DIY Succulent Rock Garden

Happy second day of Spring y'all!! It's finally here! Hopefully for most of you that means that you're going to have a chance to get outside and enjoy some sunshine this upcoming weekend! Few things make me more excited for spring than getting to plant new plants for the year! A few weekends ago I replanted my succulent rock garden and wanted to share it with you guys! The best news is its a great weekend project for anyone! Even those who are still buried in the snow! To be honest, I mostly replanted it not because everything had died but because it had just become overgrown from last spring. This year I chose some new species and am excited to see how these ones grow and flourish! I also bought a beautiful Christmas Cactus because I loved the pink flower buds and it does well as both an inside and outside plant! I'd love to see your creations and hope you love this little project as much as I did!

What you'll need:

• table top planter box

• potting soil- one that drains well!

• succulents of your choosing

• a cup or hand held shovel

• garden rocks/pebbles

Instructions:

1. Begin by filling your planter box 2/3 of the way with potting soil. Do not pack tightly!

2. Arrange your succulents on the top soil to figure out design and placement. Using your hands, dig a small hole about the size of the plastic container the succulents come in.

3. To remove your succulent from it's container, gently pinch the sides together around the circumference of the container to loosen the dirt. Remove plastic container and gently pint root ball to loosen the roots.

1. Place succulent in the hole and begin to cover the root ball and plant base with the potting soil. The plant base should be flush or just under the soil surface. Gently pack soil around the succulent.

2. Repeat steps 2-4 for all remaining plants. (You don't have to leave space or gaps between succulents if you'd rather have the whole planter full and lush)

1. If you do leave spaces, be sure to add top soil as needed and pack gently but firmly around all the plants once all of them have been planted. I like to water the top soil just a bit to help pack it so that I have the appropriate amount of soil.

1. If you spaced out your plants, place your garden stones/rocks/pebbles around the plants. These help the soil breath and retain moisture without needing frequent watering.

2. Water the finished garden well enough for excess to drain through the planter (but only do this once!) and place in a warm spot that has plenty of natural light!

3. Water only when the soil is dry to the touch.