Cacti and succulents make for naturally appealing home decor thanks to their distinctive shapes and vivid blossoms.
There is no disputing that our obsession with succulents and cactus plants has gotten out of hand. They are the best indoor plants, require very little care, and are appropriate for all levels of gardeners (yes, even those of you with less-than-green thumbs).
There are so many inventive and fashionable ways to display cacti and succulents at home that they become decor in their own right thanks to their distinctive shapes and vibrant blossoms. Continue reading to learn some inventive ideas to incorporate cactus plants into your home’s interior design, from a beautiful table centerpiece to a miniature succulent Christmas tree.
On the shelf: Why not think about using cacti as bookends to dress up your bookshelf?
Tea time: A kitsch option for repurposing strange ceramics or op-shop finds is to put a cactus in a favorite old tea cup (or maybe you have an heirloom cup and saucer laying around). This is a wonderful present idea, too!
Looking for a unique center piece for your next table setting? Check out these table toppers. A crystal bowl filled with carefully arranged cacti will form an eye-catching and durable display.
Tiny succulents and cacti don’t require much water, which is why they aren’t restricted to living in pots. Plants on spoons or in tiny ceramic vases can be used to create a still life similar to this one.
Cactus cluster: We appreciate the notion of potting miniature cacti and grouping several pots together, as in this arrangement, as opposed to just planting one huge cactus.
Consider using baskets instead of pots to design a chic space for your collection of cacti. The textured cactus plants pair well with the organic, woven materials.
Look no farther than this brilliant mini Christmas tree you can construct solely from succulents if you’ve been looking for the ideal Christmas tree for a small home or apartment but haven’t yet found it.
Learn how to create your own >
How is a succulent kept vertical?
Together, succulents and vertical planters offer a number of advantages. Succulents are relatively low care and require less water than other types of garden plants. Vertical planters can conserve critical ground space while bringing interest to otherwise boring walls and fences. When you combine the two, you get a planter that is stunning and doesn’t need a full-time gardener.
With a few simple techniques, you can make a variety of vertical succulent planters at a fraction of the price of store-bought ones.
1. For the foundation of your planter, use miniature crates, shadow boxes, picture frames, or plain wooden boxes. Pick a box that is about 2 inches (5 cm) deep to use as your planter. Deeper planters may cause the soil to contract, move, and sink.
2. Use 0.25 inch (0.5 cm) mesh wire hardware cloth to cover the planter’s top. It keeps the soil and plants in place while still allowing them room to expand and flourish.
3. Make use of plants that all require similar maintenance. Your plants will need to be overwintered because it will take more than one season for them to mature and fill out the planter box. Recognize that some succulents require a time of dormancy, others can endure cold climates, and some need to be kept indoors. Create a plan for it.
4. Before hanging the vertical planter, let it sit on a flat surface for two to three months so that the plants have time to establish the robust root systems that will allow them to survive and keep falling out of the planter.
5. For a week after planting, don’t water your vertical succulent garden to allow the roots to set down and harden. In the summer and spring, water once a week; in the winter and fall, once a month. To prevent the soil inside from being washed away, remove the entire planter from the wall and place it on a flat area.
6. During the summer growing season, fertilize once a month using a solution of one part liquid houseplant fertilizer to four parts water.
How are succulent walls watered?
Succulents are drought-tolerant plants that thrive without water, as you probably already know. This does not imply that you should disregard your living wall. Consider the following maintenance advice:
- Before you water your plants, let the soil dry. Depending on the type and specific requirements of the succulents, allow seven to ten days to elapse between waterings;
- When you need to water the plants, take the frame off the wall. Before hanging the picture back up on the wall, set the frame down on a flat surface, water the succulents, and allow the dirt to drain.
- Mist the succulents occasionally if you don’t want to take the hefty succulent wall art down.
How deep should a wall planter for succulents be?
In a straightforward wooden box with a depth of about two inches, numerous vertical succulent gardens are cultivated (5 cm.). The ideal box size should not exceed 18 inches by 24 inches (46 x 61 cm.). When hanging on a wall, larger sizes have a tendency to get out of control and lose soil or even plants.
Succulents may establish themselves in barely an inch (2.5 cm) of soil since their roots are typically shallow. To promote root growth, use rooting hormone or even a sprinkling of cinnamon. Several weeks should pass before watering.
Include a wire screen in the box to create a vertical garden from cuttings. This aids in keeping the soil and the plants in place. Push treated cuttings through the holes after working in the appropriate quick-draining soil and give them time to take root. Then simply hang it on the wall.
Once established, roots hold the soil in place. Give roots two to three months to establish. They should adjust to how much sun they will be exposed to while hanging during this period. Once vertical, the box can be mounted to a wall without the dirt spilling out. Combine numerous boxes to cover the wall completely or at your desired level.
To water the boxes, remove them. Although they require watering less frequently than conventional plants, succulents nevertheless require it occasionally. When it’s time to water, the bottom leaves will wrinkle.
Step 1: Cut Wood Pieces
I divided the four equal-length strips into two for the bottom and two for the sides. We cut two additional 6 strips for the shorter sides as the bottom will be 8 across. That will fit properly because the lumber is 1 thick.
Make sure to cut the wood in a line that is as straight as you can. You can have the lumber pre-cut to your specifications when you buy it at the hardware store if you don’t have access to a saw or don’t trust yourself to cut it. However, most retailers will tack on a little fee for this.
I decided to sand the lumber after cutting it because I prefer features that are extra-polished. Nevertheless, depending on how precisely the wood was cut, this isn’t always essential.
Step 2: Attach the Pieces
You should start by drilling a few pilot holes on the base and on the short sides. These will facilitate even screw installation.
I joined the bottom pieces last after the four sides. Everything should fit together properly if you sized everything correctly.
Step 3: Drill Drainage Holes
You don’t want your plants to have damp feet, as everyone with a green thumb is aware of. Succulents in particular are a good example of this because they use very little water and are exceptional at retaining it.
Turn your box over and make a few small holes on the bottom to stop this from happening. Since my box is small, I just had four holes drilled. You might want 5 or 6 if yours is a little bigger. But don’t go overboard.
Step 4: Consider Your Details
Your DIY succulent planter is now complete and ready to use. But now is the time to make any last adjustments. To protect the wood from the water draining out of the bottom and lengthen its lifespan, many people may place a screen layer there. Cut your screen according to the internal dimensions, then fasten it with few tiny finishing nails.
Step 5: Treat the Outside of the Planter
It’s time to improve the planter’s appearance now. If you chose Douglas fir, as I did, you may have observed that the planter feels excellent and robust but appears quite uninteresting. I stained the box with some simple wood stain, but you may also paint it any color you choose.
You might just use some clear lacquer or leave it untreated for an au natural look if you invested in some cedar or other higher-quality lumber.
In either case, make careful to only touch the planter box’s exterior. Internal treatment could contaminate the soil and hurt your succulents.
Step 6: Add the Soil
Start with a little covering of gravel. To prevent moist feet and help the planter drain, do that. From there, you may choose from a variety of soil types, but I choose to use cactus dirt. That’s made especially for succulents and will make them flourish.
You might also think about scattering pebbles on top of the dirt to improve aesthetics. These, in my opinion, add a nice touch.