DIY: How To Make Your Own Succulent Planters

Easy house plants for those with a not-so-green thumb!

A noticeable green trend also happens to be one of the easiest to look after – we’re talking about succulent plants! The markets in Hong Kong have been teeming with all sorts of cacti variety. There are many families of succulent plants, one of which is the cactus family. Succulents are plump and thickened plants that thrive on warm weather and are probably the easiest type of plant to take care of. For those of us who have a history of a “black thumb” but want to inject some natural greenery into our homes, succulents are the plants for you!

Get your kids involved in the action. They can help with picking out the plants and pots as well as filling the soil and arranging (just watch out for spikes, if there are any!). We know they’ll just love taking some ownership over the household decorations!

Read more: The Best Florists: Where To Buy Flowers In Hong Kong

Start your simple DIY project with a field trip out to the flower market with your little ones, followed by an afternoon planting session that won’t take longer than 10 minutes.

Materials You Will Need: 

• a variety of succulents
• indoor potting soil (if you can find cactus soil that’s even better!)
• a container (glass, terracotta, plastic – succulents are not fussy!)
• spray bottle
• decorative stones (optional)

Sassy Mama Tip: A lot of people plant their succulents in a terrarium (enclosed vessel) which makes for an adorable succulent planter and stylish addition to the house. However, this is strongly discouraged as it’s very easy for the succulents to overheat and wither, especially in HK’s warm climate. Stick to an open container for your succulents to provide optimal air circulation.

How To Assemble Your Succulent Planters: 

1. If using one large container for multiple plants, you’ll need to decide which order you would like your succulents in before removing them from their containers.
2. Fill your container ¾ full of your indoor potting soil and spritz with water to moisten it.
3. Using your hands, make a small hole to place your first succulent plant in. Don’t worry about being too gentle as succulents are quite resilient! Continue this step until you’re happy with the arrangement.
4. Add more soil around each plant and gently pat in to make sure they’re securely planted.
5. Spritz the soil with water one more time. You can also spritz the succulents to clean off any excess soil.
6. For an added touch, place decorative stones wherever the soil is exposed.
7. Voila! Your very own succulent planter is ready.

Tips For Keeping Your Succulents Happy And Alive

1. Place the succulent planter near the window or bring it outside every now and then for some good ol’ sunshine.
2. You can water your planter once a week or whenever the soil needs some moisture.
3. Be careful not to overwater – the soil should be just moist to the touch, rather than soaked through.

Where To Buy Succulents In Hong Kong:

The Prince Edward Flower Market is a great place to start. Browse any of the shops and you’re sure to go home with some beautiful selections. For a safe bet, head to Wah King Garden Arts at 212 Prince Edward Road West. You can also pick up some decorative stones ($12), potting soil ($16.90) and a water spray bottle ($12) from your local Japan Home Centre. Any old glass container will do for potting.

Good luck and happy planting!

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Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2014 by Kat Lau and updated on 27 December, 2019.