To give the plant room to grow and to make it easier for you to water the soil, make sure the pot is at least 2 inches bigger than the diameter of the succulent. You shouldn’t water your succulents on their leaves.
Fill the container to the top third with the succulent soil mixture using a small shovel from the potting kit.
Remove any dirt or dead roots that are clinging to the succulent’s roots by gently loosening them up.
Dig a shallow hole in the fresh dirt that will accommodate your succulent, then carefully insert the plant’s roots.
The dirt mixture should completely round the roots until it reaches the succulent’s base. Make sure the leaves are not covered in any way or allowed to contact the ground at all. This is essential to stop the leaves from rotting from receiving too much moisture from the soil.
NOTICE: Avoid watering succulents right away after planting them. Wait a couple of days to give the newly planted roots time to settle in the new soil because they tend to stretch out in fresh soil to look for water.
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. Many people may add a screen layer on the inside of the bottom, to protect the wood from the draining water and make it last longer. 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.
How To Grow Succulents | Succulent Plant Care Info
Sempervivum, Jovibaraba, and Sedum are winter-hardy plants that can grow in zones 3–9.
Light:
The majority of succulent species require from half a day to a full day of direct sunlight. It is advised to find some afternoon shade in particularly hot places. Succulents planted in excessive shadow will extend outward in search of more sunlight. Enough sunlight will help succulents grow into gorgeous, vibrant plants.
Planting:
Plants should be gently removed from their containers and planted, making that the soil level is maintained at the same depth as it was in the container.
Keep in mind that most of our plants came straight from the cold frames where they were shielded from the harsh sun and drying winds. For the first week, give your plants and garden décor some shade and cover to gradually adapt them. Every few days, extend the length of the day by a few hours. This will make it possible for a smooth transition.
A layer of pebbles or pea gravel sprinkled on the soil surrounding the plant will be beneficial to your succulents. Additionally, it is highly ornamental.
Soil:
Succulents require soil with good drainage. Make sure the place has good drainage and is not in a low region that would remain wet before planting in the garden. You can buy cactus soil for container gardening or add sand, gravel, or volcanic rock to your potting soil for enhanced drainage. You should have a drainage hole in the container you are using for planting, or you can fill the bottom of the container with crushed rock before adding the planting medium. Spreading gravel or tiny pebbles on top of the ground can add a lot of style.
Watering:
After planting, water the area thoroughly and wait a short while before watering again. Wet feet bother succulents, who don’t like them. Water whatever you do thoroughly. They will require less water once they are established.
Fertilizer:
Succulents generally require relatively little fertilizer. During the growing season, they only require monthly watering and a balanced fertilizer.
Flowering:
Each type of sedum blooms at a different period and in a variety of pink, red, and yellow hues.
After the second or third year, Sempervivums will flower. From the middle of the main rosette, which has a cluster of flowers, a flower stalk will emerge. Sempervivum blooms are open, starry, and typically pink. They are carried above the plant on a stem with several blossoms. Fortunately, there are always chicks born earlier from the base that grow in a ring around the mother plant to continue for subsequent years. The monocarpic crown that generates the flower head dies off after flowering. Twist the stalk off gently once the blossom fades, then plant a chick where it was.
Winter maintenance:
Typically, established succulents in the garden do not require winter protection. Snow frequently provides protection for chilly locations. Balsam boughs can be used as a light winter mulch in cold climates without snow cover, but this is typically not necessary.
Shipping:
When your plants are delivered, gently open the package as soon as possible. Once you have unpacked your things, water your plants properly and let them drain well because we ship plants on the dry side. Early-spring shipping succulents could have some dry edges and a lackluster appearance. This is typical, and their color will deepen when exposed to sunlight. Sempervivums change color with the seasons, and each variety has a certain time of year when it is at its most vibrant.
Uses:
Succulents can be used in countless planting scenarios. The most interesting containers and troughs are those with a variety of colors, textures, and behaviors. Succulents make lovely plants for rock gardens. There is always color since there are so many different bloom times.
How deep should a succulent planter box be?
Almost any container with drainage holes at the bottom and a depth of at least 4 inches is suitable for growing succulents. For upright succulents, pick a pot that is approximately 1/2 inch larger than the plant’s base. Place spreading or trailing succulents, like holiday cacti, in a pot that is an inch bigger than the original one. A loose soil that drains easily is necessary for succulents. Use cactus and succulent potting soil that is sold in stores, or make your own by combining one part coarse builder’s sand, five parts perlite, and four parts ordinary potting soil. To keep moisture away from the crown and stop decay, cover the soil with a layer of small river rocks or aquarium gravel.
Do succulents fit in planters?
Succulents grown in containers require more frequent watering than those grown in the ground. However, container gardening with succulents is a fantastic option, especially for individuals who frequently forget to water, as these plants require little irrigation to begin with.
Succulent plants in pots should be grown in fast-draining soil. The ideal pots for container gardening with succulents are those with good drainage holes, particularly large holes or many holes. Containers made of clay or terracotta that can be breathed don’t hold as much water as ones made of glass or ceramic.
Grow succulents on soil that allows water to drain out of the pot since succulent roots can decay quickly if they are kept moist for a lengthy period of time. For succulent plants in pots, shallow containers drain more quickly.
Succulents planted in containers require different levels of care depending on the season. When plants stay indoors during the winter, very little water is required. However, watering requirements may increase to once per week once they move outside in the spring and begin to grow.
For individuals who might get sunburned in the afternoon during the summer heat, offer shade, and if necessary, drink more frequently. As the weather cools in the autumn, succulents grown in containers require less water. Before watering these plants, always make sure the soil is dry.
Do succulents require deep planting?
I’ve been preparing my gardening equipment in preparation for spring. Now is the perfect time to create your first succulent container garden, if you’ve been thinking about it. Here, I’ll show you how to start your very own succulent container garden and provide you lots of other helpful potting advice.
It doesn’t take much planning to grow a succulent container garden, but you should take the following factors into account before you start planting:
Either utilize a single succulent plant or group a number of different plants together. Everything is dependent upon your goals. Your choice of pot should be based on the size of the plant or plants you are utilizing, and vice versa.
Does the pot’s size matter? Yes. Succulents don’t need particularly deep pots or a lot of soil to flourish because their roots are shallow. Succulents actually favor a somewhat shallow pot or just enough dirt to help the roots and the plant to spread out.
You want the size of the pot to match the size of the plant(s) you are using, whether you choose the plant first and the vessel second or choose the pot first and the plants to go in the pot later. The container shouldn’t be too big for the plant, but it should still allow for some growth.
The pot should have a diameter that is 1 to 2 inches larger than the nursery container the plant is currently in.
The decision of what kind of pot to use is largely subjective. Each of them has advantages and disadvantages. Here is a piece I published about selecting the ideal pot that you might find useful: “Choosing The Best Succulent Pot: Advantages and Disadvantages.
Your own preferences will determine a lot of the plant varieties you employ, as well as the color schemes, color combinations, forms, and sizes. Combining succulent plants actually has no right or wrong technique. When placing multiple plants in a single container, I just consider their growing requirements.
Plants with comparable growing requirements should be combined in one container as much as feasible. If a plant’s growing requirements are unknown to you and the label does not include basic instructions, you can easily research the requirements online.
The plant’s fundamental requirements for growth include:
Put plants that require the same amount of light together. Put plants with similar lighting requirements in the same container, whether you’re putting them indoors or out. Plants that require the sun together, those that require partial shade together, those that require low light together, etc. This will make it simpler to locate the ideal location for your container plants and to move them around as necessary to meet their lighting requirements.
Fortunately, the most of succulents have very comparable watering requirements, so I don’t stress too much about watering requirements when combining plants. However, you should be aware that different succulent plants require extremely varied amounts of water, therefore it is advisable to place them in different containers. For example, Lithops (Living Stones) have extremely different watering requirements from other succulents and won’t grow well if planted next to them or irrigated at the same time.
Learn about the hardiness zones of the plants and the ideal setting for that specific plant. Avoid combining plants that are cold-hardy with those that are not, or tropical cacti with desert cacti. It will be simpler for you to care for the plants in different seasons if you group plants with similar growing requirements together.
Finding these three items may seem like a lot of work, but most of the time, a fast internet search is all that is required to learn about a specific plant. Or, if you buy the plants from a garden center, they typically have a tag or label that describes their fundamental growing requirements. Additionally, you can enquire in the garden center about the requirements for the plant’s growth.