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 Homemade Cacti & Succulent Centerpiece As much as it pains me to admit this, John and I kill things. Specifically plants. As vegans, our family is appropriately voracious with our plant-devouring habits but sometimes our aggression toward plants is unintentional and has sad consequences. We kill the plants we intend to keep alive. It’s a sickness. We don’t want to kill things but I forget to water and he forgets to water, and then we both water without realizing the other is doing it. Or we follow the instructions to the letter and the plant still does a slow tumble into suicide. (Herbicide?) In any case, we are safe with cacti and succulents. Or, more important, they are safe with us. Thus, kicking off our month of DIY crafting in honor of March being National Craft Month, we decided to create this pretty indestructible garden for those with decidedly un-green thumbs. Who wouldn’t love a pretty living centerpiece that is low maintenance but reminds us of the warm weather ahead? These are easy-peasy to make, can be inexpensive (especially if you find the container at a thrift store) and are fun to tailor to your specifications. They also make great gifts and can be adapted in large or small containers (imagine them in tea cups as place settings for a party!), though containers with a wide opening at the top is the easiest. This is also a great project to make with kids. A quick search online will help you find activated charcoal, a natural substance that will keep mold and bacteria from building up. What you will need: Pebbles, rocks, or gravel Activated charcoal Potting soil (look for potting soil specifically made for cacti and succulents but any will do) Plants Glass Container  Put about an inch of pebbles at the bottom of the container, spread evenly. This helps with water drainage.  Cover the pebbles with a thin layer of the activated charcoal.  Fill the rest of the container to near the top with potting soil, but don’t pack densely as you need to be able to put the plants in. Arrange your plants, pat them in, and scatter more pebbles. You can also use sea glass or decorative glass gems you might find at a craft store.      Water once or twice a month and enjoy.  © 2014 Vegan Street |
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