DIY Mother’s Day Succulent Gift

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April;  a fresh month; renewed inspiration flowing through my veins filling my spirit with hope and fresh ideas. Also, the month of dirty fingernails from potting soil, charcoal smudged across my chin, and a runny nose from breathing in all that Arkansas pollen floating down from the hill behind our little cottage.

Love. Love.

I’ve been potting all my new succulents and had a brilliant DIY Mother’s Day Succulent Gift idea.

This super easy succulent gift is easy to throw together. Let me show you how:

DIY Mother’s Day Succulent Gift

Gather:

• Jello mold (this was Thom’s mom’s but these are easy to find at thrift/vintage/antique stores)
• 1-3 Succulents, or more depending on how full you’d like your mold to be
• Drainage Pebbles
• Horticultural Charcoal
• Cactus/Succulent potting soil

Choose succulents that have the same watering/sunlight needs.

Succulents need pots with drainage. We just drilled tiny holes into this aluminum jello mold and opened them up a little bit with an awl. Thom used a grinder to smooth out the edges but even a nail file will do the job nicely.

Method:

• Tiny pebbles help with drainage also. Layer pebbles along the bottom of the mold, all around.
• Top with a thin layer of horticultural charcoal (affiliate link). Charcoal filters the water as it drains from the soil. This is especially useful if the plants will be kept indoors; it helps keep the plant from smelling stinky as the water drains through over time.
• Add a thick layer of potting soil. I prefer to use an already mixed cactus/succulent soil (affiliate link) but you can certainly make your own by combining potting soil, sand, and perlite (affiliate link).
• Lastly, remove succulents from their containers, loosening their roots and removing some of the soil. Place them in the dirt and press down the soil over the roots. Repeat for all the succulents.
• Don’t water right away. All my research has shown it’s better to wait a few days before watering the succulents after transplanting.

No need for bows and gift bags here.

Use a metal garden marker and a Sharpie (affiliate links) to write a greeting.

Mom will love this sweet gift even if she’s not a gardener; start her out with just three. For a fuller gift or more advanced succulent gardener-fill that mold up with beautiful succies.

Here’s a handy little video showing how I put this DIY Mother’s Day Succulent Gift together.  Is this something your mom would enjoy? Tell me in the comments below or join in the conversation over at the Desperately Seeking: Inspiration for Creative Living Facebook page.