Hey Friends! It’s finally starting to feel like Fall around these parts and thank goodness because 90 degrees in October is uncalled for.
Today I’m here to show you how I easily made this tiered planter using faux white pumpkins. I found the carvable pumpkins on sale a few weeks ago and they collected dust for a while (house construction still) before I did anything with them. I’ve seen so many faux succulent planters but I’ve never seen anyone do a vertical, tiered pumpkin planter.
Since I started growing succulents a few years ago, my collection has grown significantly due to propagating (leaves falling off and regenerating baby plants by rooting). Everything you see here, except for the jade planted in the top tier, is from my collection. Shout out to my husband for watering when I forget.
This tiered pumpkin succulent planter was the easiest thing to make and I was surprised how well the design came together. This was the first time I used reindeer moss and it won’t be the last.
Supplies Needed
-3 carvable pumpkins of different sizes, the smallest one was actually solid foam but I carved out a hole to make it a planter.
-1 plastic cup
-Box cutter knife or Exacto Knife
-succulent soil or vermicompost
-Dry erase marker
-A variety of succulents in different colors, heights, dimensions. You can buy them on ETSY!
-Rocks or packing foam
Instructions
-Use the marker to make a dashed circle around the tops of the pumpkins
-Use the box cutter to cut the tops from the base of the pumpkin.
-Place the plastic cup into the biggest pumpkin. I had to trim mine down by two inches to keep it from sticking out from the soil
-For added drainage in a pot without drainage holes, place a layer or rocks or foam pieces in the bottom. I prefer packing foam pieces because 1. It keeps it out of landfills and 2. It’s much lighter than rocks and no one loves a heavy planter.
-Add soil on top of drainage layer and plant the plants.
-Water thoroughly and place moss around the plants.
-Once the pumpkins are planted, stack the medium one onto the larger one. Make adjustments to plants as needed so they top planter doesn’t crush the succulents in the larger pumpkin.
-If your tiny pumpkin isn’t hollow, you can use the knife to carve out a hole about two inches wide and two inches deep. A metal spoon may also be helpful for scraping out the foam.
Also, I use these tools whenever I am replanting my succulents.
Hens and Chicks and String of Pearls
Succulents Used in This Arrangement
Portulacaria afra (elephant bush) has been the only thing I’ve been able to grow in the tiered planter at our front door. I redo the planter a few times a year to help fill in the spare areas of the planters and I did the same when filling the pumpkin planters. I used small clippings of the elephant bush from the front door planter to add a little height in certain areas.
Senecio rowleyanus (String of Pearls) has been quite a challenge to keep alive. I’m trying a new technique that requires a lot of prayer and lullaby ballads. I will report back. For this arrangement, I added two strings into the mix but I’ll be honest, I don’t love it.
Crassula ovata (Jade Plant) is new to me. I read that it brings good luck and we could really use some good luck around here.
Graptosedum- this stuff grows like crazy and it’s so easy to keep alive and it changes colors.
It’s no secret I have a thing for succulents. Here is the last arrangement I made…a succulent Easter basket. Oh and don’t forget the paper succulent wreath I created last Fall.
I curated a little Autumn Shop with some of my favorite Fall things.
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