Gardener Turns Old Frying Pans Into A Tiered Succulent Planter With An Impressive DIY

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Whether you prefer to care for succulents inside or outside your house, you're clearly enamored with these quirky, drought-resistant plants. Often, gardeners give each plant its own small pot — and there's nothing wrong with that. However, if you're craving a more dramatic garden display, take a look at the tutorial by clever YouTuber Kaying Vang. They use three old frying pans and a few other common hardware store finds to create a large, attention-grabbing tiered planter with enough space for dozens of succulents.

Vang's impressive-looking planter is surprisingly simple to build. To mimic the idea in your own backyard, you'll need a large wok for the lowest tier. To create a waterfall effect with progressively smaller pans-turned-planters, get a medium-sized pan for the center tier and a smaller one for the top tier. If you can't find a large wok, you could sub in a large metal platter. This Deconoor Galvanized Metal and Copper Strip Serving Tray for about $28 would do the trick.

There are a handful of other supplies you'll need to DIY a thriving succulent planter — with Martha Stewart's expert tips or without them. Pick up an umbrella base secondhand or buy one new, such as this Roixeeds Round Black Steel Umbrella Base for around $14. Decide how tall you want your tiered planter to be and purchase one long metal rod to that measurement. You'll also need three shorter, wider metal pipes to fit between the base and all the pans. If you prefer, you could also replace the umbrella base with a large flower pot and a plumbing pipe. Finally, you'll need some Quikrete Concrete Mix, a 5-gallon bucket, and a strong waterproof adhesive, like WoldoClean Metal Super Glue.

Once you've gathered your items, prepare the pans by removing the handles and washing and drying them. After that, drill small drainage holes in the bottom of the pans and one large hole in the center that's just a smidge wider than the longest metal pole. Next, add water and cement mix to the 5-gallon bucket, following the cement manufacturer's instructions regarding ratios and timing. When it's ready, pour the cement into the umbrella base and its stem, or the large flower pot and the plumbing pipe.

Insert the longest metal rod into the umbrella stand stem or the plumbing pipe, making sure the rod isn't leaning to one side. Support the rod until the concrete sets, then move the base to the planter's permanent location. Thread the first short metal pipe over the tall rod embedded in the concrete, then add the wok. Secure the wok in place with the adhesive, then repeat the process for the other two pans. You're done!

Fill each pan with palm plant soil, like YouTuber Kaying Vang does, or go with a specialist mix like Rosy Soil Cactus and Succulent Potting Mix. Then simply fill each tier with your favorite succulents. If you're new to these plants and don't know where to start, you can get a box of 40 Shop Succulents Assorted Live Mini Succulents for a bit over $59. Once you've packed out the pans with greenery, you can consider other ways to decorate your tiered planter. For example, you could decorate the edges with river stones or grow dry-climate-loving herbs with your succulents and watch them both thrive.