Pick plants that like the same things
Plants in one pot share the same soil, the same light and the same watering. If one wants more of something than the others, someone loses.
- Match the light. Sun lovers like hens and chicks, Mexican snowball and thimble cactus go together in a sunny window. Plants that prefer bright shade, like Cooper’s haworthia and zebra haworthia, make their own group.
- Match the thirst. Each plant page shows a water meter. Keep plants with the same reading together. A thirstier plant like string of turtles wilts on the dry schedule that suits a cactus, and the cactus rots on the turtles’ schedule.
- Keep the oddballs alone. Living stones and living rock need dry spells at times when other succulents want water. Give them their own pot.
You can filter the plant library by light, then compare the water meters on each card.
Choose the container
- A drainage hole matters most. Extra water needs a way out. Without a hole, it collects at the bottom and the roots sit in it. The soil and pots guide explains why.
- Shallow bowls work well. Most small succulents have shallow roots, so a wide, low dish suits a group. Tall plants and plants with long roots need deeper pots.
- No hole? If you love a glass bowl or a pot without a hole, water very sparingly. Pour in a small, measured amount, never enough to pool at the bottom. A pot without a hole can’t be soaked the way the watering guide describes, so it’s easy to overwater.
- Fill it with gritty succulent mix. Use the same mix all the way down. A layer of gravel at the bottom doesn’t help drainage (see succulent myths).
Why closed terrariums are hard
A closed terrarium is a glass container with a lid. The lid keeps moisture in, so the air stays humid and still. That’s perfect for ferns and mosses, and the opposite of what succulents need. In a closed terrarium, most succulents stretch, grow mold and rot.
If you want succulents under glass, use an open container with a wide mouth. Put it in good light, but watch for scorching. Glass can trap heat in direct sun. Water rarely and in small amounts.
Planting an arrangement
- Water the plants a day or two before, so the roots are moist but not soggy.
- Fill the container about two-thirds full with gritty succulent mix.
- Take each plant out of its pot and gently loosen the roots. Shake off old soil if it’s heavy or compacted.
- Set the tallest plants at the back, or in the middle if it will be seen from all sides. Trailing plants go at the edges, where they can spill over.
- Fill in around the roots with more mix, firming it gently. Leave a little gap between plants.
- Wait about a week before the first watering, so any damaged roots can heal. This is the same as after repotting.
Top dressings and decorations
- A thin layer of grit or small pebbles looks neat and keeps the base of the plants dry. Keep it thin, so you can still feel whether the soil underneath is dry.
- Avoid moss on top. Moss holds moisture right where succulent stems can rot.
- Remove glued-on rocks. Some shop plants come with pebbles glued into a hard crust on the soil. It stops water soaking in and air reaching the roots. Break it away gently, or repot the plant.
- Painted plants and glued-on flowers are covered in succulent myths.
As it grows
Shop arrangements are usually packed tight so they look full on the shelf. The plants keep growing, and after a season or two they crowd and shade each other. When that happens:
- Lift out the biggest plants and give them their own pots.
- Trim leggy stems and root the cuttings, as in the propagation guide.
- Replace any plant that keeps struggling with one that suits the group better.
Pets and mixed pots
An arrangement can mix pet-safe and toxic plants in one pot. Check every plant on its plant page, or in the plant doctor’s pet safety table, before you put it within reach of cats and dogs.