How to Make an Echeveria Wreath
Echeveria can make a beautiful all-season living wreath. It is a favorite among gardeners due to its charming rosette structure and its variety of muted colors which range from soft greens to pinks. This succulent is low maintenance which makes it an excellent choice to include in a living wreath. You can combine echeveria with thick moss to create a stunning entry decoration that will continue to grow for many years.
Things You'll Need
- Bucket of water
- Sphagnum moss
- Plastic covering
- Wire wreath form
- Soilless potting mixture
- Paddle wire
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Garbage can lid
Instructions
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1
Harvest echiveria cuttings 2 to 3 inches long. Set them aside for a couple of days. The cutting will form a callous on the cut bottom. This is where the roots will eventually grow.
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2
Soak your moss in a bucket of water overnight. Break clumps apart to make certain that it is completely soaked.
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3
Cover your work surface with plastic. This project is not difficult, but it is messy.
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4
Shape a flat doughnut from moss on your work surface. It needs to be 1 inch thick and 4 inches wider in diameter than your wire wreath form. Center your wire form on top of the moss doughnut.
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5
Moisten your potting mixture with water. Pick up clumps of the mixture and pack them into the center of the wire form. Work your way around the form until it is completely filled.
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6
Place handfuls of moss on top of the potting mixture until the front and sides of the wire form are completely covered with moss. The layer should be thick and packed tightly around the wires. Coax the moss doughnut edges up and over the sides of your wreath. It will overlap the moss on the top of the wreath. The potting mixture is now surrounded with a thick cover of moss.
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7
Grasp the end of your wire and pass the paddle through the center and around your wreath. Wrap the wire tightly around the wreath. Continue to wrap with wire until you have gone around the wreath. Space the wire about an inch apart. This will secure your moss to the frame. Make a 2-inch loop with the tail of the wire and twist the bottom of the loop with the first end of the wire tightly together. Cut your wire. The loop is your hanger.
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Poke a deep hole in the moss with your pencil. Insert the end of your plant at least 1 inch into the hole. Gently press the moss around the plant to hold it in place. Continue until all of your cuttings have been planted in a pleasing design.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep your wreath flat for a few weeks to allow the succulents to root. Gently probe the cuttings to see if they are secure before you hang it upright.
Water your wreath every week for a few weeks. Use the inside of the lid to a garbage can to hold a few inches of water. Allow your wreath, plant side up, to soak for 10 minutes.
Display your living wreath where it will receive 4 to 6 hours of sunlight. Allow the moss to dry completely before you water it again. Use diluted fertilizer once a month during the growing season.
Enjoy your wreath inside during the freezing months.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
