Wednesday, July 30, 2014

DIY Potting Succulents

Plants!  Did you grow up with live plants in your house?  We were a strictly fake-flower family.  No time to fuss with watering and such.  We even had silk plants in the flower boxes outside.  Classy.  

So introducing real plants in my home was a huge step!  Aside from the odd bouquet now and then, flowers and plants are virtually nonexistent in my house.  Welp, I set out to change all that as soon as I saw this Spring tutorial by EssieButton (video link here).  I loved the look of succulents!  I didn't even know the word succulents until that video.  You can judge me for that.  

So I set out to recreate these adorable potted plants of my own.  Here's what you need:
  • Potting soil (they sell soil specifically for succulents but I found regular ol' soil at the Dollar Store and went with that) 
  • Decorative rocks (I bought mine at Petsmart by the fishtanks.  You could even find shells, sand, or other rocks for this)
  • Various bowls/pots (I bought some for CHEAP from the thrift store.  Just be sure they're deep enough to pot the plants in) 
  • Succulents or cacti (I found a great selection at my local Home Depot)
  • Newspaper (to cover your workspace)
  • Small scoop and small spoon (to scoop the soil and rocks)
Here we go!

1.  Decide which plants you'd like in which bowl/pot.  Based on the depth and color of your bowls, play around with a few options.  There's no wrong answer here guys.  Just go with what feels right. 

2.  De-pot the plants by gently tilting it out of the plastic cup.  Mine slipped out with ease.  Place it in the center of the bowl (or not if you like!).  Start gently scooping soil and fully surrounding the plant.  You want the loose soil to hit the top of the potted soil.  Pat down gently to ensure the plant is in place.

3.  Scoop the rocks and gently place around the the top of the soil.  I used a small spoon and it was a matter of seconds.    Gently pat down into the soil.  

You're done.  Three steps.  No joke.  And now you're a certified gardener.  Or something.....

I'm clearly no expert in plantlife so I'm referencing this post for caring for my succulents.
Note:  You will make a mess.  

That's ok!  Thanks free local Spanish newspaper!  

Oooooo, how un-fake!  This is a new experience for me.  I dotted these around my house as little accents to existing decor.  My ottoman looks so exotic now.  

I had a strong urge to buy the neon pink rocks but they didn't seem quite as gender-neutral.  I'm such a selfless wife.  

So chic.
And yes, those pink flowers are fake.  Old habits die hard.  

Are you a plant person?  What are your favorite foolproof indoor plants?

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