I quite frequently am asked about how I make my mini succulent arrangements: what type of succulent to use, how often to water, what about drainage holes, when to put it in a more conventional pot, etc. I thought I'd take the opportunity to write a short How-To so that I can hopefully shed some light on the process. For this project, I will be using shells, hot sauce bottle lids, a package that held Scentsy wax, and a cork from a wine bottle to make my mini succulent creations!
What you'll need:
- Succulent/cacti dirt
- Scissors
- Large tweezers
- An eyedropper
- Mini pots of your choice
- Succulent cuttings
- Hoffman "Western Desert Sand"
Step one: Take your Succulent Cuttings
Taking a succulent cutting is simple if you do it properly! It is best to use scissors to get a clean cut of the plant. As pictured below with the cactus, it is best to cut it as close as you can to where it is growing out of the larger part of the plant. With the sedum or similar succulents, it is best to cut it as close as you can to where it is sprouting out of the dirt. If you are new to mini creations, I would recommend using any kind of sedum or hen and chicks!
Step Two: Prepare your Unconventional Pots for Planting
A very frequently asked question I receive on Instagram is if the items I use for small creations have drainage holes. Typically, none of them do. Because of this, I like to use “Western Desert Sand” by Hoffman. It can be found right here, or in local plant stores or places such as the Home Depot. This sand is amazing, because it sucks up moisture and is great for drainage! I would recommend placing it in the bottom of your mini planters as the first layer, as pictured below.
Next, you can take your succulent/cactus dirt and lightly place it into your mini pot. I have been using “Organic Cacti and Succulent Soil Mix” also by Hoffman, and I really like it! Do not pack the soil into the pots quite yet! This will be a later step.
Step Three: Prepare your Succulent Cuttings
It is now time to plant your succulent cuttings! You may need to pluck some of the smaller leaves off of the lower stem of the succulent. Then it should be very simple to carefully stick them into the soil.
If you are using cacti, this is where the large tweezers can be very handy! Carefully pick the cactus cutting up with the tweezers and place it into the soil. After your cuttings are in the soil, secure them by adding more soil around the edges and lightly pack it down with your finger. The end of the tweezers can also work very well to pack the soil in tightly! You can touch the top of the plants to see if they feel secure in the pot. There should be little movement if secure.
Step Four: Water your Mini Creation
Next you can use your eyedropper to water your mini creation! I would recommend watering two times a week with about six to ten drops per plant. If your leaves look dry then try adding an extra day of water. If they start to look mushy then cut back on watering to only one day a week. I have a large majority of my mini creations on the west windowsills of my home and they seem to love it! Just make sure if you use a pot that doesn’t weigh much not to leave your window open on a windy day because it will likely get blown over. I have been asked when it is time to put the plant in a larger pot and it is pretty much the same as a larger plant. If you can no longer see the dirt around the succulent or it has grown out of the pot, just replant in a larger pot!
Here are some photos of some of my recent mini creations! If you are looking for unique objects to use for planters, I would recommend antique stores or consignment shops. Goodwill is also a great place to find inexpensive fun planters! If you have any further questions feel free to message me on my Instagram (@alliegrows_succulents) or leave a message in the comment section below!
I hope you enjoy your mini creations!
*All Images by Allie DeVore*
