applying adhesive to the pumpkin
Step 1: Coat with Adhesive
Start by covering the top of your pumpkin with a spray adhesive ($10, The Home Depot). Pick a pumpkin with a flat top; Cinderella pumpkins are a perfect shape for this project. This will help the moss stick.
Step 3: Attach Succulents
Group the three tallest succulents slightly to one side of the center, working your way out from the center. To attach succulent cuttings to the moss, use a hot glue gun ($16, Target) or a clear crafts gel kind of adhesive. Continue around the initial set of succulents with extra plants, packing them closely together. Start with hens-and-chicks and sedums if you’re unsure of what kind of succulents to use; both come in variants that stay small and give fascinating colors and textures.
Step 4: Finish Arrangement
With taller succulents placed closer to the pumpkin’s core and shorter ones oriented outward, try to create a mounded succulent pumpkin centerpiece. Because its trailing tendrils look finest draped over the edge of a container, burro’s tail succulents would make a perfect choice for the outer margins (or in this case, a pumpkin).
How long do pumpkins with succulents last?
Start with your largest succulent in the center of a huge pumpkin, attach the stem with a small amount of hot glue, and insert it into the moss.
Then, keep gluing your larger succulents into the moss as you work your way outward from the center.
Prioritize using your larger succulents before using the smaller hanging and filler succulents.
For a small pumpkin, I usually place my larger succulent just offset from the center as the focal point, then I add my 2-3 smaller succulents to the side.
Step 5: Finishing Touches
Look for any areas where the hot glue is visible. If there is, cover the adhesive with little pieces of stretched moss to conceal it.
Succulent Pumpkin Care
However, they will thrive in a partially sunny, covered area with shade. Or indoors where they will be protected from the elements and enjoy some filtered light.
Then, spray the succulents with water at the base of the stem once a week to every other week.
The succulents will gradually begin to sprout roots into the moss; this is ideal because it will allow you to plant them later.
How Long Do Succulent Pumpkins Last?
Starting with a healthy pumpkin will ensure that the entire arrangement lasts at least two to three months. But I have seen pumpkins with succulent tops that lasted for almost a year!
You may see all of my favorite succulents to use on pumpkins on the free list below.
Can succulents be hot glued?
Your closest buddy while dealing with succulents in unconventional pots will also be floral glue. This glue from the Oasis brand cures rapidly and keeps succulents firmly in place. The support needed to keep a succulent in place is minimal. This is something you should have on hand whether you’re making a wreath or a planter out of driftwood.
Hot glue is another option that is equally as effective and affordable. Although I used to use this a lot for my crafts, I’ve found that the floral glue holds its shape better. However, if you already have it, go for it!
What about hot glue?
Actually, using hot glue on succulents is acceptable. On the location where the glue is, it does burn a tiny bit, but the rest of the plant is unaffected.
There are still spaces at the leaf nodes (where the leaves join to the stem) at the stem’s base where new roots can grow despite the bottom of the stem being completely covered in hot glue.
Even though it is now more challenging, your succulents may still send out roots at the end of the stem that, as they grow, may either push the hot glue off or just push up around it.
Crazy! But it’s possible. Your succulents will still grow successfully in either scenario.
Since floral adhesive tends to stick to succulents better, I prefer to use it.
How is a pumpkin succulent cared for?
While some people simply adore all things pumpkin, others are ardent fans of succulents. The best season of the year for these two groups to get together and have a party is the fall. Yes, Charlie Brown, you guessed correctly! It is the Great Succulent Pumpkin season! Continue reading to learn how to make an extremely durable, glue-free, and succulent pumpkin.
How to Make a Living Succulent Pumpkin
A few years ago, when I created my first succulent pumpkin, I genuinely believed I had created it. Of course, I am aware that a lot of succulent lovers also thought they would look fantastic on a pumpkin, and the gorgeous pictures that result are all over Pinterest and Instagram. I wanted to show you my method because it turns out there are a few other ways to make your own succulent pumpkin.
This project has been covered in a lot of articles. Some people attach succulent plants and/or cuttings to moss using hot glue. Many people flinch at the idea of using hot glue on living plants, even though it is widely known that succulents can withstand the heat and the glue, happily roots through the glue into the moss, and ready to be transplanted when the pumpkin is finished. To be completely honest, I also cringe a little at the prospect. But I can assure you that the plants are not harmed. The outcomes are stunning and durable, and they can last for two months!
Others cut the pumpkin in the same way you would a jack-o-lantern and place a container of mixed succulents in the middle to create the same effect without using glue. Although the pumpkin does not stay this way for very long—cut pumpkins only endure 5–10 days—the appearance is festive and ideal for the season, and the succulent pot is portable so it can be simply relocated to another spot to enliven another container.
I choose a different strategy, one that will endure the longest and shouldn’t frighten the faint of heart!
For the most durable arrangement, I place succulent cuttings in quick-draining soil on top of the pumpkin.
You Will Need:
- 1 pumpkin with a concave top that is shorter than it is tall, resembling a Cinderella or fantasy variation.
- luscious soil
- succulent plants and cuttings with a variety of hues and textures
- organic moss (I used sphagnum moss)
Choose a pumpkin whose hue and shape you choose. I chose this kind because it has gorgeously mottled skin in a nice mix of orange and creamy yellow and because I want my succulent pumpkin to be excellent for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Look closely while selecting your pumpkin to make sure it is clear of any cuts or bruises, as they can shorten the amount of time the pumpkin stays in excellent shape. Select one with a concave top that is broader than it is tall, giving you the greatest growing space for your succulents.
Use dirt that dries quickly for succulents (often listed as cactus and palm soil). Grab a handful of soil, moisten it completely, and squeeze off the extra moisture. Put the moist succulent soil on top of your pumpkin and press it into position. Fill in the concavity with more damp earth, then fire a mound. I kept the stem of my pumpkin in place since I loved it, and I shaped the dirt around it. If necessary, the stem can also be used to stabilize part of the cuttings with the use of floral pins or fishing line.
To stick with my fall color scheme, I chose many succulents with burgundy accents in a variety of shapes and textures, such as sedum, crassula, jade, haworthia, and portulacaria. I like to give the succulent cuttings an extra-long stem for this project. Before being “planted,” they should be given two days to recover from the cut so they are in the greatest possible condition to root. The majority of the soil and feeder roots should be removed from plants, leaving only a few sturdy roots.
Planting Your Succulent Pumpkin
My biggest, most significant succulent usually goes in first. That’s the “star of the composition. I positioned the big echeveria agavoides off-center and angled it toward the viewer (lower right side in the image above). Now the situation is “the arrangement’s front. Make sure the soil completely encircles the stem and roots before patting it into place. The plants will eventually take root in the ground. Place the following succulent directly across from the first one in order to maintain the arrangement’s balance and attractiveness from all sides. Next, evenly distribute the next cuts between the first two. All the way around the pumpkin, keep adding your plants and cuttings and making sure the soil is completely covering the roots and stems. Change the angle at which you put things to achieve a final effect that has a soft mounding form. Give yourself some height and a trailing element. I strive to avoid the appearance of the arrangement having too much symmetry because I prefer a natural look to my plants.
The succulents are first somewhat haphazard in the arrangement. You are using very little soil to hold the cuttings and plants in place, so the arrangement is a touch flimsy until they take root. To keep them in position, use flower pins. In order to prevent the pumpkin’s inevitable decay from being sped up, I only insert pins into the stem rather than the pumpkin itself.
Finishing Touches
It’s time to add moss for a final look once all of the cuttings and plants are in place and you are satisfied with the arrangement. Water the moss thoroughly. Pull a little tuft of it apart from the rest by squeezing it out. Put a few whisps of this between the succulents and the pumpkin and tuck it into the arrangement to cover any exposed soil. The moss adds the finishing touch and keeps the roots moist as they start to grow.
Caring for Your Succulent Pumpkin
We use cuttings and plants with their roots pruned, which is one of the reasons this succulent pumpkin endures for so long. You have more time to enjoy the arrangement while they take their time to fully establish roots! Both indoors and outdoors should have enough of bright, indirect light. The pumpkin needs to be kept from freezing, and only 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water should be used to hydrate the succulents once a week. Allowing the soil to dry out somewhat in between waterings is important for its ability to retain its shape.
Here’s a quick tip for utilizing cardboard to extend the shelf life of your pumpkin. Just place your pumpkin on a coaster made of corrugated cardboard! Cut off the circle you traced around the pumpkin. Trim as necessary to ensure that there is no cardboard visible when the pumpkin is placed on it. Provide this cardboard disk whether you display the pumpkin indoors or outdoors. It keeps the pumpkin from lying directly on a surface that isn’t porous, where the accumulation of extra moisture could cause rot. Instead, that tiny bit of moisture is absorbed by the cardboard, extending the pumpkin’s freshness by several more weeks or even months!
You have it now! My recipe for a scrumptious pumpkin that doesn’t require carving or gluing! How do you feel? This fall, are you going to plant your own succulent pumpkin? Please let me know by leaving a comment if you have a moment.
P.P.S. Would you consider joining my Facebook group for cactus lovers? We discuss design, identification, propagation, and care of succulents. They’re a friendly bunch who would love to meet you!
Can succulents be grown in just rocks?
It should be obvious that succulents will thrive when planted in rocks given these circumstances. They drain very well and do not retain water, which eliminates the possibility of root rot. This does not include another component of soil, though, since all plants need nutrients.
Although succulents are not particularly hungry plants, they do need certain nutrients to grow. Other micronutrients like zinc or iron are needed in smaller levels, whereas macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are essential. The plant won’t grow at all or last very long without these nutrients.
By their very nature, rocks don’t release nutrients quickly enough to keep the plants alive. They are composed of minerals, but since they decompose so slowly over time, they are not appropriate for growing on their own. Additionally, they often don’t retain enough moisture, allowing the roots to quickly dry out after draining practically instantly.
Sadly, this means that succulents cannot thrive permanently without soil in rocks. If not given regular care, they may survive for several weeks or even months on the nutrients found in the stems and leaves.
Can wood chips be used to cultivate succulents?
Mulching succulents is a topic of some debate among fans of the plant. Some people advise against mulching in areas where succulents are cultivated because they claim it makes the soil far too damp for them. Others claim that sparingly applying fertilizer is acceptable as long as the succulents are grown in raised beds or on a slope.
Mulching succulent plants in the garden is harmless. Mulching has advantages for manes. However, there is no one solution that works for everyone, and whether or not to mulch succulents might vary depending on your temperature, the position in which they are planted, and the variety of succulents.
How are succulent logs made?
This project is for you if your yard has a pile of logs that you need for firewood or other purposes. Succulents or other small plants thrive in this shallow wood log planter, which also makes a striking outdoor display. It is constructed out of a genuine wooden log and was carved out using a drill press, hole saw, and chisel. The best part is that this project can be completed in an afternoon or less for less than $40, making it one of our favorite wood log crafts.
How to hollow out a log
Choose a log that you like to start with. We picked a log with some character, some moss, and some discolouration. The fact that it is dry and not moist in the middle is crucial in this situation. Then, there are numerous techniques from which to choose in order to hollow out the wood log. There are two methods you can pick from: using a chainsaw to cut out the center or drilling holes with a Forstner bit and then using a chisel to remove the edges. However, because we used a hardwood, we decided to use a 3-in. diameter hole saw in a drill press to carve out the center of our log planter.
Stabilize the Wood Log
Locate the log’s most stable position, then fasten the base side to a board. The length and width of this wood board should be slightly larger than the log. The board should then be fastened to the log using long screws. In order for your hole saw cuts to be consistently parallel across the wood log, it is crucial to position the log further back on the wood board so that it may ride against the drill press fence. However, provide enough space so the log won’t be pressing up against the fence, peeling the bark off in the process. When cutting through the log with a hole saw and drill press, the board on the log will help support the log.
Cut Into the Wood Log
It’s a good idea to approximately mark the area where the opening will be before you start cutting into the log. We calculated that the opening should contain two inches of bark on either side. Clamp the log firmly to the drill press table so that you can begin carving the wood. We sliced into the timber with a 3-in. diameter hole saw in a drill press. To get the length of the aperture you want for the log planter, make a series of overlapping cuts with the hole saw as deep as it will go. We’ll need to make a second pass after roughly chiseling out this top layer of hole saw cuts because the maximum depth for our hole saw was 1-1/2 in. and the necessary depth for the planter aperture is 3 in.
Carve Out Planter Opening
When the hole saw has finished its work, use a chisel and a mallet or hammer to remove the cuts. The most time-consuming step is rounding the corners, but since the log planter will be stuffed with soil and succulents nonetheless, it doesn’t have to be flawless. Avoiding chipping off the bark is the hardest issue here.
Add Charcoal to the Base of the Planter
The base of the wood log planter should be equally covered with a layer of activated charcoal. Most garden centers sell activated charcoal, which aids with air filtering. This drainage layer assists in preventing root and log rot caused by too much water remaining in the soil.
Plant Your Succulents
Transfer the succulents to their new location in the wood log planter by removing them from their plastic containers. To give the planter visual interest and dimension, we selected succulents in a range of textures, heights, colors, and widths. When purchasing succulents from your neighborhood garden center, decide and prepare the appearance you want to achieve.
Add Soil
Add extra dirt around the plants so they won’t move once all of your succulents have been placed in their ideal spots. After carefully patting the earth around the plant with your hands, water the succulents. Because it offers succulent plants excellent soil structure and drainage, we utilized cactus mix potting soil.
Additionally, it’s crucial to keep in mind that succulents don’t thrive in soggy soil, so avoid overwatering your plant. Never water the succulent when the soil is damp or moist; just water it when the earth is dry. And if you’re concerned about overwatering your plant, fill the base of your planter with stones or gravel to allow for drainage (like mentioned in step 5).
Finishing Up Your Log Planter
This succulent log planter can be given as a present, but construct one for yourself as well. They look fantastic as the focal point of a patio table or as window sill decor. Check out these 14 succulent decorating ideas for your home right away!