Succulent Hearts For Valentines Day

Having a bunch of succulents on hand from various projects, I wanted to create something special for Valentine’s Day. Rooting succulents is easy and I wanted to make the rooting process attractive as well as productive.

Succulent cuttings simply involves cutting a 3″ terminal branch and removing the lower leaves. Leave them out for a few days to form a ‘callus’, a hard, dry, crust at the stem cut. This will prevent the cuttings from rotting which can easily happen with succulents.

All these rooted cuttings will be made part of my spring containers.

I thought I would use hypertufa which is a lightweight stone-like material made from Portland cement, peat moss, and perlite. Read my post on a Hypertufa Party. But in the middle of winter, I didn’t want to get into a messy outdoor project so turned instead to Shapecrete. An easy to use clay-like material that you mix with water, I picked up a tub at Home Depot. Simply mix with water, and shape into your preferred shape, and it hardens like concrete. Watch this video on how to use it. Another product that I use for lots of craft projects is Wonderflex, a plastic-like composite material used in theater, puppetry, and costume making. Easy to cut and shape, I use it for lots of things.

Variety of cuttings from my succulent plants

DIY Succulent Hearts

Step 1

Shape strips of plastic called Wonderflex (available on-line)into a heart shape and fasten with a clip on a cardboard covered table. Attach the Wonderflex to the cardboard with duct tape all around the inside of the heart.

Duct tape attaches the heart to the cardboard — Duct tape attached the heart to the cardboard keeping the shapecrete from bleeding out

Step 2

Mix up your shapecrete according to the directions on the tub and smear into the heart forming a lip around the perimeter about 1/2 inch high. Poke some drainage holes with a dowel in the bottom.

I mixed the shapecrete in a disposal container with a paint stirrer — I mixed the shapecrete in a disposable container with a paint stirrer

Smooth out the shapecrete and poke two drainage holes in the bottom

Step 3

Let dry for at least 48 hours and peel off the plastic and duct tape

Step 4

Moisten some sphagnum moss and place in the bottom, inserting the succulent cuttings. Keep the cuttings moist, misting them every day and they will root in a couple of months.

Succulent heart finished — Finished Succulent heart

Step 5

I made three different sizes of hearts, ranging from 5″ wide up to 10″ wide. for a trio of hearts. Any shape will work though…..

For more projects with succulents, go to Deck the Halls-A Succulent Christmas and Pumpkin Treats-Decorating With Succulents.

A few of my cuttings I used in a succulent necklace

2 Replies to “Succulent Hearts For Valentines Day”

Such a marvelous product! One question- It looks when left to dry it is a flat surface-then when dry it looks like it has a dip in it for the plants, am I seeing wrong?

Love this! So pretty and unique. The best part is that they will continue to grow with very little effort and ready for planting outside in the spring.