How to Make a Succulent Container Garden
It’s that time of year when many gardens are in full bloom. The hard work has paid off and it's now time to sit back and enjoy bursts of colour and ripe fruit and veg.
We are huge admirers of those blessed with the time and energy to create beautiful gardens. If you are like us and love the plant life but are a bit strapped for time, look no further. You do not need to be a green-fingered enthusiast to create your own horticulture masterpiece.
If you want to find the perfect plant to grow in your home or garden, chances are you will find it in the succulent section. Succulents are ideal for this time of year as they can withstand high temperatures both indoors and outdoors.
Here is a guide to creating your own succulent container garden. It is easy, immensely satisfying and will last for years.
How to Make an Easy Succulent Container Garden by The Spruce.
What You'll Need
Scissors
Soft-bristled brush (optional)
Container with drainage holes
Plastic window screening or landscape fabric
Succulent plants
Cactus or succulent potting soil
Stones, gravel, sea glass, or marbles (optional)
1. Gather Your Supplies
Choosing containers: Succulent roots can thrive in a shallow, wide container. Just make sure your pot has good drainage, which might mean drilling holes in the bottom. Standing water in a container can kill a succulent.
Choosing soil: You can buy any potting mix designed for succulents. Look for words, such as "cactus mix" or "succulent mix," on the packaging. You can also make your own succulent potting soil. Blend equal parts regular potting soil, coarse sand, and perlite or pumice for an ideal mix.
Selecting plants: When choosing your plants, be aware they might have varying light and care requirements. Check the plant tags for specifics, so you group succulents with similar needs in a container.
Where to buy great succulents
Image Source: The Spruce
2. Cover the Drainage Holes
Cut a piece of plastic window screening big enough to cover your pot's drainage holes. This will keep your soil in the pot while letting excess water drain. Alternatively, you can use a piece of landscape fabric or a commercial pot screen to block the holes.
Image Source: The Spruce
3. Add the Potting Soil
Cover the bottom of the container with enough potting soil so that when the plants are in place, the soil line will remain about a half inch below the rim of the container. This will make it easier to water the plants without overflowing the sides of the container.
Image Source: The Spruce
4. Test Fit the Plants
Place your plants, still in their nursery pots, into the container to get a general idea of spacing. Move the plants until you are satisfied with the arrangement.
Image Source: The Spruce
5. Plant the Container
Take the succulents out of their nursery pots, and place them back into your container one by one. Then, gently pack additional potting soil around each plant. Make sure to keep the soil at the same level as where the plants were growing in their nursery pots. Confirm that you have filled in all the spaces between the plants. If you leave air gaps, the roots might dry out and kill the plants.
Tip
The soil in the nursery pots might be coarse and loose, so be careful when removing the plants. Hold the succulent gently at the top with the stem between two fingers. Turn the pot on its side, and gently tap the bottom to ease out the plant.
Image Source: The Spruce
6. Add the Finishing Touches
Gently remove any soil that is covering the leaves and stems of the plants. You can do this with a soft-bristled brush or even by gently blowing on the plants. To give your container a finished look, one option is to cover the surface of the potting soil with a topdressing of coarse material, such as gravel, pebbles, sea glass, or marbles. The topdressing material can be brightly coloured or neutral, depending on the look you want to achieve.
Image Source: The Spruce
Tips for Caring for a Succulent Container Garden
Mimic the conditions they would experience naturally. During spring and summer, the growing season for most succulents, keep the soil moist but not wet. During winter, when succulent plants are normally dormant, water less frequently.
Fertilization should be fairly minimal with succulent plants, and it might not be needed at all. If feeding is called for, do so only during the active growing season using a diluted liquid fertilizer designed for succulents.
Easy on the sunlight. Many succulents do best when they are in direct sun for only a few hours a day, and they might need protection from getting scorched in the hot mid-day sun. If your succulents came from a nursery where they didn't get much sun, it's best to gradually expose them to increasingly longer periods of direct sunlight.
Image Source: The Spruce
Source: The Spruce: How to Make an Easy Succulent Container Garden
The biggest challenge for most succulent gardeners is avoiding excessive nurturing. It is important to learn how to care for succulents to keep them healthy and happy.
Who to follow for succulent success
Did you give the succulent garden a go? Let us know in the comments below.
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