From herbs to exotic plants, indoors or outdoors, our Radix urban planter has been designed to transform with the seasons. This is why we have decided to give our planter a fall makeover by adding a personalized succulent arrangement to our Montreal showroom.
Follow this step-by-step tutorial to create your own arrangement in your Radix urban planter or any other type of pot or container you have on hand!
Choosing your
succulents
Before we begin, here are some tips that will help you choose the perfect combination of succulents to achieve the look you desire while making your arrangement easy to maintain.
Colour
According to Succulents and Sunshine (THE website for succulent enthusiasts), 3 colour schemes should be favoured: monochrome, complementary and analog.
- The monochrome scheme aims to use several shades of the same colour (e.g., pale green, medium green and dark green).
- The complementary scheme refers to colours that are diametrically opposed on the colour wheel (e.g., red and green, blue and orange or purple and yellow).
- The analogous scheme aims to use colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel (e.g., blue, green and yellow or red, purple and orange).
It is important to note that the ideal scheme will vary depending on your decor. For example, since our arrangement will be placed in front of a bold wallpaper, we opted for a monochrome scheme, which has a softer and subtler look.
Whatever you choose, keep in mind that the colour of the pot also counts: for example, you could combine blue, green and yellow succulents with a neutral pot, or blue and green succulents with a yellow pot. Let your creativity run wild and don’t hesitate to add colour to your space!
Height
According to Succulents and Sunshine, the perfect arrangement comes from a combination of 3 sizes of succulents: large plants that stand out (nicknamed “Thriller”), small plants that can be used as a base or to fill holes (nicknamed “Filler”) as well as plants that spill from the pot (nicknamed “Spiller”). Opt for plants of all shapes and sizes to create an arrangement rich in textures and contrasts.
Needs
Before choosing plants for your arrangement, make sure that their needs are compatible. We recommend this list, which contains information about sun, water and temperature requirements, expected growth, non-toxic and pet-safe plants, and much more.
We also really enjoy the PlantIn app, which allows you to identify any plant using your phone while offering personalized maintenance plans and disease management advice.
Tutorial
You’ll need:
- Your Radix urban planter (or another container of your choice)
- Your selection of succulents
- Succulent potting soil
- Scissors
- Gardening gloves
Instructions
1. Start with a solid base
Cover the drainage hole to prevent soil from getting lodged inside. You can use a piece of newspaper, paper towel, door or window screen, a coffee filter, or even drywall tape.
2. Add the potting soil
Add succulent potting soil using the biggest succulent of your selection as a guide. Do not use garden soil; succulent potting soil is specially designed for succulents and promotes adequate aeration and drainage.
3. Test out your arrangement
Before you plant your succulents for good, we suggest that you test out your arrangement. Place the plants in your container (keep them in their nursery pots to make this step easier) and move them around until you are happy with the result. Leave several inches between the succulents so that they can develop fully.
4. Plant!
Before you begin repotting the succulents, put on your gardening gloves to protect your hands. Remove the succulents from their nursery pots, being careful not to damage the roots. Place them in the pot in the desired location, then cover the roots of each plant with potting soil.
5. Add the finishing touches
Use a small brush to remove excess soil from the leaves. If necessary, spray a little water on the smooth leaves and wipe them with a soft cloth.
If you wish, you can decorate the potting soil with gravel, pebbles or sea glass. Feel free to personalize your arrangement by incorporating accessories that match your decor. Voilà! You’re done!
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