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Christina Stembel, the founder of Farmgirl Flowers, was on Home & Family on Monday and said according to a poll of their customers, 92 percent of women don’t really want red roses and baby’s breath for Valentine’s despite all the hype.
DIY Succulent Heart for Valentine’s Day
Christina showed us how to make the perfect (and lasting!) Valentine’s Day gift, by planting succulent plants in a heart-shaped container. Here’s how to go about it.
1. The soil used the planter is one of the most important aspects when making a succulent heart. It should be the type of soil suitable for cacti and succulents. If you can’t find the right soil, buy regular soil and mix it with a lot of prometh. This aerates the soil, allowing it to drain quicker and prevent the roots from getting moldy from too much water.
2. The perfect, heart-shaped pot must have drainage in the bottom. If you can’t find a heart-shaped pot, use any pot and paint it an appropriate gold or red. If that pot doesn’t have suitable drainage, line the bottom with river rocks to soak up the excess water.
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3. Once the pot is half-filled with soil, you are ready to add the succulent plants. Make indentations in the soil in which to add the plants.
4. When looking for succulent plants at the local nursery or garden center, pick a mixture of two-inch and four-inch plants. Buy three or four of the four-inch plants and five or six of the smaller plants. This makes for variations in texture and height in the planter. One of the best to buy looks like a rosette and even has flowers on the top of it, but try to make a variety of different plants for interest and design.
5. When potting the four-inch plants, try to keep as much soil with the plants as possible, as the plants are happy in the containers they come in. Loosen the soil by gentling pushing on the sides of the containers and gently remove the plant and its roots. Place the plants in the indentations in the soil in the heart-shaped pot. Push the soil around them firmly to keep them in place.
6. Continue by placing the other four-inch plants in the ready-made indentations in the same way.
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7. Take the two-inch plants and do the same thing, filling up in gaps in the pot and putting them very close to the existing four-inch plants for appearance. According to Christina, some of the smaller plants might not make it as they grow, meaning they can easily be pulled out without spoiling the arrangement. You can even have the plants hanging over the edge of the pot and can split the plants to easier fill the little gaps.
8. To keep the plants healthy, make sure you avoid overwatering and only water when the soil is completely dry. Do not water if there is any dampness in the soil. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!