By Jisele Garcia, Staff Writer
Spring has finally sprung! You can contribute to
this season by creating a DIY succulent bowl.
As spring approaches and winter dwindles away, it is the perfect time to fix up beautiful plants for your garden. Unlock your green thumb abilities by following these simple instructions to make your very own DIY succulent bowl!
Materials
-Up to 10 succulents
-Bowl planter
-Extra container
-Potting soil, perlite and sand or Miracle
Grow Cactus, Palm and Citrus Soil
-Water
-Rocks (optional)
You can find these items at California Cactus Center, Home Depot and Descanso Gardens.
Instructions
1. Pour three cups of potting soil and two cups of sand into the extra container. Then mix the ingredients in a circular motion until evenly distributed. Alternatively, using Miracle Grow Cactus, Palm and Citrus Soil is a premade soil option.
2. Transfer the soil from the container and put it into the bowl planter, leaving about an inch of space in the planter from the top.
3. Add one cup of perlite on top of the soil.
4. Start placing the succulents into the soil, use two fingers to dig a small hole and gently insert the succulent into the soil.
5. When the succulent is root-deep, press down on the soil around it to pack it in.
6. Repeat this process until you are satisfied with the number of succulents in the bowl.
7. Water the succulents enough to wet the soil and the plants in it. This helps clean any excess dirt and hydrates them at the same time.
8. If you want, decorate the bowl with rocks. Then, set it in a spot that will receive a good amount of sunlight.
9. Lastly, admire your beautiful creation!
Tips, aftercare
With help from the Gardening Club, here are some tips on how to care for your new succulent bowl.
Spray the soil once a week rather than the plant to prevent mold and bugs. Avoid overwatering because the succulents do not like their roots soaked. To avoid a mess, place the plate underneath the planter to catch the excess water and have a drainage hole in the planter.
Fertilize the soil every six months with perlite, one cup is sufficient. It does not have to be direct, but the succulents need sunlight.
Research the succulents you have because each type has different needs, including the specific soil it requires and how much water and sunlight they receive.
Unsure on what succulent plants to buy? The most common succulents are burro’s-tails, lace aloes, echeverias, string-of-pearls, leatherpetals and houseleeks. Hardy choices include echeveria, aloe, houseleeks, crassula and leatherpetal succulents. Examples of more demanding succulents are string-of-pearls, burro’s-tail, aeonium and hybrids.