Container Gardening for Dummy

Last spring, several Home Improvement/Decorating blogs were a frenzied with hanging succulent gardens created with Whirly Hanging Candleholders from CB2. Cute, to be sure. I was reminded that during college, I invariably had a hanging fishbowl that I fashioned out of a clear glass replacement light globe I snagged at the local Ace Hardware. I wrapped the lip with wire, and suspended it from the ceiling using a plant hook. It worked wonderfully, and was the happy home to a series of gold fish and betas (after I figured out that gold fish DO NOT do well in tiny enclosed spaces). When I moved to California, I took my suspended fish tank with me, and it hung in the kitchen of the first house I lived in, where it promptly sat neglected and became a happy home for massive amounts of algae. At some point, a rowdy roommate smashed the globe, and that was that.

After seeing the various incarnations of the hanging succulent garden using the Whirly Hanging Candleholders, I figured that my hanging fishbowl idea would work just as well, so I trundled down to my local Ace Hardware store and picked up three clear glass replacement light globes. Then to Home Depot to get some succulents ($1.79 each) and some Miracle Grow Cactus and Succulent Mix potting soil. I also got some polish river rock for aquariums (a bag of small pebbles and a bag of large pebbles).

First, I took some malleable wire and wrapped the lip of the glass globe around 5 times. Before twisting the loose ends together, I took (2) 4" lengths of the same wire and looped it under the wire around the rim--these pieces would later be used to attach the globe to some chain. I twisted the ends around each other as I pulled the wrapped wire as tight around the lip as I could.

After the wire was attached, I placed about 1/2 cup of the small river rock in the bottom of the blog. Then I scooped in about a cup and a half of the Cactus Mix potting soil. After removing the succulent from its retail holder, I loosened the roots and broke away some of the potting soil, and then placed the succulent in the globe. Since the opening for the globe is quite small and my Big German Hands are big, it took quite some maneuvering to get it placed and settled. I really gently mixed some of the potting soil with the small river rock pebbles, to provide for good drainage. After I felt the succulent was sufficiently anchored, I covered the leaves with an inverted plastic soufflé cup (any small cup would work) to protect the leaves as I sprinkled in some larger river rock pebbles along the surface of the soil. Although the larger pebbles are for aesthetics, I think they make it look purty. When all three succulents were planted, I gave them a thorough watering, and cleaned the inside of the visible glass surface.

I wanted to put my succulent garden in the arched south-facing window in the foyer, as it gets excellent light year round, and is visible from the street/parking pad and is a favourite perching spot for the kitties. I found the center of the window and inserted a swivel ceiling hook into the arch frame, and then put two more hooks equal-distance from the center hook. Next, I attached some chain to the globe, using one of the 4" lengths of wire I had inserted into the wrap before twisting the wire tight around the lip of the globe. A few twists and wraps, and it was secured. I then figured out how far I wanted the globe to drop, and cut the chain and secured the other side of the chain. I did this for all three globes. After I was done, I marveled at my cute little garden and vowed I would do my best to keep them alive. Since they're succulents that love light and warmth, and require infrequent watering, there's a good change I might not kill them right away. Keep your fingers crossed!

The hanging garden! The window is double-paned, and there's some spotting between the panes from condensation, so I promise you the inside and outside of the window is nice and clean--it's between the panes that isn't. And there's no way to clean between the panes without breaking one of them. Drat.
This is Crassula Argentea Compacta, or Compact Mini Jade. The neighbour to the left used to have massive jade plants, but for some reason they killed them off over the last year. Tis sad, as I'm sure the plants were at least 50 years old.
This is Echeveria 'Ramillette.' It reminds me of artichokes.

This is Graptoveria 'Moonglow.' As the leaves die, they turn a nice pink-orange (notice that one is already dying. Poo).
Click for more pictures of the succulent garden.