Succ’s the word… Raise your hand if you love succulents but haven’t the slightest clue as to how to care for them? Raise your hand again if you are looking for a very unique and beautiful gift to give this Valentine’s Day? Hang on now because I’m sharing all the goods with you today and keeping you from falling into the “basic and last-minute gifts” trap.
If you follow me on Instagram then you already saw the gorgeous planter my husband created using terracotta pots. He came home with all of the pots and succulents randomly after work one day and I thought to myself “this is really random project..?” But the brain juices couldn’t help from flowing when I imagined how unique this arrangement could be. I remember a textured pot tutorial from Natalie over at My Vintage Porch and just knew this was the direction we had to take!
After we decided on how the pots would fit my husband got to work cutting off the sides of the medium and small pot with an angle grinder. (You will need three varying sizes of terracotta pots by the way!) An alternative to this tool would be to use a hack saw. Safety first, so wear ear plugs and safety glasses which I will link at the bottom of this post! He then used this epoxy (see below) to adhere the pieces together. Once they were dried, he used Natalie’s technique of using plaster to smear all over the pots for that beautiful texture we all know and love. From there, it was painting with whatever paint we had on hand. Part spray painting and part dry brushing technique. Check out MB from the The Tailored Haven to see the dry brush technique in action. You’ll also score some laughs from her too!
Once the pots were complete, it was time for the fun part of arranging all of the gorgeous succulents. I can’t take any credit here, my husband did this part all on his own.
As for care, I will be the first to admit that I am not a plant expert. My husband is an arborist though (that means he’s basically a tree doctor) so I very much trust his judgement with all things green! Succulents prefer direct sunlight but this varies between varieties. A drainage system at the bottom of the pot is crucial as their roots also need oxygen. Since succulents are adapted to a low water environment, they prefer non-porous soil so as they do not draw up a bunch. The right potting soil is key to caring for them and I linked a great one below! And we all know they need minimal water which is what I think we all secretly love about them… Am I wrong?! We use a plant mister like this one to give them a good couple of spritzes once a day.
If you are really looking to get technical (or want to gift a beautiful book) then here are some wonderful books that go into detail about succulent care. I also love the beautiful photos in these books! Simply click on photo to shop.
I must say though, picking out your succulent(s) is the most fun part of all! The kids had a blast running up and down the nursery at home depot and splashing in little puddles. There really is something about being surrounded by flowers and plants that makes you feel so alive wouldn’t you agree?
Here are additional products we used to complete this simple DIY.
I ask you now, what could make for a better display of affection this Valentine’s Day? Unique, simple, and sweet makes for the best combination ever! Stay tuned as this week I share a beautiful gift idea to give to your sweetie and a special gift from me to you just for being here. <3
*I may earn a small commission when you shop directly through the links in this post. Of course all opinions are my own and again thank you for supporting our little family business!
