I've been playing with succulents for a while now, and while I might not be the best gardener, I do like decorating 'dem pots! A few poor little succulents haven't made it along the way though. It was pretty hard losing Fred. He was my first little guy, and I kept him alive for almost a year. But alas, he didn't like water and I was still learning.
Here's some handy succulent hints:
Look, this is really all I have so far. As I learn more I'll update you, or if you have some hints, please send them my way!
- If in doubt, DON'T water: They do well will a little stress. If under-watered you'll notice they change colour (usually from green to purple), then you can give it a little water. In winter, try and steer clear of watering as they go through a 'hibernation' season where they don't take up water.
- They like sand and rocks: Usually when you plant something you might throw in some plant food, nice potting mix and a lot of water. Do the opposite. They like dry, rocky, sandy soil. I try to mix in some little rocks or pebbles with the soil to help with the drainage and drier conditions.
- Quarantine new plants: Don't introduce new succulents to the group immediately, keep them separate for a bit and make sure they haven't 'caught' anything. Better to be safe than sorry.
- Again, don't water them: I can't stress this enough. Just leave them alone. Maybe when you think "Wow, it's been forever" you can give them a little.
Look, this is really all I have so far. As I learn more I'll update you, or if you have some hints, please send them my way!
You'll need:
Hints:
1. I used 2xcoat matte white spray paint from the local hardware store to seal and paint the terracotta pots. I paint the insides to seal them and stop moisture leaking out and ruining the outside designs. 2. I've used acrylic paint from the craft store to hand paint the designs on. I've kept it simple by using painters masking tape to get crisp lines. 3. If you are impatient like me, use your hairdryer to dry the layers (it only takes about 30 seconds per coat). For the gold, I did about 6 coats to ensure I didn't have any streaks.
- 1 x terracotta pot
- 1x terracotta base
- 1 can 2xcoat matte white spray paint
- Tubes of acrylic paint (your choice of colours)
- Potting mix and pebbles (I used fish tank rocks)
- Succulent of your choosing
Hints:
1. I used 2xcoat matte white spray paint from the local hardware store to seal and paint the terracotta pots. I paint the insides to seal them and stop moisture leaking out and ruining the outside designs. 2. I've used acrylic paint from the craft store to hand paint the designs on. I've kept it simple by using painters masking tape to get crisp lines. 3. If you are impatient like me, use your hairdryer to dry the layers (it only takes about 30 seconds per coat). For the gold, I did about 6 coats to ensure I didn't have any streaks.
TIP: If you want these to be weather proof, pick up a can of acrylic sealer spray from the hardware store (same place you got the white spray paint).
