Succulents are an exotic and eye-catching way to create a dramatic container arrangement. The best thing about these plants is that you don’t need a green thumb to grow them successfully. By recreating growing conditions similar to their native habitats, your succulents will flourish and even propagate on their own with very little maintenance.
Here are my top tips for planting succulents to ensure your arrangement gets off to a good start!
Plant above the pot rim
When planting your succulent, don’t make the mistake of placing the whole plant inside the pot. In order for succulents to stay healthy, they need to sit above the rim of the pot (that is the plant itself, not its roots!). If your soil is below the rim of the pot, water will easily pool up and the leaves inside the pot will quickly rot from the water and cause problems for the rest of the plant.
Fill your pot partially with soil and then put your succulent in. This will help you see if your plant is above the pot or below. Remember – don’t just put the roots in an empty pot, it needs a base to sit on.
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Spacing
It’s entirely up to you when it comes to deciding on how much space needs to be between each succulent in an arrangement. Succulents can definitely be planted close together. In order to maintain the original design of the arrangement, plant the succulents close together, as this will make them grow slower.
If you choose to leave a little more space between your succulents, they will grow a little quicker (but remember these plants are generally slow growers) and over time they’ll fill in. This is a great option if you’d like for your plants to get bigger or reproduce on their own more easily. When there is space between the plants, it’s easier to water the succulents properly. There is also better air flow so the soil will dry out more quickly and succulents love quick drying soil.
TIP: Don’t space your succulents too far apart or put them in a pot that is significantly larger than they are. Too much space will cause the succulents to focus on producing roots rather than getting larger.
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Let your succulents hang out
To make your succulent arrangement a little more interesting, place some succulents so they hang over the edge of your pot. A hanging succulent such as String of Pearls looks amazing hanging over the side of the pot.
Add some height
Another way to make your succulent arrangement look amazing is to use a tall succulent to give the arrangement some height. The combination of a tall succulent surrounded by shorter succulents and even a trailing succulent can create a stunning effect.
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Top Dressing
Be sure to finish off your arrangement by using a top dressing such as pebbles or sphagnum moss – your design will look more professional!
Ready to Plant?
Now that you have read our tips for planting succulent, check out our full range of succulents and our large range of pots.
