If you have a plant lover in your life, trust me when I say this is THE gift to win them over. Show them how much you understand their plant love with this cutie succulent valentines. And hey, if you want to make one all for yourself, no one is stopping you from being your own secret valentine!
This sweet and succulent valentines is just what Dr. Love ordered for the winter blues. It’s a thoughtful and unique way to brighten up someone’s day.
A colourful collection of succulent cuttings set in a heart-shaped candy box will surprise and delight your lucky loved one, and it’s also just the right size to root a collection of cuttings.
Make your own DIY succulent cutting propagation tray for Valentine’s Day, and these beauties will be ready to head out to the garden by the time the frost has passed.
Here’s how I made this adorable heart-shaped plant valentine using succulents.
The Perfect Plant Valentine
It wasn’t easy, but I gave up sugar years ago to help reduce the inflammation that was causing me to have Fibromyalgia flare-ups. By “gave up sugar,” I mean that I stopped eating all sugar, honey, maple syrup, and fruit.
When I say, “It wasn’t easy,” it wasn’t just the cravings that were hard. I missed the celebrations that come with eating sugar. Two years’ worth of birthdays without even a bite of cake. Christmas cookies, pumpkin pie, and even cranberry sauce were left off my party plates. Since I love to celebrate, it has taught me to look for other ways to treat myself.
It’s a good thing I’m a gardener because there is no end to the treats found at a garden center! It’s hard to think beyond candy for decadent Valentine’s Day goodies. Of course, there are flowers and cards. I won’t turn down either of those.
I love turning little succulent propagations into the perfect Valentine’s Day plants. Just in case you are looking for the perfect gift for me this February, let me show you the way to my heart with this succulent valentines.
DIY Succulent Valentines
You might be surprised how easy this valentine is to make. Around Valentine’s Day, it’s pretty easy to find heart-shaped boxes. You can then head to the garden centre and get some small succulents or propagate your own to use as Valentine’s Day plants.
Materials
Make It!
You can make a succulent valentines with either small succulents in pots or with cuttings (my preferred method). If you have some overwintering succulents or overgrown succulents in need of dividing, those will work well.
When shopping for succulents, look for ones that are growing pups or have multiple stems. You can divide them up and root them for summer projects.
Remove all of the candy from the box and give it away. I won’t judge you if you eat it yourself!
Use the bamboo skewer to poke a hole in each one of the candy cells to provide some drainage.
Fill the candy tray with cactus and succulent soil mix and water it to give the water time to absorb before planting.
If you have potted plants, remove them from the pots and shake the soil off the roots. If the roots are long, give them a trim.
If you have plant divisions, remove them from the parent plant. Remove a few of the lower leaves to get a good stem to set into the soil. Allow these to dry for a few days before planting.
Arrange the succulents in the tray by varying the colour, shape, and size of the plants. Use a paintbrush to dust excess soil off of the leaves.
Fill in the spaces around the plants with reindeer moss to give the arrangement a finished look.
Care Instructions
Your succulent valentines is a great way to root and grow new succulents until they are ready to move to larger pots. Rooting them in the house around Valentine’s Day will mean they will have strong roots by May, when they can be used for a variety of projects.
Until then, water them sparingly and keep them somewhere sunny.
FAQ About Succulent Valentines
What does giving someone a succulent mean?
If you’re interested in the symbolism behind your gift, you will be happy to hear that succulents represent tenacity and endurance due to their ability to survive with little water. So if you want to represent your strong, enduring love, this is a good choice!
How do I care for a succulent?
While drought tolerant, succulents still need regular watering. Water your succulents when the soil has gone completely dry, watering until the soil is damp. Succulents prefer lots of sun, so place them on a sunny windowsill.
Ensure they’re potted in soil designed for succulents and cacti and in a pot with drainage holes.
What succulent has heart-shaped leaves?
There are a few succulents with heart-shaped leaves. A hoya heart is on large heart-shaped leaf. String of hearts is another popular one, with trailing often variegated heart-shaped leaves.
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