If you want plants that require little attention, a low-maintenance cactus dish garden may be just the thing. When complete, the garden should be placed in full sun and watered sparingly. Use a regular houseplant fertilizer during the plants' active growing season (March through September). Here's what you do:
Materials:
- shallow bowl-shaped planter
- pottery shards or mesh (to cover drainage hole)
- cactus potting mix
- folded newspaper and/or tongs
- decorative elements, such as driftwood
- top dressing--gravel, small shells or marble chips
- various cacti plants
Steps:
- First, cover the drainage hole in the planter with pottery shards or a piece of mesh to keep the potting mix in.
- Fill the planter with cactus potting mix. You may buy the mix or make your own by mixing two parts potting soil with one part sand.
- Start adding plants to the container. You may want to try various layouts and designs while the plants are still in their pots. Simply place them on top of the soil to see how they look.
- To plant the cacti, use a folded piece of newspaper or a set of kitchen tongs to remove the prickly plants from their containers. Wrap the paper around the base of the stems and ease the plants out of their pots; place them in the planter.
- Once all the cacti are planted, water the garden well to settle the soil and to eliminate the air pockets.
- Spread a top dressing of small shells, gravel or marble chips over the soil surface. Use a folded piece of paper to pour the dressing between plants.
- Add decorative elements, such as small pieces of driftwood or ceramic figures, if desired.
Tip: To keep cacti dust-free, use a soft paintbrush to gently brush dust and dirt particles away from the plants' spines and "hair."
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