How to Create the Perfect Succulent Bowl
Love a bit of DIY? Creating a beautiful and low-maintenance succulent bowl is a great weekend project!
With the vast array of varieties, textures, tones, and shapes, it's never been easier to create your very own succulent bowl that is sure to take pride of place on your balcony, tabletop, or garden.
Planting and maintaining a succulent bowl is easy. The key is to select the right pot, soil, and plants. Here's a quick overview and step-by-step guide to creating the perfect succulent bowl.
Choosing your pot
Succulent roots are happy in a shallow bowl. A low-rimmed pot or bowl is perfect as this will showcase your succulents perfectly.
Ensure that the pot or bowl has drainage holes. If it doesn't, we'd suggest drilling some at the bottom. Succulents don't like sitting in water. The less you water them, the better!
If you don't have access to a drill, succulents will survive in a pot with no holes, but you must ensure that your succulent bowl only gets minimal water!
Choosing your succulents
One of the best things about succulents, aside from their massive variety, is that they are hardy and resilient, allowing you to have a lot of fun choosing your favourites!
Some notoriously easy-to-grow succulents include Jade Plant, Aloe, Donkey's Tail, Echeveria, sedum, and Crassula. Check the plant tags or speak to an expert at your local nursery if you're unsure.
Try to combine short and taller plants, different shades and colours. You can even choose some cascading ones.
Chose the right soil
Succulents like soil that is sandy and also drains well. There are plenty of succulent specific soils on the market.
Now it's time to create your bowl!
- Add a healthy layer of succulent potting mix to the base of your bowl.
- It's time to plant! Start with one of your largest succulents. Place it in the middle, or even off-centre. This will offer you a focal point to build from. Remove the succulent from its pot, gently loosen the base of the soil/roots and then place it in the bowl. We suggest wearing gloves!
- Build out from this focal succulent. Mix the colours and textures rather than concentrating in one place. Cascading succulents work great at the bowl's edges. Plant them close to each other to create a lush, bountiful look.
- Add additional soil wherever it's required. You'll want all of the roots covered.
- Now it's time to settle in your plants with some water, but remember, not too much! Succulent root systems are good at providing moisture to the plants.
- Place your new succulent bowl in a well-lit location. They don't mind full sun or are happy to sit undercover with the indirect sun.
