Succulent Planters Made Easy: A Beginner’s Guide

Succulents are the perfect blend of low-maintenance beauty and trendy style. With their unique shapes, vibrant colors, and fascinating textures, they add instant personality to any room. Want to embrace your green thumb with a touch of creative flair? Get ready to get your hands a little dirty and craft some charming succulent planters!

In this post, we’ll guide you through creating two beautiful succulent bowls and a modern mini terrarium – perfect for beginners and seasoned growers.

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Gathering Your Supplies

The Right Container

 The beauty of succulent planters lies in their versatility. Get creative! Shallow bowls, trays, open terrariums, or repurposed treasures like teacups or vintage tins all work beautifully. Just be sure it has drainage holes to keep your succulents happy.

Succulent-Friendly Soil

 Succulents thrive in well-draining soil. You can find specialized cactus and succulent potting mix at most garden centers and home improvement stores (even Walmart stocks it). Potting mix for cactus and succulents is created to be fast drying.

Choosing Your Succulents

This is the fun part! Select a variety of succulents with different colors, shapes, and textures. Think a rosette-shaped Echeveria, a trailing String of Pearls, or a colorful Zebra Plant. Get ready to play with different combinations!

In person, you can find succulents at your local greenhouse with the houseplants. Check home improvement stores too.

There are a wide variety of succulents available on Amazon and other online plant retailers.

Succulent Planter Basics

What to know before you get started.

Planning the Design

 Before planting, visualize how you want your planter to look. If you have taller succulents add in the center or towards the back. let trailing varieties cascade over the edges.

For today’s projects, I am using a set of 20 mini-sized succulents that come in a variety of shapes and textures.

Planting Time

Fill your container at least halfway with soil. Gently remove your succulents from their nursery pots and nestle them into the soil, creating a visually appealing design. Fill in around the plants with more soil to secure them.

Since the succulents that I am using are small I am going to fill my containers with the cactus potting mix, I want my succulents to sit taller than the planter bowls when they are finished.

A tip for removing the succulents from the nursery pots it to gently squeeze around the body of the pot while holding it upside down…don’t do this if you are using cacti (ouch!)

Adding Decorative Touches (Optional)

Add a layer of small decorative pebbles or sand for a polished look. Or add moss, figurines, or colorful stones for added whimsy.

Look for pebbles, stones, and moss at your craft store or even dollar store.

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3 Succulent Planter Looks

Let me show you 3 different ways that I planted my succulents. I’ll go over 2 different planter bowls and a mini terrarium.

Succulent Bowl Bursting with Life

For the first succulent planter idea, I am going to create jam packed look in a pretty green ceramic bowl-shaped planter.

For this one, I started close to the edge. Since I want to create a very full-looking planter this time I am going to place the small succulents as close together as possible.

Succulents are slow growing so some time down the road I may have to revamp and replant, but not for quite a while.

After the first succulent was in place I continued adding more of the mini plants, varying the colors and textures of the plants as I went.

The succulents that will trail I pushed against the edges of the ceramic bowl, I also tipped them at a slight angle.

For the finishing touch on this succulent bowl, I am going to add small light green rocks to cover the areas where the dirt is showing.

Although this final step is optional when you make a succulent planter it really gives a polished look to your project.

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Sleek Succulent Style for Your Workspace

Succulents are perfect for your office or workspace because they are so low-maintenance. For this planter, I am going for a more modern vibe.

For this second succulent bowl, I chose an 8-inch scalloped ceramic pottery bowl from Walmart.

This time I am not going to be packing in as many succulents and leaving more space in between the plants so you will be able to see more of the stones.

First I added 7 succulents around the edges of the bowl, using the same method as the first planter: loosening the succulents from the nursery pots, making a hole in the potting mix, and adding the plant.

Once the plants were in place I watered the bowl, you don’t have to soak a succulent planter, just a light watering will suffice.

To finish it off I used small rocks to decorate the bowl. Gently add stones to your planters so you don’t damage the succulent leaves.

This is perfect for your office desk! I love having plants around me in my office, it makes my space feel alive.

Mini Terrarium

For the final succulent project today, I will show you how to make the cutest little terrarium for your home.

If you are a newbie or worried about taking care of lots of plants this is where to start!

I picked up a glass & metal terrarium and terrarium kit at Walmart when I bought the other 2 planters for these projects.

The terrarium kit came with sand, pebbles, stones, and moss. I covered the bottom of the terrarium with first the sand, and then a layer of the small pebbles followed by the larger rocks.

I added one succulent to the center by creating a small indent in the rocks. Keeping the potting mix intact. Once the plant was in place I added a little bit of moss to the terrarium.

This terrarium is perfect for adding to a bookcase on your desk. Just keep out of direct sunlight.

Caring for Your Succulents

A few basic tips for succulent success.

Light Requirements: 

Light is Key: Most succulents crave bright, indirect sunlight. A few hours of morning sun with protection from harsh afternoon rays is ideal. Observe your succulents – if they become “leggy” (stretching tall), they likely need more light.

Water Wisely: 

Overwatering is enemy #1! Let the soil dry out completely between waterings. When you do water, water deeply so it reaches the roots, then let the excess drain fully.

Right Soil, Right Pot: 

Use a fast-draining soil mix formulated for cacti and succulents. Choose pots with drainage holes to prevent root rot.

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Frequently Asked Questions

That’s all it takes to create your own little succulent masterpiece! Experiment with different containers, plant combinations, and decorative touches to showcase your personality. Let your creativity bloom as you add these pops of greenery to your home.

So gather your supplies and start designing your own unique succulent sanctuary. Don’t forget to share photos of your masterpieces in the comments – I’d love to see your creations!

xo, Jennifer