To view a brand new baby succulent emerge from a leaf is a very inspiring sight. It is also a great conversation piece.
Many people are still intimidated by growing these exotic little plants. I get pure joy out of seeing people’s reaction the first time they see a plant come into existence from just a single leaf that was broken off of a larger plant.
I have come up with an attractive way to display this miracle of life, transformation and growth.
I started with a terra cotta pot and a terra cotta saucer that is proportionately too large for that pot. The saucer rests on top of the pot so it resembles a tiny bird bath. Choose a pot and saucer size that suits the look you are going for and your needs.
Attach the bottom of the saucer to the bottom of the pot. The whole thing will be more stable this way. I used hot glue to attach the two but you can you Liquid Nails or whatever you have that will keep the two together reasonably well. Or you may not even need to use glue at all it depends on your environment.
In the beginning I was just balancing saucer on top of the pot. But this balancing act became problematic for three reasons:
1. Wind. The North Shore of Maui is very windy and the wind would turn my little dish garden upside down.
2. Birds. Feeding the birds close to your dish gardens equals disaster when they come in for a landing in this wind.
3. Rats. The rat community on Maui is thriving. I feed the messy birds during the day and the rats clean up at night.
My girlfriend and I mistakenly rescued some baby rats. If you want a funny story about our rats here’s the link. “Rat Rescue”
Ok enough about rats!
Once the glue dries, add Sifted Compost or Soil with some fertilizer mixed in well to the saucer. (See my post “Time to Sift the Compost”)
No those above or NOT dead leafs. Each leaf will grow roots and become its own plant.
I filled my saucer half way. This way the succulents have enough soil to grow healthy roots but not so much soil that separating them becomes more challenging when they get transplanted in a few months.
If you are planning to leave your full grown succulents in this saucer for a long time, allowing this nursery to evolve into a dish garden, put a little more soil in the saucer.
Arrange your succulent leaves however you want. You can just toss them in chaotically or you can neatly arrange them in a pattern like a mandala. I have done both ways. The choice is yours. Have fun!
Products used and mentioned in this post about Succulents