Have you seen those beautiful succulent gardens around town that come in a fancy bowl and that tend to jump right into your shopping cart and follow you home? They look so good in the store and yet shortly after purchasing, the plants start to die off and it’s hard to tell if under-watering or overwatering is the culprit since there are rocks glued to the dirt making it impossible to actually touch the soil. On top of that, there’s usually no drainage hole in the planter so extra water just sits in there, rotting the roots of the succulents. If you have one of these succulent gardens fear not! There’s an easy fix to keep your plants happy. And if it’s already too late, now’s the time to grab some new succulent friends and get planting! These simple steps will help you to replant your succulent garden and keep it alive going forward.
A few years ago my husband bought me the succulent garden of my dreams (I had killed a different one in record time shortly before that). I tend to overwater plants so I was super careful to set up a watering schedule and keep track of how much water I was using. That really did work for a long time, except for the one plant that bit the dust right away. Then everything started to go downhill and it was too late. I was left with one cactus and a green nob on another.
I loved the succulent garden and we used it as our kitchen table centerpiece so I knew I wanted to replant it and do it right this time.
Steps to Replant a Succulent Garden
1. Remove any existing plants and glued on rocks.
Its hard to say which of these to do first. If you have an area where a plant died, dig out the dead plant and use that area to access the rocks and start prying them off. If you still have all your plants, you’ll probably have to chip off some rocks first to get to the plant. Regardless, wear thick leather gardening gloves if you have any cacti in your bowl, and use a trowel to gently pry off the rocks. They’ll go flying so it’s a good idea to wear safety goggles! Set the live plants gently to the side and put any dead plants and loose cacti spines into a ziplock bag. Make sure to clear out all the cacti spines so they don’t stab you while you’re replanting later!
2. Remove all soil from the planter.
You’ll probably need to use new soil, especially if overwatering was the cause of issues. If you’re planting new succulents close together, the soil they came in may be enough. If not, you’ll want to buy some soil specially formulated for cacti and succulents.
3. Drill a hole in the planter.
To avoid future overwatering problems, drill a hole in the bottom of the planter. If your planter is coated and fired on the bottom (it’ll look shiny) you’ll need a masonry bit to drill through. If not, a regular drill bit should work just fine. (Unless all your drill batteries are dead and you’re trying to finish before the sun sets. Then you’ll have to get creative. Ask me how I know. Haha.)
4. Replant plants and fill in with new plants.
Flip the planter back over and start planting! Fill partially with soil to elevate plants to the desired level and then start adding the plants. It’s easiest to start in the middle and work your way out. When the plants are in place, fill in any empty areas around them with soil. Make sure to vary the colors, textures, and heights of the plants for visual appeal! If possible (sometimes they’re not marked well at the store), choose plants with similar water and sunlight needs. When you’re done, gently rinse off any dirt that’s gotten onto the plants during the process.
5. Find a saucer for the planter.
Since our succulent garden typically lives on our kitchen table, I wanted to find a nice (not plastic) saucer for under the planter. Turns out that a salad plate worked perfectly! Measure the bottom diameter of your planter and then find a flat plate with vertical edges that’s about the same size and matches in color. I got this one at World Market, but this style is at most stores right now. Lastly, sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy your new plant friends!
P.S. In my experience, succulents just don’t last forever most of the time. Even if they do, they sometimes outgrow the planter or get scraggly. Remember that your planter might still need adjustments from time to time and just enjoy the creative process!
