Introduction: Living Heart Succulent Planter

By

This succulent heart makes for a beautiful centerpiece or decoration inside or outside. It can be placed in a pot or sprouting straight from the ground in your garden. We created this heart in honor of our friend who is waiting for her Heart TransPLANT, get it? EM this one is for you!

Supplies

1 Pot min. 7" circumference x 6.5" height

Rocks or gravel for bottom of pot

12 or more low growing, flat topped succulents and ground cover succulents (the more the better)

3 Sheets of paper

Ruler

Pen/Pencil

Scissors

Tape

min. 12" x 9" x 1.5" block of wood

Jigsaw cutter with wood blade

60 grit and 120 sandpaper

14ft of 12 gauge Galvanized Wire

5" length x 0.5" inside diameter aluminum tube

Wire cutters

Pliers

Green vinyl coated poultry netting

Heavy duty, PVC coated, garden training wire

4L Long fibered sphagnum moss

8qt Potting mix for succulents

Step 1: Create Heart Template

1a. Draw half a heart on your paper with max hight of 9", 6" wide, and center height of 7 1/4"

1b. Cut the half heart and use it to cut a second half heart.

1c. Tape both together at center.

Step 2: Create Heart Mold

2a. Use your paper heart template to draw it on your block of wood

2b. Using a jigsaw, cut the heart out at a 0degree angle

2c. Use your ruler to draw a heart inside of your cutout at 1" from the edge

2d. Cut at the inside heart with your jigsaw cutter at a 45degree angle

2e. Sand edges

Step 3: Shape Wire Heart

Cut 7ft of your 12 gauge wire with your wire cutters. Bend the center of your wire and place it at the dip of the heart and tape it down. Shape the rest around your mold and twist it at the bottom. Use pliers if needed.

Step 4: Shape Basket

4a. Place poultry netting on top of mold and shape down. Cut netting around the mold leaving some left over.

4b. Flip mold and netting over and place wire heart on top. Using the garden wire, weave netting and wire together. Cut excess netting and fold down tips to create a cleaner edge.

4c. Flip mold with netting again and press the netting down on mold to review shape. If needed, use garden wire to tighten the dip of the heart into shape.

Step 5: Repeat Step 3 & 4 to Create a Second Basket

Step 6: Fill and Close

6a. Line both baskets with Sphagnum Moss. Press down tightly to form a layer that is partially sticking out from the netting.

6b. Fill the rest completely with soil, water it, and fill some more until both baskets are tightly compressed and completely filled.

6c. Use a cardboard or thick paper to flip one of the baskets on top of the other without spilling its contents and then remove it.

6d. Weave both baskets together with the gardening wire.

Step 7: Set in Pot

7a. Weave the aluminium tube (5" length x 0.5" inside diameter) into the twisted wires at the bottom. Place the pot on the side to guide the height of the bottom bends. Bend the wires to create legs fitting tightly on the bottom and sides of the pot.

7b. Fill half of the pot with rocks or gravel for weight and the other half with soil.

Step 8: Add Succulents

Use your finger or stick to open a hole in the moss and dirt and insert the root of succulents. You can use a stick to further help you push them in. If the roots are too big, you can open up space in your netting with the pliers. The roots will grow and attach more securely with time.

Step 9: Enjoy!

Heart Contest

Second Prize in the
Heart Contest