If you’re a succulent and cactus lover like me, you must try creating a DIY succulent arrangement.
Succulents are incredibly versatile plants and come in a large variety of colors, shapes, and textures, which means that there are endless possibilities to create a unique succulent piece that is completely your style.
In this article, I break down what makes a good DIY succulent kit, which succulents to work with, and my choices for the best DIY succulent kits of 2023.
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What Are Succulent Arrangements, And Why Make One?
Succulent arrangements are combined pots with different kinds of succulents or cacti, all planted together. Think of it as a bouquet but with succulents!
Making a succulent arrangement is a playful and creative process, which is why it is a hobby for many plant lovers worldwide.
Similar to terrarium-building, making succulent arrangements is an art.
Since succulents are so low-maintenance, succulent arrangements make the perfect gift for your loved ones.
So, if you’re stuck on what to get your friends or family for their birthday this year, consider gifting your own DIY succulent kit!
How To Make A DIY Succulent Kit
To make a succulent kit, you don’t need a lot of fancy, expensive materials.
In fact, you can likely make a succulent arrangement using items you already have lying around the house or that you can find in nature.
Materials for DIY Succulent Kits
Real or Faux Succulents
Don’t have a green thumb? Succulent arrangements can look just as beautiful when using faux succulents and make a great option for those with plant and succulent allergies.
These can be a more affordable option for people on a budget who want to present a unique gift to their friends and family.
Of course, you can use the real deal, too! Succulents come in any color, shape, and size, so feel free to play around when choosing your succulents.
Ensure that the plants you choose can live together and have (mostly) the same care requirements!
Any Kind of Jar, Vessel, or Cup
Succulent arrangements can be made in any vessel that can hold soil!
Whether you have an unused teapot, a glass terrarium, or a simple terra cotta pot, you can make a beautiful succulent arrangement using any item at your home!
Something to remember, though, is that, for your succulent to thrive and remain healthy, using a vessel with holes in the bottom would be optimal, as this helps prevent overwatering and root rot on your plants.
You can also create these holes yourself if needed.
Decorative Rocks or Pebbles
Colorful pebbles, pea gravel from the forest, or even glass aquarium marbles, you can use any rock and stone to add color, texture, and interesting visuals to your arrangement!
Feel free to play around with different kinds of rocks to suit your arrangement best.
Moss, Bark, or other Natural Materials
Of course, this is optional, but I love adding natural elements like peat moss and orchid bark to a succulent arrangement to give it a rustic and ornamental feel!
Succulent or Cactus Soil
Of course, your succulents will need a substrate to grow in! Use a succulent or cactus-specific soil mix in your arrangement to ensure that your succulent roots remain healthy after planting!
You can find a succulent-specific soil mix in your local garden center or plant shop.
How To Choose Succulents to Pair Together
If you plant different varieties of succulents together, there are a few important things to remember. It’s important that the plants will thrive after you’ve given them a new home!
Care Requirements
You may suspect all succulents have the same needs, but this is false. Succulents are a plant type with over 60 plant families, totaling about 2000 species.
With so many different plants, it is needless to say that there will be some differences between them!
Pairing a drought-loving desert plant like Aloe Vera with a tropical cactus like the Christmas Cactus might not be the best idea!
Choose plants that need the same amount of water and light, and grow in the same environment in the wild.
Also, consider what kind of pot you plan to use. Desert cacti will not do well in an enclosed, humid terrarium.
You’ll also need to ensure that the pot is the right size to avoid plants from choking each other out to try and take up space!
This picking and choosing may take some time and research, but it will ensure that your succulent arrangements remain healthy for many years!
Color, Size, And Aesthetics
Of course, choosing plants that look good together is one of the most important parts of creating a succulent arrangement!
Like flowers, succulents come in every rainbow, making creating a color theme for your arrangement easy.
Feel free to experiment with different sizes of succulents, different growth types (for example, a trailing String of Turtles Peperomia prostrata combined with a tall Jade Plant Crassula Ovata), textures, and leaf shapes.
With such a wide variety of species, including flowering succulents, you can personalize your DIY succulent kit or DIY cactus kit to match someone’s interior or garden style perfectly!
But don’t worry. If you lack inspiration, you’ll find a DIY succulent kit idea below!
DIY Succulent Terrarium
To make this succulent kit, you’ll need the following materials:
- 4-5 small, colorful succulents or succulent cuttings
- A glass terrarium or deep bowl (roughly 7 inches big)
- Succulent potting soil
- Natural bark (found in the wild!)
- Decorative gravel or pebbles
DIY Succulent Terrarium Instructions:
- Start by filling your glass bowl with a layer of pebbles. The pebbles will be a drainage layer to prevent the soil from remaining wet for too long (succulents hate wet soil!)
- Add your succulent soil to fill the vessel about halfway. Do not press it down, as it will get too compact.
- Carefully add your succulents to the bowl. You can use a skewer or stick to create holes in the soil for your succulent roots.
- Add pebbles, bark, or other decorative items to your liking. Play around with textures and shapes until you find a result you enjoy!
- Your succulent arrangement is ready and can be displayed in your home or gifted to a friend!
If you want to gift this arrangement as a kit, you can add all the material to plastic bags and wrap them up.
Write down the instructions and add them to the package. And voila, you’ve made a DIY succulent kit for your friend or family to enjoy and get creative.
Caring For Your DIY Succulent Arrangement
After creating your DIY succulent kit, you may be wondering what’s next. Keeping succulents in good health is crucial to enjoying your arrangement for a long time!
But caring for these arrangements can be tricky.
Succulent Soil Mix
For your plants to last, they need a suitable soil mix. If you have access to it, we recommend purchasing a specific cactus- or succulent soil mix.
These mixes have excellent drainage, preventing the soil from remaining wet and drowning your succulents.
If you cannot find a succulent soil mix, you can always combine perlite, bark, potting soil, and gravel to create a succulent mix!
If you’re looking for the perfect soil mix for your arrangement, consider checking out our DIY Aloe Vera soil recipe!
Minimal Watering
The most confusing part of succulent care will always be their watering needs. You may know succulents are drought-tolerant and can go without water for months.
But this doesn’t mean you can simply set and forget your arrangement.
If your plants sit in a pot with drainage holes in the bottom, I always recommend watering them whenever the soil feels completely dry.
If your arrangement contains decorative pebbles, you may need help finding the soil with your finger!
In this case, a moisture meter can come in handy! You can insert this little device in the soil, and it’ll tell you how dry your soil is.
When the moisture meter indicates that the soil is bone dry, go ahead and water the plants until the water drains from the hole in the bottom.
However, if your arrangement is made in a closed pot without holes, you may need to be cautious with the amount of water you give your plants.
Too much water can collect in the bottom of the pot, causing the roots of your plants to drown rather quickly!
Water sparingly, ensuring there is little to no water in the bottom of the pot after watering. If you keep your arrangement in a glass container, you’ll be able to see if there is water remaining.
I recommend adding a drainage layer of pebbles in the bottom of the pot to prevent root rot.
Plenty of Light
Succulents love light! However, too much of anything can cause harm to your plants.
While some succulent varieties, like Aloe Vera or Cacti, can tolerate a lot of direct sun, others will get scorched if you place them in harsh direct sunlight.
We recommend placing the plants in bright, indirect sunlight to prevent sunburn. A few feet away from a west- or south-facing window will be optimal!
Never place your succulents in low light! Too little light will make them grow leggy and sparse, significantly increasing the overwatering risk.
Ideal Humidity And Temperature
If your succulents live inside a terrarium, remember that it will get warm and moist inside the glass globe.
Many succulent varieties do not enjoy humid environments and are prone to rot and fungal infections when exposed to excess moisture!
You can prevent issues by choosing succulent varieties that can withstand humidity, such as Chain of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii), Stonecrops, and Kalanchoe.
These plants can tolerate highly humid conditions and are less prone to rot and disease when planted in a terrarium.
What to Look for When Buying a DIY Succulent Kit Online
When purchasing a DIY succulent kit online, you should first look for reputable vendors that have a track record of success with their customers.
Many companies exist online that provide poor-quality plants and materials, so making sure you are buying from a reputable vendor is crucial.
Next, you should consider what you want to be included in your succulent kit. Some vendors will provide everything from materials and soil to succulents and cacti, but others offer only the materials or only the plants.
If you have a specific arrangement in mind with particular succulents and cacti, be sure that they are a match for the container or terrarium you are buying.
Oftentimes, DIY succulent kits will have plant options included so that you can be sure you are getting something suitable for your setup. Other times, you may need to decide what to include yourself.
If you need help choosing the best succulents to pair together for your DIY succulent arrangement, check out the article we wrote on this exact subject!
My Favorite DIY Succulent Kits to Buy Online
If you prefer to purchase your succulent kit online, no worries!
Below are my favorite succulent kits that are available on the internet. These succulent kits will surely bring a smile to any succulent lover’s face!
DIY Garden Kit (The Succulent Source)
This DIY Succulent Garden Kit from The Succulent Source makes creating your own succulent arrangement easy. They offer a variety of succulent plants, plus a few adorable accessories to make your arrangement stand out!
The kit comes with soil and a pot, so you won’t need additional trips to the garden center to make this piece come together.
If you want a 10% discount from their website, consider signing up for their monthly newsletter! It’s free, and you get amazing deals in your mailbox every month!
Crystal Succulent Terrarium Kit (Simply Succulents)
If you are looking for a great gift idea, you’ll love this Crystal Terrarium Succulent Kit from Simply Succulents! This kit contains everything you need, including soil and five types of little succulents to plant in your terrarium.
Their website offers a wide variety of DIY succulent kits, so if you’re indecisive, look around!
Hanging Succulent Kit (Succulent Gift Shop)
Love to support a small business? This Hanging DIY Succulent Kit from Succulent Gift Shop uses a unique ceramic hanging planter to display succulents, like String of Pearls, which is a hanging succulent.
The planter can be hung anywhere in the home or outdoors, as it comes with a rope to hang it wherever your heart pleases! You can also use a macrame plant hanger to hang your succulent kit.
They offer free shipping on all orders over $15 throughout the US, which makes their affordable succulent kits accessible to residents all around the country!
DIY Succulent Kits FAQ
Do Succulent Arrangements Need Drainage?
Drainage is incredibly important for succulents to remain healthy, but finding a beautiful pot for your arrangement that includes drainage can be tough. We recommend adding a layer of pebbles to act as a drainage layer if your pot doesn’t have a drainage hole.
Why Is My Succulent Arrangement Dying?
Root rot is the most common reason for succulent arrangements to wither and die back. Root rot is often caused by a lack of drainage in the soil to too little light. Add a drainage layer to your pot, or use pots with drainage holes to prevent root rot!
Do Succulent Arrangements Last?
If you take good care of your arrangement, it can last for a long time. Succulents are slow growers, meaning they can live in the same pot many seasons without becoming too rootbound! If you care for your arrangement well enough, it can thrive until the succulents outgrow the pot, which can take several years.
Should I Separate My Succulent Arrangement?
If you see your plants declining, splitting up the arrangement and growing the plants separately may be a good idea. Over time, the soil may become too crowded with all the plant’s root systems, and they will be unable to grow freely.
Another reason to split up your arrangement is when the plants are beginning to show signs of overwatering. If you see wilted, translucent, or black leaves, you may deal with root rot in your arrangement!
Where to Buy a DIY Succulent Kit
There are endless options online for purchasing a DIY succulent kit, but not every vendor is going to give you products or plants you love. Be sure to do your research and read customer reviews of DIY kits online before purchasing. If not, you may end up spending money on something you aren’t happy with.
Some of my favorite vendors are Simply Succulents, Succulent Gift Shop, The Succulent Source, The Crafty Kit, and The Art of Succulents.
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