You probably already know how much we love succulents! They’re all the rage these days because they’re easy to care for, and come in tonnes of different varieties and colors. For more info, check out our succulent post here. If you’re having trouble deciding which succulents to pick for your home, we’ve got our 10 favorite succulent varieties in this post here.

Here’s what you’ll be needing to make these super cute pots!

1) Oven-bake clay

2) Clay roller

3) Scallop edge cut from chipboard. This one was made using Clear and Simple Stamps Border Scallop Dies.

4) Clay shaping tools

Step 1: Roll the clay out until it’s 1/4 inch thick.

Step 2: Cut the clay into a long rectangle.

Step 3: Place the scallop edge on the clay rectangle and follow the scallops with your knife tool.

Step 4: Smooth the scalloped edges.

Step 5: Using a stamp of your choice, press the stamp into the clay.

Step 6: Gently peel the stamp away from the clay.

Step 7: Wrap the rectangle around a circle cut from clay to make a cylinder.

Step 8: Using a shaping tool, join the edges of the clay together.

Step 9: Use a straw to make a hole in the bottom of the pot.

Step 10: Bake according to package directions. Done!

 Photos and idea: Damask Love.

Succulents are beautiful plants that are very hardy and super easy to take care of. With their fat leaves and many different shapes, sizes, and colors, they look like they came straight out of a sci-fi movie! Here are our 10 favorite succulent varieties!

1. Kalanchoe ‘Pink Butterflies’

This gorgeous succulent is actually a hybrid of K. daigremontiana and K. delagoensis. It’s very drought tolerant and it produces hundreds of tiny plantlets on its leaves. Requires full sun to partial sun and water when the soil begins to feel dry.

2. Orostachys iwarenge ‘Dunce Caps’ 

Dunce caps is an unusual succulent that comes from China, and it’s definitely one of our favorites! Its leaves come in purple, blue, and green tones. This succulent needs full sun and produces orange and white flowers in the fall.

3. Crassula ‘Calico Kitten’ 

This is a succulent that’ll look great in a hanging basket. It has small leaves that trail from the pot as the plant matures. This plant loves full sun, and when watering, make sure you let the soil dry out completely before watering again.

4. Spiral Aloe 

This plant is very hardy, and it is native to Africa. Give it full sun or light shade and water it only once in a while. Make sure it has well-draining soil, too.

5. Pachyphytum oviferum ‘Moonstone’

Moonstones have round, pale-lavender-grey leaves and they produce flowers in spring. It thrives in cool temperatures and dry conditions. Place it in a sunny spot and only water it when the soil feels dry to the touch.

6. Echeveria ‘Afterglow’ 

This beautiful plant needs full sun and regular watering. Make sure it has well-draining potting soil, as the roots can rot if kept too wet.

7. Lithops ‘Living Stones’

No, they’re not rocks, but succulents! These plants resemble stones, and come in many varieties and colors. Some even produce beautiful flowers. To care for these out-of-this-world plants, they need very little water and a partly-sunny spot to thrive in.

8. Sedum morganium ‘Burrow’s Tail’ 

Burrow’s tail looks best in a hanging planter. Its branches can grow up to two feet long, and in the summer it produces red, yellow, or white flowers. It needs full sun and regular watering in summer. In the winter, water only once a month.

9. Moraea tortilis ‘Spiral Grass’ 

We’re sure you’ve never seen this succulent before! A great and unusual addition to any garden or home, Spiral Grass is native to South Africa. The leaves can grow up to 15 cm tall and it has white or purple-blue flowers in spring to late summer. It needs plenty of sunlight and moderate water.

10. Sempervivum ‘Virgil’ 

This purple beauty is a fast grower, and it thrives in full sun and little water.

Photos: Debra Lee Baldwin, Garden Share, Livin SD, Pernell Gerver, Flickr, The Palm Room, Ali Express, NS Succulents.

Aside from starting my own homestead and learning how to propagate hens and chicks, I have also taken an interest in growing succulents! Succulents are plants that have fat, fleshy leaves. They don’t need to be watered that often, since they store water in their leaves. Many succulent varieties come from dry areas of the tropics and deserts. Some succulents even have health benefits, such as aloe vera and the common houseleek.

(Common Houseleek)

Since all succulent varieties have similar needs, here’s how to take care of them:

1. Succulents need bright light. To figure out whether your plant is receiving enough sunlight, check the leaves. Some succulents will scorch if suddenly exposed to direct light. The leaves will usually turn brown or white as the plant dies out. A succulent that is not receiving enough sunlight will also start to stretch. It will have an elongated stem and widely spaced leaves. To fix this, you can prune the plant and provide it with adequate sunlight.

2. Succulents are actually pretty good at handling the cold. Since desert nights are cold, succulents thrive when nights are colder.

(Succulent cuttings)

3. Water your succulents regularly in summer, but in the winter, limit watering to every other month. Succulent plants are dormant in the winter. When your plant is over-watered, they are soft and discolored. To save it, you can check the roots. If they’re brown and rotted, cut away the dead parts and repot the plant into drier potting soil. You can also take a cutting and propagate the plant. To do this, take a sharp knife and cut away the part of the plant you would like to propagate. This could be a stem, or a leaf. Allow the cutting to dry for 24 hours until it forms a scab. Then, simply plant the cutting cut side down. You should see roots start to form in a few weeks. If you are under-watering the plant, it will stop growing and start to shed its leaves.

(Succulents in vintage teacup)

4. Succulents should be potted in a fast-draining potting soil designed for cacti and succulents. If you can’t find that type of potting soil, you can create your own by mixing a normal potting mix with perlite to increase drainage.

5. As for fertilizing, you can fertilize your succulents like any normal plants, but limit it only to summertime. Do not fertilize succulents in the winter.

(Purple Echeveria)

Photos: Cactus Jungle, Succulents and Sunshine, Hirondelles Blog, Etsy.