Upcycle Broken Planters Into A Stunning Succulent Garden Display

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

When it comes to gardening, terracotta planters offer a variety of benefits. Terracotta is porous and absorbs water, which makes it great for plants that love dry soil, like succulents. They're also flexible, with a variety of shapes and sizes to choose from based on your needs. However, terracotta pots can be fragile, particularly the budget-friendly ones, which can lead to breaks. If you happen to break one of your planters, don't toss the pieces — try your hand at this decorative DIY that repurposes a broken planter into an eye-catching succulent garden that elevates your yard's visual appeal.

Terracotta planters aren't the only ones you can use for this project. Consider the best and worst types of planters for your project before getting started. The planter's material affects the process, especially when filing down sharp edges, which differ depending on the material. Sanding down broken ceramic or terracotta can be quite different from sanding glass.

In addition to sanding tools for your planter, you'll also need just a few other supplies to complete your stunning succulent display. This includes any other accessories you'd like to incorporate, such as rocks, as well as your choice of plants and soil.

This project is one where you can truly let your creativity run free. The design can depend on many factors, such as the size of your broken planter and how many usable pieces you have. Aside from that, you have complete control over the appearance of your DIY garden display, and you can even combine multiple broken pots for more elaborate designs if you have them on hand.

To recreate this project yourself, start by choosing your main piece. This will be the largest surviving portion of your planter that will hold all the soil and plants. Next, add a base at the bottom of your planter with soil, pressing it firmly. This step is important, as loose soil could equal poor stability later in your project. From here, the steps can vary based on your ideal design. You may prefer multiple soil layers with fewer additives, or a terrace-like design using smaller shards as retaining walls. Whatever your vision, build this project layer by layer, ensuring everything is pressed into place before working on the next part. Finally, double-check your plants and shards, looking for any loose pieces that may fall later on. Add in any rocks or pebbles and finish this project with a gentle watering to help set everything in place. 

Picking the right plants is just as important as the right design and supplies. Depending on the garden display you create with your broken planter, you may be left with shallow soil that can't support all types of plants. That's why this project may be a good choice for a stunning succulent garden display: succulents have roots that do well in shallow soil. Although many types of succulents are easy enough for beginners to grow well, there are a few steps you'll want to take to help your new plant display thrive. This includes learning how to care for your succulents, such as their preferred soil pH or texture as well as their hydration needs — this can help prevent overwatering. You can also invest in soil specifically for succulents, like Miracle-Gro's succulent potting mix.

Succulents aren't your only option, though this project is best suited for desert-dwelling plants. Instead, there are a variety of other plants you can choose from that do well in shallow or rocky soil as well. This includes some ferns, flowers, and evergreens that let you customize the project.