Succulents are beautiful, vibrant plants that are ideal for those of us without a green thumb. They developed to hold water in arid environments, making them simple to maintain. This indicates that these resilient plants don’t need to be watered frequently. If you can’t find a sunny place, succulents can adapt to lower light levels and do well in most homes.
While it may be difficult to fathom drinking anything other than excellent chai from your mug, this tutorial for converting teacups into succulent planters will motivate both tea drinkers and gardeners.
Materials:
- Teacup
- pre-mixed potting soil or cactus soil
- Fertilizer
- Small rocks or pebbles for drainage
- colored rocks, marine glass, or pebbles as required for ornamentation
Directions:
- For water drainage, drill a hole in the teacup’s base. Drainage might be caught in the teacup saucer.
- Pebbles or small rocks should fill the bottom of the teacup by about a third.
- Make a shallow hole the right size to accommodate your succulent and spread potting soil over the rocks.
- Remove the succulent from its container, then gently pry its roots apart to remove the soil. Give the roots a little stretch by spreading and lengthening them.
- Put the succulent in the little hole and add extra potting soil to the roots. The succulent’s base should be covered with enough soil.
- As desired, decorate the top with colored rocks, sea glass, or pebbles.
- After repotting the succulent, wait a few days before watering it. Allow the plant to acclimate to the new soil for about a week.
- After a week, keep watering the succulent until the drainage hole is dry. Make sure the drainage saucer is empty.
- Continue watering each time, often once a week, that the soil seems dry to the touch.
Reward yourself with a warm mug of sweet, buttery Salted Caramel Chai after doing all the not-so-hard work.
Looking for further home improvement ideas? Consider using one of these cute DIY decorating ideas.
Can a plant grow in a teacup?
Everything from dollhouses and model railroads to terrariums and fairy gardens have become increasingly popular as a result of people’s passion for creating life-in-miniature. Teacup tiny gardens is one such undertaking. The entire idea of “tiny” is given a particular beauty and refinement by using a teacup as the planter. Even with little experience, you can create a one-of-a-kind, expressive teacup garden. Drill a small hole in the bottom of the cup and add one or more tablespoons of pea gravel after that. The saucer can serve as a drip tray. Then, add top-notch potting soil to the cup. To aid drainage, use a mixture that contains vermiculite, perlite, or peat moss. Simply insert your plants and props after you’re finished.
Ideally, you should select plants that can thrive in the constrained area of a teacup. These can be tiny species, miniature variations, or plants with a slow rate of growth. You could want to think about planting herbs, mosses, alyssum pansies, portulacas, primroses, or succulents and cacti. By gently hydrating it, shielding it from harsh sunlight, and regularly pinching and trimming the plants as necessary, you can keep your teacup garden looking its best.
If you’d like, add items to set up a tiny scenario. For instance, use miniature dollhouses and toys to make a fairy garden. Decorations made of resin or plastic last longer than those made of metal or wood. If the teacup garden will be placed outside, think about covering the metal or wooden accents with a UV protection coating. These fairy wonderlands will look charming regardless of whether you are a landscape artist or not!
By placing a different herb variety in each teacup and arranging them in a row on your kitchen window, you may make a herb garden. You can then gather whatever you require for cooking. Cacti and succulents look beautiful anywhere they are planted and make excellent teacup gardens. Make sure to put your teacup in a location that receives plenty of sunlight when growing flowers.
Can I grow succulents in an undrilled bowl?
Being a container enthusiast and a plant junkie, I occasionally come across a pot that I just must have (yes, without a doubt!) that doesn’t have a hole in the bottom. Drilling holes or planting with a lot of drainage materials are your two possibilities.
I routinely drill drainage holes into the bottom of pots to add or make them. The shiny red one has a fairly thick bottom, and I didn’t want to risk it splitting. My Hatiora, also known as Dancing Bones or Drunkard’s Dream, initially inspired me to work on this project.
It was past time to plant this epiphytic cactus because it had only recently been sitting in its grow pot within the ornamental one. In a year or two, I’ll need to repot it, but for now, it’s good.
Update: After spending over 5 years in this red pot, it was recently repotted into a pot with a foot made of terra cotta and one sizable drain hole. It is depicted in the video. So long as you supply drainage materials and hydrate them appropriately, succulents in pots without drain holes can survive.
Do succulents fit in teacups?
I often come up with one concept every year, often a handmade item, that I utilize as my “girlfriend gift for the year.” In other words, my pals are all given the same thing! I gave them everybody a homemade cake dish a few years ago. I had created using repurposed Goodwill items. They were adored by all.
I enjoy using items I discover at estate sales and Goodwill to create enjoyable gifts for my friends. As far as girlfriend gifts go, this year has been the year of the succulent.
I seek for elegant tea glasses at estate sales and at Goodwill on every visit. I cherish them. Additionally, they make the ideal container for a tiny succulent.
A lovely teacup (must be pretty), a few tiny stones or rocks, potting soil, and a succulent are all you need. I have purchased my succulents for only a few bucks at Home Depot or the neighborhood grocery shop.
Put a few of the pebbles in the tea cup’s bottom. Since there is no hole at the bottom of the cup, this is crucial to allow for some drainage.
Then just add your succulent after filling with potting soil. Succulents are wonderful because they are very difficult to suffocate! They are resilient and don’t require a lot of water, so no concerns if you neglect to water it for a while.
I’ve also grown succulents in other rusty, antique containers. Another favorite is this antique enamelware from the past.
Due to the drainage holes that are already there, old vintage colanders also make excellent containers. I bought this old metal box from an estate sale, and my husband drilled a couple drainage holes in the bottom of it.
Can succulents be grown in cups?
One of our favorite homemade planters is a coffee mug! You only need a coffee mug and a drill to make a tiny drainage hole in the bottom of the mug to make these. Coffee mugs are ideal for little succulents despite not being as large as other planters.
What could I grow in little cups?
While most plants can be germinated and nurtured into seedlings in cups, not all of them will develop into robust, tasty plants. The majority of herbs will thrive in a cup, but larger plants will likely need to be moved to a larger container or into a garden in order to develop into large enough plants to yield edible fruits and vegetables.
Herbs that thrive in cups include:
- Basil
- Parsley
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Chives
- Thyme
- Sage
Other plants that can grow well in cups include:
- Strawberries
- Peppers
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- greens for a salad
- String beans
- peas in sugar
- Mushrooms
- Asparagus
- Garlic, green
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.
What occurs if a planter’s drainage hole is missing?
In those pots lacking drainage holes, some professionals advise placing a layer of stones as a form of drainage layer. Using this method, extra water can drain into the area between the pebbles rather than onto the soil and into the plant’s roots. Others advise against this approach, even going so far as to label it a “myth,” contending that water has difficulty moving between the two different media and will instead remain within the soil even if pebbles are present beneath it.
However, there is still a method to make use of those lovely pots without drainage holes! Place your plant in a pot that is porous and has a decent drainage hole, such as the traditional terracotta pot, and then set that pot within the bigger decorative pot with no drainage hole.
If the plant is small enough, you can remove it from the decorative pot when it’s time to water and use the drainage hole. Alternately, you may put gravel or stones in the ornamental pot’s bottom and then put the useful pot with drainage on top of that. Gravel could be used in this situation to keep the roots of the plant away from standing water. Additionally, this configuration allows for ambient humidity, which is beneficial for many plants.
Note: Since you have no control over how much water your plant receives, pots without drainage holes should never be used outdoors where it will rain on your plant.
Therefore, feel free to utilize and appreciate those lovely pots devoid of drainage holes, but do so with caution and never at the expense of your priceless plants.
Do:
- Water flowing downward till it exits the pot’s drainage hole from above: Succulents respond well to this kind of watering, which is the norm for most houseplants. Run a moderate, constant trickle of room-temperature water over the top layer of the soil in your succulent plant using a watering can or cup that has been filled. Your indication to quit is when water begins to flow from the pot’s drainage hole. Give the plant 15 minutes to absorb the last of the moisture. After that, empty any remaining liquid from the tray into the sink.
- If your succulent’s soil is tightly packed and not appearing to be uniformly absorbing your top watering, you can try the bottom-watering method. The horticulture and owner of the Planthood store in Amsterdam, Monai Nailah McCullough, says that watering succulents from the top can occasionally cause damage to the roots. Watering it from the bottom allows it to slowly and effectively consume enough water. Put your succulent(s) in a shallow dish, plastic container, or tray that is 2 to 3 inches deep with water to bottom water them. Allow them to soak in the water for five to fifteen minutes, or until the top of the soil feels just damp to the touch. Refill as necessary.
We have no control over the accessibility features of the third-party content used to display this advertisement.
Don’t:
- Mist its leaves: Succulents are not among the plant species that benefit from a good misting, although some do. Mirroring a plant’s natural surroundings is essential to ensuring its happiness in captivity. Additionally, because they are native to dry regions with low humidity, succulents are unaccustomed to having wet leaves. Thompson notes that “the water can get trapped and develop fungal concerns.” There is basically no point since they aren’t used to being sprayed.
- Put it in a container with no drainage opening: Drainage holes act as a pathway for water that your plant is unable to absorb. Succulents definitely need it because they are so sensitive to overwatering.
- Use ice cubes: Some plant owners use ice cubes to give their plants a more gentle and controlled soak because they disseminate a tiny amount of water very slowly. Again, though, if the goal is to simulate the succulent’s natural desert habitat, giving them something very cold makes little sense and might even startle them.
- Water it less frequently, but more often: You should give your succulent a deep soak rather than a light misting every few days.