Step-by-Step Tips for Planting Succulents/Cacti in Your Groovy Vintage Planters

I have a planter addiction, and I'm not ashamed. I'm slowly adding succulents and houseplants back into my apartment. Plants are natural air purifiers and greenery is clinically proven to the good for the soul; it's science! Succulents are different from your typical houseplant (tropicals) and require different care and planting methods. Here are my recommendations for filling your planters with beautiful succulents and cacti:

1. Drainage: Most vintage planters don't have holes at the bottom for drainage, so add a layer for gravel to the base, 1-2 inches tall.

2. Soil Mix: Succulents and cacti need well-draining soil, buy a cacti/succulent mix or add sand to the potting soil, it should comprise 1/4 of the mixture. I like to cover mine with gravel with aesthetic reasons, but it also helps the soil retain moisture between waterings.

3. Watering and Care: Give your succulents a good drink after your transplant them and once a week thereafter. They will thrive on a very sunny windowsill. They love sun and heat, but will live in a defused light setting.

4. Have Fun: I like to add something extra to make a pleasing succulent diorama. Especially dinosaurs and robots, of course!

Tip: I take the planters I want to fill with me to the garden center so I can choose plants that look right and more importantly, that'll fit! Also, herbs are a bad choice unless you vintage planter is huge and well-draining.

Succulents are an excellent choice for vintgae planters because they don't need a lot of space, you can fill up a planter to make a pleasing still-life, and they grow slowly. They won't be outgrowing the planter anytime soon! Very small tropical plants  also do well in vintage planters and indoors, but they will outgrow the small planters sooner. (BTW, Still adding my planters to Etsy but e-mail me if you're interested in buying some. I have a huge collection and I'm selling them like crazy lately!)

What do you do with your vintage planters? Plant them up, display them, use 'em for organizing supplies? I tried using them for supplies but like them best at their intended purpose. Love me some plants.

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