How to Make a Dish Garden From Succulents

Succulent plants, such as hen and chickens and aloe vera, contain water in their leaves. Well-adapted to desert conditions, succulents grow easily from cuttings. You can plant several types together in shallow pots.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cactus Mix Potting Soil
• Garden Shears

1. 

   Collect cuttings of succulent plants such as jade plant, hen and chickens, donkey's tail, pork and beans plant or string of pearls.

2. Allow the cuttings to dry in the sun for a few days. Drying will seal the cut ends and form a scab.

3. Select a shallow container. You can use a large saucer as long as you are careful not to overwater.

4. 

   Place gravel in the bottom of the container to improve drainage.

5. Fill the container with cactus potting mix. This soil is a special mix for growing cactus and succulent plants and has excellent drainage. You can also use turkey grit, which is sold in feed supply stores.

6. 

   Place the prepared cuttings in the cactus mix up to the first sets of leaves. Arrange the cuttings so that the tallest plants are toward the back and the shorter, trailing varieties are near the front of the container. Do not water the dish garden for at least 10 days.

7. Place the dish garden in a sunny location. Water when the top 2 inches of soil feels dry to the touch (after about 10 days).

8. Fertilize lightly with fish emulsion in the spring.

Tips & Warnings

• If rainy weather persists, tip the dish garden on its side to drain excess water.
• Decorate your dish garden with a few attractive stones, shells or pieces of driftwood.
• Protect from frost. Succulents are very susceptible to cold weather.

[debraleebaldwin]

on 1/27/2009 This is unnecessary: "Place gravel in the bottom of the container to improve drainage." Re using turkey grit, yes, it's an excellent amendment, but the way this is written implies succulents can be planted in turkey grit alone. Re: "If rainy weather persists, tip the dish garden on its side to drain excess water" -- succulent container gardens should not be allowed to become sodden; when rainy weather persists, move the containers indoors or beneath an overhang.

[debraleebaldwin]

on 1/27/2009 This statement is misleading: "Allow the cuttings to dry in the sun for a few days." Cuttings should be placed out of direct sun, lest they scorch (they're especially vulnerable when first severed from the plant). -- Debra Lee Baldwin, author, "Designing with Succulents" (Timber Press, 2007) and "Succulent Container Gardens" (2010)

on 11/22/2005 The large saucers for terra-cotta pots make excellent containers for these dish gardens. If you already have hens and chicks growing, it is easy to capture chicks to transplant to your saucers. And they make wonderful, yet inexpensive, gifts.

on 11/22/2005 Plastic pots and glazed porcelain hold in moisture. Using a natural clay pot may help protect your aloe and other succulents from root rot.