Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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How To Plant Succulents

I’m on a greenery kick (both outdoors and apparently indoors as well), so this is the story of four cheap-o succulents that I impulse-bought from Home Depot and then decided to plant in kind of a weird way.

Succulents1

The two small ones were $2.98 and the two middle ones were $3.98 a pop. Oh and I used to have a red cactus for years throughout middle school and high school. Seriously, I couldn’t kill that thing if I tried. So that’s why he’s in the mix for nostalgia’s sake.

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Then I hunted around or some planters or baskets or old boxes to plant them in (Anthrophologie had some great succulents planted in old wooden boxes with pebbles around them and they looked super cool). Then my entire idea sort of shifted when I came up empty on boxes (and didn’t happen to have any cool white pebbles around either) but laid eyes on these old vases just sitting around in my cabinet.

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How weird would it be if I planted them in something see-through? Probably pretty weird, but I’m ok with weird. Heck, I embrace weird. I paused to worry for a second that they wouldn’t have any drainage in these glass containers, but I realized that the ceramic pot that my wouldn’t-die red cactus from high school didn’t have any drainage holes (nor do any of the white Ikea plant pots that we have around the house) so I went for it. But they clearly needed more dirt.

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So I went outside with a spoon (yes, a spoon) and used it to scoop some more dirt into my transparent little vessels. The verdict: I think they look pretty cool!

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I mean, people mulch their gardens for a cleaner look, right? I think the dark brown tone of the dirt looks so pretty against the green of the plants. Plus a lot of our surfaces are white (and nearly all of my plant pots are white) so maybe my eyes just appreciate the contrast (my eyes are such rebels).

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As of now two of them are hanging out in the hall bathroom (on the white counter, which definitely makes them pop) and one of them is on the white fireplace mantel in the kitchen (my little red cactus, since he’s quickly becoming my favorite for sentimental reasons). I’ll have to snap a picture of them in their new homes for ya soon. Although plants and pillows tend to migrate a lot around here, so they might pop up somewhere else next week anyway.

Have you ever planted something in sort of an unorthodox way? Or owned a red cactus in high school that straight up refused to bite the big one, even when you forgot to water it for months?

Comments

  1. mariela says

    When I see posts like this one I go: Why didn’t I think about this before? Hehe. I have 2 of the same round vases lying around in my house. Thanks for the inspiration!! Looks great!

    Reply

  2. Danielle says

    This is a totally unrelated question- I just got through the second coat of paint on my baseboards. Ive never painted trim before (my family like their wood natural). Do you use caulk to patch the nail holes? Do you also use caulk on the seam between the walls and the top of the board?
    Thanks!!!!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We use spackle and a spackle knife to patch nail holes in walls, but caulk to fill them in baseboards since we also use it along the seam between the board and the wall and the corners, etc. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  4. Robin @ our semi organic life says

    We have some cool succulents we recently transplanted too! We originally planted some in upcycled IKEA candle holders; now into real pots. They are doing great! Careful not to over water then since ours have for a time gotten a slime or mold – its easiest to see on the glass container ones. Ours even flowered!

    Reply

  7. Noël says

    Love your blog to pieces!
    Just wanted to chime in that people mulch for a plethora of reasons, probably the last being to provide a cleaner look. It creates a protective barrier against frost and other winter conditions, adds a reboost of nutrients and good bacteria, aids in proper watering, and gobs of other good benefits!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, true dat. I do it to keep moisture in, weeds out, and because it’s like crown molding – it finishes off the whole area. Haha. Please excuse me for only mentioning one of the many perks of mulch!

      xo,
      s

  8. jennT says

    well, I never had a red cactus that wouldn’t die, but I did rescue a big, off-balance succulent from a neighbor’s garbage when I graduated high school (12 years ago–GASP!). I repotted it with some stakes and left it at my dad’s house where it got HAAA-uge. he still has it and even gave it a name–marvin or hugh or something.

    ps-I hope my heeya-biscus are the non-biting-the-bullet-type. they look crazy good.

    Reply

  9. Becca says

    I’m pretty sure I had that exact same red cactus! :) A few years ago, my boyfriend at the time randomly decided to buy me a plant. But he didn’t know if I was good at taking care of plants (hell I’ve never even HAD a plant before), so he got me that little red cactus guy instead! I had it for awhile and gave it away to a neighbor when I ended up moving, so hopefully he is still living on!

    Reply

  10. Amiz says

    i have to say I totally freakin love your pun-ny titles!! They always make me happy :D I also love that you went with the clear vases! They look awesome. I wish I could grow anything of any kind in the house but our cat refuses to allow it. It’s taking all that I can to get him to not attack our seedlings for the garden haha

    Reply

  11. Natalie @ Living Green Chicago says

    I planted a gerbera plant in a tall glass vase once. My mom and I had planted it on Mother’s day, and when I headed back to college in the fall, I wanted to see if I could extend its life indoors. It lasted for a few years, surprisingly! I attempted to make it really fun and colorful by tossing in some glass beads with under the soil, but they were mostly covered up. I attempted to let it become an outdoor plant again last summer, and that’s when we parted ways :( I think it was due to over watering from the rain, so your indoor guys should be good to go!

    Reply

  12. Teresa @ wherelovemeetslife says

    I have been dying yo make a terrarium with succulents. My friend just gave me a dish garden that has some really ncie plants in it I may be able to incorporate as well. My biggest problem has been that I don’t want to plant it in a typical vase. I want to find something really unique to plant it in!! So I guess that falls under plans of an unorthodox arrangement.

    Reply

  13. Hailey Hubbard says

    My boyfriend and I brought back a regular cactus, a pink and yellow cactus, similar to your red, from Texas over a year ago and they are still going strong.

    The regular cactus has even grown a baby cactus out it’s side! :)

    Reply

  16. Heather {ModernMealsforTwo} says

    I can’t tell you how many times I’ve almost impulse purchased succulents at Home Depot! :) I think it’s because they are mini and therefore very cute. Also, Pinterest has pointed out that I have a serious obsession with succulents based on the entire board that I’ve created for them.

    Reply

  17. Ellen says

    HAHAHA! I love this post mainly because I relate. This past weekend my mom gave me 2 gorgeous flowering plants. I was super stoked because I have been buying flowers like crazy to decorate the apartment and I figured my husband was just being nice and not mentioning the money (we’re newly weddish) that was dying before our eyes. I brought the plants home along with a zip lock bag full of potting soil (also free), the only thing I had to buy were 2 pots ($3 bucks!) I didn’t have enough soil and I didn’t want to buy a bag of it because what would I have done with a whole bag of soil left over? Then it hit me that (duh!) we have a potted tree in the apt. So I grabbed a spoon and went to town! =)

    Reply

  20. My Boys' Teacher says

    I was just looking into that thing where you let kids grow carrots in stuff in a clear beaker or cut up soda bottle so they can see root formation. On one of the sites they mentioned that some plants have roots that will NOT grow toward light and can’t be planted in clear containers.

    Just something to think about if you start to have bad luck with them.

    Reply

  21. decoratica says

    I’ve tried this, ’cause I loooove the look too. But my experience was really bad…
    Yes, I’m the girl who killed a cactus(too much water I’m afraid…) I tried again, but when it started to look bad I transplanted the it to an ordinary drainaged pot, just in case…
    Wish you luck!

    Reply

  22. Ashley Jensen says

    I currently have a Christmas cactus that I have had for 9 years now. It was just a tiny one on clearance at Wal Mart for $1 or $2 that is a good size now. Oddly enough it blooms at Christmas and then again in March/April, like it is right now. I just rememberd I do have a little cactus my in laws brough me from New Mexico about 4 years ago that is still alive too. Yay for hard to kill plants!

    Reply

  23. Amanda S. says

    Looks good! Without a hole for drainage (and in general with succulents) you may want to add sand to the soil to help with drainage.

    Reply

  24. Amy @ Lovely Nest says

    I’ve been wanting to get some succulents for a while. We’re fixing up our bathroom and I was thinking one would look nice on some shelves we’ll be installing. I might have to make a trip to the Depot to check them out! I especially love that cactus! It’s such a fun pop of color!

    Reply

  25. Casey says

    I had a red cactus just like that in junior & high school. It lived a very long time. His name was Gordon:) I want to go buy another one now after seeing yours!

    Reply

  26. Jill&Eric at Frozen Sunshine says

    Love that you planted your little guys in clear vases. I (Jill) seriously considered doing that the other day, but instead found some really cool little-striped pots.

    Last summer when we painted every room in our new house, we had a hard time just throwing away the used paint buckets. We ended up using two for trash pails in the bathrooms and planted a jade plant in another one. It is a perfect size for the jade plant, it was a great way to reuse the bucket, and it is a nice reminder of our hard work painting every room.

    Thanks for always offering a great daily read!!!!

    Reply

  27. Kimberly says

    Love the containers! My husband and I have recently gotten on a re-use kick, and are constantly looking for things to be plant pots. It has now because a constant joke between our family. My son will point at the most ridiculous things and say; “That would make a nice raised bed.” Things that have been joked about are an old baby tub all the way to a fast food fry container. :P

    Reply

  29. Melissa says

    I gave a friend a little cactus when she moved into her college dorm freshman year & it lived/traveled with her through her 5 years at school… then died the WEEK after she graduated! Go figure.

    Def going to get a cactus today after work.

    Love you guys!

    Reply

  30. Melissa @ Loving this {crazy} life! says

    I just posted on my own blog about my recent love for succulents as well. I bought mine at Walmart for about the same price but the pots there were ridiculously expensive! So, I went to the section where are the plates were and bought a bowl (no drainage either) and potted my succulents in there. I think as long as we water them lightly and wait for the dirt to dry in between watering we will be good! Check out my post so you can see where I potted my plants in: http://lovingthiscrazylife-melissa.blogspot.com/2012/03/spring-has-sprung.html

    Reply

  31. Jill says

    I planted orchids in clear vases with moss. It’s kind of cool to see the roots (& I can more easily tell when I need to water them).

    Well done.

    Reply

  32. Megan says

    Pretty!

    You should look more into terrariums. There are some really awesome ones out there that pretty much take care of themselves (might be easier to not kill?)

    I’m in the process of making a desert terrarium using some small cacti and succulents and placing them in a large fishbowl.

    The great thing about terrariums is you can make them out of anything! Pinterest has some amazing ideas (http://pinterest.com/search/?q=terrariums)

    :)

    Reply

  33. Stephanie says

    I had a pink one that survived years until my best friend knocked it off the window sill and it fell to the floor. It was never the same after that. :(

    And for the record, we’re still friends approximately 10 years later and I STILL bring it up. lol

    Reply

  34. Rachel says

    Umm, I need a little red cactus of my own apparently! I kill everything that comes into my house. Literally… Every. Single. Thing. Poor little cursed cacti, it’s not their fault I can’t remember to water them! So thanks, I’ll be hunting this weekend for an un-killable little cactus to call my very own! Maybe even one in a bright, daring color… Purple cactus, anyone?

    Reply

  35. stacia says

    I saw a couple other comments about drainage and rocks in the bottom. very important. succulents hate to have wet feet. Also you should know that by using outside dirt, they have been introduced to all sorts of bugs and bacteria they may not be able to deal with. If these don’t make it, that might be the reason. There’s even special succulent potting soil that is recommended, and not very expensive. There are a million and a half succulent-terrarium tutorials around the web right now. might want to look at one or two for care tips. They are super easy to take care of, if you have the building blocks right.

    Reply

  36. kaycee parker says

    I have a few plants in my home, they are all cacti! Seems to be the only thing that’ll survive. I love their textures and durability.
    Although, I had a pet rabbit (Darlah) that ate 12 baby aloe plants, yes 12.. I thought it was going to kill her, but it didn’t, she just must of been really full for quite some time.

    Reply

  37. Kelly says

    I used to love having African Violets on my windowsill in the kitchen. The light there was indirect enough that they flourished. But all those planters were really bottom heavy. So I scrounged around at Wal Mart and found a bunch of those oversized plastic Margarita glasses in different heights, and had each violet in one of those! :)

    Reply

  38. Brandy says

    Now I want a red cactus really bad! I just painted my office/craft room gray and I’m accenting in red and that would look awesome. Thanks!

    Reply

  39. Autumn says

    I got a couple cacti in high school, maybe even middle school, I can’t remember! One was a cute little red one, which I managed to kill, but the other one I still have! (I graduated HS in 2001!) Harry is his name, and he currently resides in a popcorn bowl! And he totally doesn’t mind that I only remember to water him every few months…

    Reply

  40. ErinY says

    Back in high school I ran cross country. We had a team cactus that team members would take up whenever they won a medal. Other teams looked at us weird when we had 4 or 5 people who took it up to the stand, but they started to recognize us for it haha

    Reply

  42. Carla says

    Your succulents look adorable in the clear glass. I’m wondering if mineral deposits might build up after a few months and become visible, but I think the soil will actually mask that somewhat. Also, what a great way to keep track of the moisture level. If you see moisture pooling on the bottom, you’ve over watered. Over watering is always a challenge for me in pots that lack drainage.

    I found a really bold turquoise and dark blue striped oval pot at Goodwill and have thought about planting some succulents in there. But the lack of drainage holes concerned me. I’m going to give this a go. They don’t grow terribly fast, right, and don’t require lots of light?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, you can see the water (I only add a tiny bit) travel down a bit in the soil through the glass, so hopefully I’ll know right away if I ever over water! Love the sound of that bold turquoise and dark blue pot- good luck!

      xo,
      s

  44. Kate says

    I planted succulents in clear vases like that, much to my husband’s chagrin! I don’t get why he doesn’t like it, but he reallllly doesn’t like it LOL. And I always use a spoon when gardening in my little pots :)

    Reply

  45. Sarah says

    I have a few planted in very similar glass containers – I got the idea when I was in San Diego last year for a conference. We stayed at a swanky hotel and all of the tables had succulents in clear glass containers on them!

    See, Sherry, you’re not weird, you’re very swanky & chic!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, thanks Sarah. I think my family would say “nope, you’re weird.” Haha. I once got voted “Weirdest Member Of The Family” – no joke.

      xo,
      s

  46. Megan says

    I have two versions of the red, but both of mine are pink. I’ve had one for 5 years, just sitting in a bread pan (with dirt and mulch) in my kitchen and the other one is at work. But the green bottom part (they are two separate cacti, grafted together) molded and basically turned to mush (GROSS!) and so I stuck the pink top in a pot I had from an orchid that was replanted. He needs a better home (yes, it’s a he although he’s neon pink!)… I may just do the glass and dirt combo! I love contrast… I have to have some dark with my light or I go crazy. There can be too much of both light and dark, so a nice combo is always good for the eyes!

    Reply

  47. Beth says

    Love them! I have grand ideas of a succulent wreath someday and love the way they look in baskets and planters. I had a co-worker that swore by some pouring leftover coffee in the plant once a week. Her’s looked great, don’t know if it was the coffee or her prime window-lined office.

    Reply

  49. Bri Frost says

    Hi my name is Brittany and I have a problem. I am addicted to succulents. I plant mine in clear glass cubes of assorted sizes. I have too many, but I cannot stop. Thank you for listening. ; )

    Reply

  50. roberta says

    I just picked up some clear containers at a thrift store and was going to use them for succulents. I have pots of hens and chickens overflowing waiting to be transplanted. Can’t wait now.

    Reply

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