I wish I was better at this stuff.
How pretty! I might have to do one of these. I’ll show my mom as well. She has a beautiful garden she can add this to.