Easy Succulent Garden – Thrift Shop Find

Have you been to high end stores to look at “succulent” pots and planters? It's insulting how much money they're trying to charge for a succulent planter. Slap the name “succulent” on it and BAM, add $50 to the price. I liked succulents before succulents were cool; I've allowed many a hens and chicks to burn up in the desert sun, from my middle school days until finally, in my late 3os, I think I have succulents figured out. I want my dining room table to look cool with a succulent planter on it. Even more cool would be a succulent planter on my patio table. We all want to be cool kids, right? Here's how I turned a thrift shop find into an affordable and easy succulent garden, and you can too:

This post contains affiliate links. These are the supplies you'll need to make this happiness happen:

• A “Planter”, aka “Cool Looking Bowl” from the thrift shop. Mine was $2 at Deseret Industries in Fontana, CA
• Potting Soil. I used Miracle-Gro Potting Mix.
• Mexican River Rocks. You can get these in a bag at The Home Depot for about $10 or go to a riverbed and find some small stones. You'll have leftovers which you can use for other projects. If you come to my house, you'll see Mexican River Rocks everywhere!
• Succulents. Get twice as many small plants as medium plants. The smaller ones are cheaper, about $2.50 each, and they grow pretty fast and are easy to propagate. The medium succulents costs about $5 each and will help the garden look full without spending alot. I spent $16 on these particular succulents at The Home Depot.
• Optional: Drill and Ceramic Bit to drill holes in the bottom of the bowl for drainage. Get a Ceramic Drill Bit at The Home Depot.
• Suggested: Trowel and Gloves, to keep your hands clean.

Isn't this a happy little succulent garden? I think it looks pretty perfect on my patio table for summer.

Before you go and get all happy, just know this – dogs and cats LOVE to play with succulents as toys. To keep them away, I use Bonide Go Away! Rabbit, Dog, and Cat Repellent. I love finding natural pest repellents but the ones I use to keep the squirrels out of the garden are gross, with dried blood and urine and stuff in them. It's not exactly stuff you want in your succulent garden on the patio table while you're tying to eat ribs or carne asada.

For a succulent garden or potted plants, shake Bonide Go Away! Rabbit, Dog, and Cat Repellent on top after planting. Then water as usual. It seems to last a few weeks and the dogs get the idea real quick to leave the plants alone. I started using this 8 weeks ago on my larger potted flowers and for the first time in 8 years, I have potted flowers in my backyard because the dogs have continued to leave the plants alone rather than dig them up. Bonide Go Away! Rabbit, Dog, and Cat Repellent is made mostly with pepper, which irritates the pet's eyes and sinus so they'll “go away” but it isn't harmful. I shook some out while it was windy and I accidentally breathed some in – it made me cough and made my nose run but it wasn't bad. I do not recommend trying this on yourself! If you do ingest any poison or pesticide, be sure to contact local authorities. Bonide has a handy guide on their site for Emergencies. This post is not sponsored or anything – I just really like this product that I tried and it worked! It's not even an affiliate link…LOL

I hope you'll check out your local thrift shop to find affordable, pretty “pots” for your succulents and plants. Tell em all about your best thrift shop finds in the comments!