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DIY Succulent and Cactus Arrangements Under $15

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCSB chapter.

Since it’s been a little sunnier than usual, it’s the perfect time to change up your decorations and maybe bring a little life into your home! They’re really easy to make, affordable, super aesthetically pleasing to look at and easy to take care of! They practically take care of themselves. All you need to do is give them some sunlight, dirt, and water. So get ready to get down and a little dirty to make your own succulent arrangement for under $15.

 

Materials needed:

1 pot/glass container for your succulent to live in

1 bag of succulent soil

1+ succulents

1 cup (for water)

1 bag of pebbles/ rocks (optional)

You can get the pot/glass from many places! You can make one from your old tea holders, or anything really. You can even get really nice glass pots and containers from a thrift store for $2-3. The only problem with these might be that they do not have a hole on the bottom and would require you to drill one. There are videos on YouTube that explain how you can do this too, just in case you need it. For the succulents and the soil, the best place to go would be Home Depot! They’re super affordable starting at less than $3 for a succulent and a giant bag of soil costs $4.47 for almost 17 pounds. Pretty awesome right?! You can also use the same bag of soil many times so it’s actually extremely affordable.

 Let’s get started!

  1. Get your pot/planter/container and fill it with the cactus/ succulent soil up the the top!
  2. Take your succulent out of the little container that you bought it in and loosen the soil around the roots so it will not take too much space in your new container (and have more space to grow).
  3. In the planter or pot or container that you want to use, dig a hole and pack in the soil to the sides around the hole you’ve just made.
  4. Place the succulent into the hole you’ve just made and fill in the remaining space with succulent soil which is great for water drainage.
  5. Repeat steps 2-4 if you are putting more than one succulent into the arrangement!
  6. You may water it if you would like but be careful to not over-water the succulents/cactus or else that can kill them. It is ideal to water them about once a week.
  7. Decorate the pot or planter or container if you would like!  
  8. Place them in the sun and you are done!

Hopefully you will have a beautiful new arrangement that you love! Have a wonderful week, Gauchos! 

Hello! Devonne is a fourth year Chinese major with an applied psychology minor. She loves to binge watch shows on Netflix, trying out new food, and writing her penpals during her free time. She has an obsession with being organized and the Container Store a little too much. She is also interested in learning more about watercolor painting and modern calligraphy. 
Kristine is a 3rd year Chemistry major at UC Santa Barbara. She was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. When she's not writing, she works with her sister to create adorable baked delicacies for The Royal Icing, their at-home bakery. She's also a ballerina, lipstick enthusiast, and bunny lover. Post-graduation, she plans on going to graduate school while continuing her writing career. Catch her on instagram @CookiesForKay