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UC Master Gardeners of San Luis Obispo County

How to Make a Succulent Garden

By Gary Lawson, Susie Silva & Christine Maness, UC Master Gardeners

 

Materials:

  • Selection of succulents – either small potted plants or cuttings
  • Container with wide opening and drain holes if possible
  • Gravel or pebbles
  • Cactus mix soil
  • For containers without drainage, you will need additional gravel or pebbles, sand and charcoal
  • Accents or garden ornaments: cement mushrooms; iron birds or snails; river rocks; pebbles; shells and glass insects, spiders or other ceramic novelties

How To Make a Succulent Container Garden:

  1. Clean container with 1% bleach solution and rinse several times.
  2. Use a container with drainage to prevent waterlogged soil. Fill the container with prepared succulent soil leaving 2 inches from top.
  3. Push aside soil to create a bowl-shaped space, add your succulent and press roots or stem into soil. Continue with other succulents as space allows. Avoid overcrowding to allow room for growth. If using cuttings, make sure the cut end has callused over to prevent rotting.
  4. Add more soil if needed to cover roots but leave 1 inch to top of rim.
  5. Water the soil until moist with a gentle spray. Avoid overwatering containers without drainage.
  6. Add gravel or pebbles around and between plants. Use caution to not cover foliage.
  7. Add shells or other decor to personalize your container.

How To Care for a Succulent Container Garden:

  1. Place your container garden in bright indirect light indoors or outdoors in a bright, but shaded, spot.
  2. Rotate your garden from time to time to encourage even growth.
  3. Protect furniture or wood decks by using a saucer or tray to catch drained water. Be sure to empty water trays regularly to avoid mosquito development.
  4. Water your garden sparingly, especially indoors, with about ½ to 1 cup per month. Check soil moisture with your fingers or a soil moisture meter and water only when dry. The easiest way to kill a succulent is by overwatering.
  5. As plants grow and become leggy, simply snip off ends and replant in same container or create a new one.
  6. Repot and change the soil in the container every 1 to 2 years.
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Photos courtesy of Christine Maness/Shutterstock

 

References

Hewitt, Terry. The Complete Book of Cacti & Succulents. DK Publishing, Inc. 1993

Moore, Jeff. Aloes & Agaves in Cultivation. Sunbelt Publications. 2016

Smith, Gideon and VanWyk, Ben-Erik. The Garden Succulents Primer. Timber Press, Portland. 2008.