A picture frame with succulents is perfect as a special eye-catcher. You can find out how to make the small vertical garden with succulents yourself here.

If you want to showcase your succulents perfectly, you should plant them in a picture frame

Anyone who only has a small apartment with little storage space is often limited when choosing their houseplants. Nevertheless, you don't have to do without your green roommates - by creating vertical gardens, you can not only plant indoor plants in the smallest of spaces, you can also set them off perfectly. How about a picture of succulents, for example? Due to their easy-care nature, the robust plants are perfect as roommates and become living works of art in the vertical garden. We have put together all the tips and tricks for you that you should consider when planting succulents in picture frames.

Which succulents can be planted in the picture frame?

Unfortunately not all types of succulents are suitable for planting in picture frames. Especially plants that usually grow long and upright are not suitable for the vertical garden with succulents because they do not find enough stability. Even deep-rooters will not be happy with the limited substrate supply. On the other hand, small, rather herbaceous or creeping succulents are better. The houseleek (Sempervivum), for example, is particularly popular because it is not only extremely robust, but also varies greatly in growth habit and leaf color depending on the species, making it wonderfully suitable for a variety of designs. But the Echeveria (Echeveria agavoides) is also wonderfully suited with its magnificent colors and its small growth height. But some sedum varieties (Sedum) such as the spatula-leaved bacopa (Sedum spathulifolium purpureum) also feel at home as succulents in picture frames.

The houseleek is available in many different variations

The right picture frame

In principle, any deep picture frame that is relatively stable is suitable for designing a succulent picture. You can use old or cracked picture frames particularly well. Because the coverslip forIf the picture frame with succulents is not needed, picture frames with broken or missing glass, but which are otherwise in good condition can be recycled. Ideally, the picture frame should be three to four centimeters deep, as this provides more substrate for the plants. However, it is important that particularly large picture frames are not too deep (maximum five centimeters), otherwise they quickly become too heavy and can no longer be securely attached to the wall.

What soil do succulents need in picture frames?

Succulents are considered to be particularly robust, but they have very special requirements for their soil. With succulents in picture frames, it is particularly important to use a suitable substrate, as the plants only have little soil. And this should therefore meet the requirements of the succulents as much as possible. This includes that the soil is loose but dimensionally stable, has good drainage properties, but can absorb water again even after it has completely dried out. In addition, the nutrient requirements of the succulents in the picture frame should be optimally covered by the soil. Unfortunately, normal potting soil does not meet these requirements - instead you should use special cactus or succulent soil such as Floragard cactus soil, which is adapted to the needs of the plants.

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Floragard cactus soil is ideal for your DIY project

Planting succulents in the picture frame: Instructions

Planting succulents in a picture frame sounds complicated, but it's really not that difficult. In fact, it only takes a few household products and a bit of DIY skills to create a succulent picture.

For succulents in the picture frame you need:

  • Deep Picture Frame
  • (rabbit) wire or a fine-meshed metal grid
  • Wire cutters and staple guns
  • Wooden nails and hammer
  • Moss
  • Succulent soil
  • Succulents
  • Planting Stick or Chopsticks

First, the chosen picture frame must be freed from its glass pane and the back wall and placed face down on the table. Then the rabbit wire is carefully cut to the size of the frame so that it can be stapled to the inside edge of the frame. Once the wire has been cut to fit, you can cut off the overhanging edges. Now the moss plates are placed on the picture frame with the green side down. You have to be careful of that as wellall edges and corners are well covered and sealed. For smaller holes or uncovered areas, you can simply chop up a sheet of moss to fit and fill in the areas. Now cactus or succulent soil is spread over the moss until the frame is filled to the top. In order to achieve an even result, it is worth shaking the frame gently from time to time. Next, the backing board - or, if damaged, a piece of chipboard cut to size - can be reattached to the picture frame. Small wooden nails, which are hammered in at regular intervals, are best suited for this. Alternatively, you can also attach the back with a good wood glue or something similar. Once the back is properly attached, you can turn the picture frame over so the green side of the moss is facing up.

Now it's finally time to plant: the succulents are carefully potted and their roots carefully removed from the earth. Using a plant stick or chopstick, poke a hole in the desired spot in the moss and carefully press the roots of the succulent into the soil. With larger plants it may be necessary to enlarge individual meshes of the wire with scissors in order to be able to place the plant appropriately. The plants are now pressed firmly and, if possible, individual leaves are draped under the wire so that there is a better hold. You should repeat this step until all plants are suitably draped.

Making a succulent picture yourself is not difficult

Here are all the steps for DIY planting succulents in picture frames again:

  1. Remove the glass and backing of the picture frame
  2. Cut the wire to size and attach it to the inner frame from behind with a staple gun
  3. Remove excess wire
  4. Place moss on wire without gaps and green side down
  5. Fill the picture frame with cactus soil to the brim
  6. Attach the back with nails
  7. Flip picture frame
  8. Repot the succulents and carefully remove the soil from the roots
  9. Prick holes in the moss with a plant stake and place the plant in them
  10. Press the plant well and push individual leaves under the wire for a better hold

Caring for succulents in picture frames

Succulents need a little different care in picture frames than you know from typical indoor plants. Especially in the first few weeks, the plants needspecial attention. So that they find the necessary hold in the substrate and don't just fall out of the moss, you should first keep the succulent picture lying flat for two weeks until the succulents have sufficiently rooted themselves. During this time, they should be placed in a bright location, but not in direct sunlight. After hanging the picture, you can water with a spray bottle. For this purpose, water is sprayed directly onto the moss about every ten days (if possible without wetting the succulents). In addition, liquid fertilizer can be mixed into the irrigation water once a month during the growth period. In winter, the watering intervals can be extended. Faded inflorescences and dead or diseased plants should be removed immediately - this not only looks nicer, but also prevents diseases from spreading.

Did you know that there are also succulents with flowers? We introduce you to the most beautiful flowering succulent species in our special article.

Many thanks to Floragard for the support!

Category:

Houseplants