DIY: Pumpkin Succulent Arrangement

 

I love Halloween! Sometimes though, I don't feel like going to all the trouble and mess of cleaning out and carving a pumpkin. This year, I thought I'd try creating a succulent-topped pumpkin. You can use this for fall displays both indoors and out and keep it through Thanksgiving for a table centerpiece. 

Note that the project is easy, but I would not recommend it for small children as the hot glue gun can cause minor burns.

Level: easy   Cost: inexpensive   Use: gardening/holiday decor 

Materials:

- pumpkin

- succulent plants

- Spanish moss or reindeer moss

- hot glue gun and extra glue sticks

Step 1: Gather your supplies and plug in your hot glue gun. Make sure your pumpkin is clean and dry.

Step 2: Break/cut the stem off the top of the pumpkin and then drizzle a circle of hot glue around the stem area. Working quickly, press the moss down on the hot glue. Be careful not to directly touch the glue yourself.

Step 3: Trim branches off the succulent plants and strip the lower leaves off. Starting with the larger succulents first, then work to fill in around them. Place them around the moss area first before gluing them in to see the effect. Re-arrange as desired. 

Step 4: Finally, glue down each succulent into the moss layer. You can then evaluate and fill in any bare spots you might see. Be sure to step back occasionally to look at the arrangement from above and all angles for balance and even distribution.

You can also watch a quick video how-to of this project on TikTok.

Tips and Care:

• The trimmed-off lower leaves from the succulent plants can be use to propagate more plants by laying them on top of slightly-moistened soil in a small spot placed in a sunny window.
• After you are done displaying the pumpkin, you can carefully peal off the succulent cuttings and stick them in soil. Not all will successfully root, but many should.
• The pumpkin can be broken down afterwards for its seeds and flesh for making pies, puree, etc. or you can just compost it.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a few pennies from Amazon.

This is a monthly blog series on DIY projects for the beginning home gardener. Look for the other installments in this DIY blog series by putting "DIY" in the search box here at washingtongardener.blogspot.com. 

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