By Beatrice Hawkins
Shaping succulents can be a tough but rewarding process.
Another interesting way to grow these amazing plants is in a ball or as a tower. To grow a ball, get two hanging baskets, line with a coir liner, fill well with potting mix, and tamp it down well.
Insert a piece of poly into the bottom of one of the baskets and push it up to the top so you will be able to water it from the inside out. Use this basket as the top of the ball.
Hang them up so you can cut planting holes through the liners and insert the plants. When you have the number and variety of plants that is pleasing to the eye, put a piece of ply or heavy cardboard across the top of 1 of the baskets and invert it over the other one. Carefully slide the cardboard/ply out and wire the two baskets together. Remove the chains that the baskets would normally hang from and attach a chain to the top of the ball.
Similarly, a cone lined and planted up, then tipped up will make a lovely, decorative spire or “tree”.
Maybe even a living alternative to a traditional Christmas tree. The different colours and types of plants will act as Christmas baubles and be a good talking point at Christmas.
*This is an old article that has been digitised so our readers have access to our full catalogue.
