DIY: How to Make a Succulent Wreath
You need to think ahead of time with this project and since Christmas isn’t far away I thought it best to take action! The reason I say this is because you want your succulents to settle in and grow roots holding themselves in place before tipping the wreath on its side and hang on the door.
You will need:
- A plastic wreath base (available at your local florist or get them to order one in for you if they don’t have one on hand)
- Some soft netting
- Succulents
- Moss (I prefer the lichen type moss as it lasts longer, requires less water and can be found on most trees for free)
- Florist wire
- Festive finds (these could be buts, cones, acorns or artificial berries) – optional
Step 1: You will need to first remove the oasis from the wreath container with a butter knife. Fill flush to the top with soil and pack down tightly. Place the netting over the top and cut around the container so that there is a good centimetre over hang. Cut a hole in the middle with the same overhang and then cut 5 or 6 slits towards the middle so that it can be folded down to attach to container. Pull the netting as tight as possible and glue the sides down with a glue gun.
Step 2: It’s time to start adding your plants. I used some rooting hormone powder on the stem of each of my cuttings before I inserted them. This is not completely necessary but gives the succulents a bit of help and works towards getting your wreath to go vertical sooner.
Poke a hole in your soil with the end of a paint brush or pencil through the netting. Judge it the stem will fit through the hole in the netting and if not, cut a strand or two. You want it to go in as snuggly as possible. Use the paint brush to push any roots into the hole first then press the succulent in gently. Press the soil around the plant as tight as you can through the netting. Start with the bigger plants, adding the smaller ones in the gaps. Don’t be too bothered if there are many gaps as these will be filled with moss and your festive finds.
Step 3: Cut your florist wire into small pieces and bend in half to make a staple (like in picture 4 below). Break off pieces of your moss and put them in the gaps pressing a staple into it to hold it in place. You can glue some pieces of moss around the sides to hide the container if you wish. Lastly, pop your festive bits and bobs in the remaining gaps. I used some lovely nuts I found on a gum tree. I dried them and painted them with a little copper spray paint. Depending on what you choose, if it doesn’t have much of a stem to insert into the soil, you may need to wind or glue a wire around it.
Tips for care: Lay your wreath somewhere that gets lots of natural light and a little sun. It won’t need a lot of water, just a little every 2-3 weeks. I would tend to keep it flat for at least a month to six weeks, giving the plants a chance to root themselves in before you hang it on display for Christmas.
Happy Crafting x