How to make a succulent bowl

About succulents

Succulents are plants that store water in their leaves or stems, which means they can withstand periods of dryness. They usually have thick, waxy leaves that help reduce water loss. They come in fabulous colours and shapes, and some also produce colourful flowers in the right conditions.

Making a succulent bowl

When planting or repotting succulents, fill a bowl of your choice with potting mix. You can use a special soil mix for succulents or create your own by mixing potting soil with sand to make it more porous (succulents do not like wet roots).

1. Start with a single plant – usually the largest or most colourful. Remove the plant from its pot by turning it upside down in your hand and pulling off the pot. Then put the plant in the centre of the bowl.
2. Next, plant around the edges of the bowl. Use a mix of succulents for texture and colour. Don't worry about planting too close because they can tolerate being close together. You want them to have a lush, crowded look.
3. Fill in any gaps with soil mix and finish off with a layer of gravel or aquarium stones.

While succulent bowls don't have the maintenance requirements of other plant types, they still need light and water. Ideally, your plants should receive six to eight hours of sun each day. However indoors in bright, indirect light will be enough.

When it comes to water, succulents don't need a lot which make them very low maintenance. If you aren’t sure when to water your succulents, gently squeeze a leaf. If the leaf is firm, it needs no water; if there’s a little squish, it’s time to water.

A few plant suggestions to get you started:

• Echeveria - Emerald Ripple, Big Red, Blue Metal, Topsy Turvy
• Sedum rubrotinctum - Jelly Bean
• Disphyma crass. sp clavellatum - Pigface Round Baby
• Kalanchoe - Bronze Sculpture
• Cotyledon orbiculate - Cotyledon Delight
• Crassula erosula - Crassula Campfire
• Aeonium - Short Black
• Sedum cremnosedum - Little Gem
• Sedum spathulifolium - Stonecrop Purple Blob

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