Succulent Wall Planter (What An Amazing Idea!)

Succulent gardeners always try to come up with new methods of growing these beautiful plants. One brilliant method is succulent wall planters. Is it even possible to plant succulent as a wall planter.

Let’s find out in this article about everything you need to know about succulent wall planters.

What is a succulent wall planter?

You could plant the succulents in individual pots and then hang on the wall. However, you could also plant them in wall planters and display them in a larger area of the wall.

If you wish, you could make it smaller too. No matter if you make it smaller or larger, succulents will grace the entire location and will look even better when you plant them vertically.

outdoor succulent wall planter

There are easy and affordable ways to display succulent wall partners outdoors. You could utilize a handmade wooden shelf with several levels for this project.

Alternatively, you could use a metal shelf. Moreover you could also utilize long plastic planters.

You could make different ledges depending on your wish. You could make it simple or in a complex way as you wish.

No matter what, you should provide enough draining holes into that. When you make this, you could choose the cascading succulent so that it will give an impression of a living wall.

Ledges could be up near a wall or even leave it freestanding. You need to have them to support the succulent wall planters. That will avoid transferring the weight and the moisture to anywhere else.

Indoor succulent wall planter

You could use frames to showcase succulents in an attractive vertical manner. Frames would usually not be larger than 20X20 inches ( 50X50cm).

Many people use it for grouping and make them look larger. You could cover them with wire to hold the soil.

The intention is to let the roots form to hold the soil once you place it vertically.

For example, if you take Sempervivms , you could use it as a plant material for little living walls.

They form a firm root system to hold soil in. you could find them in various colorful rosette formations.

Further they could withstand different weather conditions as well. If you wish to add more color and interest , you may combine this with a plant like stonecrop.

You should keep the little living walls in frames horizontally until the roots can hold the plants firmly.

Things to consider

You need to consider the desired location, plant type and the sizes of them when you are planning to make a succulent wall.

Desired location (out door, indoor)

First you need to figure out where you are going to place it. If you are selecting an indoor place, you need to select plants which would thrive in low light conditions.

When it comes to outdoors, you need to select plants which would thrive in outdoor conditions.

Plant types

You may use succulents such as Sempervivum and Echeverias for this purpose. Those are the rosette type plants.

The prime reason to select these is that they can thrive in tiny little spaces. You could use these two types of plants as they have various colors and textures.

In other words, Sempervivum arachnoideum has an immense contrast when you grow them with Sempervivum calcareum.

On the other hand, you could see Echeveria secunda has a great contrast , when you plant them with Echeveria ‘Pearl von Nuremburg.

Size of the planter

You could utilize rosette type of plants mainly for this activity. In addition to that, you could use plants such as sedums and crassulas occasionally.

When you have decided on a frame, you need to select what type of succulent you should use depending on the size of the frame.

Consider that you are using rosettes, then you would want approximately about 130 cuttings to fill the frame.

When the wire mesh is about half an inch in diameter, that will limit the size of the stem which will fit in the mesh. You could alternately cut the mesh so that you can fit larger stems when you want to.

When you are arranging a living picture frame cutting. Usually you obtain the cutting from offsets or stems, especially from plants such as echeveria, sempervivum, sedum and crassula.

When it comes to rosettes, the diameters could change from half and inch to two inches. When you use the stem, you could cut about a quarter of it from the length.

Material needed

Succulents

succulent box frame
Landscaping plastic
Hot glue gun

Sphagnum moss
Wire mesh
Staple gun

Scissors

Complete guide to build a succulent wall

First, you could trim and place a layer of landscape plastic which could fit inside the shadow box frame.

You should ideally make the landscape plastic piece a little larger than the base of the shadow box. If it is essential, you can always trim the excessive part.

Secondly, you may use the hot glue gun to position the landscape plastic properly. You may use all four edges of the plastic and use your fingers also to place it properly.

When you notice that the plastic is firm there, you can use scissors and trim the excessive parts around the edges.

Thirdly, you could fill the shadow box base with sphagnum moss. You could add an adequate amount of them so that the box is full.

You could shake the shadow box and distribute the moss evenly. By adding this, succulents would be getting the right amount of moisture which is essential for them to thrive.

Fourthly, locate the wire mesh to fit the shadow box’s frame. Once you cut the wire mesh , you should place it onto the shadow box frame to ascertain that it perfectly fits.

You could even extend it onto the frame edges. If you are confident that you have the perfect size, you could use a staple gun along the edges and secure the mesh’s correct positioning.

Afterwards, you may trim the roots of the succulents prior to planting. That will ensure a proper growth and a better succulent wall garden.

You may remove the excess soil manually. That will also help to plant the succulents easily through the wire mesh.

Next, you could place the succulents in the shadow box. You should first use your fingers and make space for the succulents.

Then you may locate the succulents there while pressing them into the moss.You should fill the entire shadow box by doing this..

After that , leave them until they start to root. Place the succulent frame flat while not exposing for direct sunlight for approximately about four weeks.

Usually the new roots will develop from two weeks to four weeks. Then you may hang your wall garden where it can get moderate to bright sunlight.

There will be drainage available on the frame. Hence, you should water them adequately to make the soil moist to the base of it.

Avoid making it soggy though. You should place the frame in a partial shade and under filtered sunlight. It must have good air circulation.

After about one week, it will be dry. You could put a toothpick and check the moisture level. Moreover, you may leave it for another 2 more days to dry and then resume watering them.

After about four to eight weeks they would be rooted firmly. You could ascertain that smooth tugging does not make any impact on the plants.

You could call this as establishing the plants in the containers. When you see that your plants are well stable, you may hand them the way you want it.

How to take care of the succulent wall

Watering

You could water them once a month. It could vary if you live in hot and dry conditions. When you water you need to place the frame on a table and then moisten the soil.

wait for another couple of more days before you hang it. After two days, the succulent picture will be dry. Unless, it will be too heavy with the wet soil. keep in mind not over water.

You may mist the display once a week. The moss will thoroughly enjoy this light misting.

Light

You could locate this plant whichever the way you want to have it. You could use a picture frame bracket.

While there could be some who wish to hang it on a nail whilst using the frame edge. If you are worried about the moisture on the wall surface, you should take necessary actions to safeguard it.

Best is to provide them with full sunlight or partial shade. Do not expose this to intense sunlight. It is better if you could provide filtered sunlight.

For that you may use an overhang, patio cover or even a close by tree.

On the other hand, if you expose them to little sunlight , they will tend to bend towards the direction where they can grab sunlight.

As a consequence of that , discoloration would also take place. Moreover , if you expose them to too much sunlight it will also affect them badly and they will start to stress.

Fertilizer

Succulents in general are easy to care for. They want only little water and little fertilizer compared to most of the plants.

Further, it is important to feed them less, since you are growing them in a confined place and you do not want them to grow faster and bigger.

You may use an all purpose water soluble fertilizer to feed them. You should feed them once a month and should only use a quarter of the dose.

Once the plant gets older and mature, you need to prune the plants. If at all, it will be necessary for you to even replant the frame. you should replace the dead plants with new plants.

In addition to that, you should protect this from harmful insects and from bugs too. Keep taking care of this and do the necessary steps to protect it when it is essential.

Trimming

In terms of maintenance, you need to prune and trim the plants. If you spot any dead plants or unwanted plants you need to remove them as well.

Bugs

Aphids attack – They could also damage the plant and could cause to develop black sooty mold which is harmful for the plant.

Mealybug Attack – They usually form on the leaves as white cotton spots. They could develop mold and will make the plant vulnerable for more diseases. You need to treat this with a fungicide immediately.

Ants invasion – Whenever there aphids and mealybugs are present on your plant, you will get ants that also land on the plant and harm them.

How to build a large succulent wall

First step would be obtaining the succulent cuttings. You should obtain a succulent cutting from a plant one day prior to you doing this process.

You should take off the bottom leaves so that you could get 1-2 inches long stems available. New roots will develop from those stems.

Leave the cuttings to get dry in a tray for one day or two days. so that they will become callous.

Secondly, you should place hardware cloth on top with the frame face down. After that you may staple the cloth to frame edges.

Thirdly, you have to create the shadowbox frame. This will add depth to the picture frame back. It will be beneficial for the soil and for the succulents as they could act as the planter.

You should cut the cedar according to the frame back dimensions. Afterwards, nail the box together and stick at the frame back.

Next, you could stick the plywood backing to the shadow box. Leave until it dries.

Fourthly, you should add soil. when you could spot the backing board is dry, you may fill the box with potting soil.

Then add them on top of the hardware cloth. You may push them through the mesh while using your fingers.

You could be tactful in shaking the frame so that the soil will evenly position. Keep on adding more soil to fill the box until the wire grid.

Next, you may place the succulent cuttings. To do this, you may push clipping snips through the grid and in the potting soil mix and create a hole.

You could use chopsticks or pencils instead of clipping snips. Then go ahead and place the succulent cuttings in the holes. .You should fill the entire shadow box by doing this..

After that , leave them until they start to root. Place the succulent frame flat while not exposing for direct sunlight for approximately about four weeks.

Usually the new roots will develop from two weeks to four weeks. Unless, they tend to fall out once you hang them.

Avoid watering them for the first two weeks and from the third week, you may resume watering them lightly.

Finally, showcase the nice work you have done. You can ideally hang the succulent art you did on the wall.

Otherwise , you may keep it on a table or even on a shelf and then prop it opposite to the wall. You should provide them bright indirect sunlight.

If you place it outdoors, you should protect it from direct sunlight, particularly in the afternoon. If you place it indoors, locate it near to a bright sunny window.