Gardener Turns Popsicle Sticks Into A Cute Mini Wood Pallet For Succulents

Not everyone has the space for a massive, sprawling garden, but what should you do if you're particularly low on room? Making a succulent garden is a popular choice, as there are plenty of small succulent species that are both easy to care for and beautiful. If terrariums and pots aren't to your liking, consider trying out this adorable craft from Garden Answer on YouTube. She used popsicle sticks to make a miniature wood pallet, then planted succulents inside it. Using wood pallets as planters is a tried and true gardening hack, but this tiny version is a fun alternative if you don't have room outdoors. To make your own you'll need some popsicle sticks, scissors, glue, waterproof sealant, growing medium, and succulent cuttings. You may also want garden mesh or landscape fabric to hold the growing medium in place.

Making the miniature wood pallet is quick and simple, as the popsicle sticks can simply be glued together in the same pattern that wood boards are nailed together to form a full sized pallet. The part that might be a bit trickier is growing succulents in it. Look for small or slow-growing succulents to make the most out of your pallet garden, such as living stones (Lithops sp.). Alternatively, use your mini pallet to root your succulent cuttings, then transplant them into larger pots when they start outgrowing the pallet. What succulents you choose will also determine the ideal growing medium to fill your pallet with, so be sure to look up care guides before starting.

Start by using your scissors to trim the rounded ends off of the popsicle sticks. This will give your finished pallet neat edges with no odd overhangs, although you'll need to be sure you're cutting each stick at the same place so they're all the same size. For the pallet, prepare at least 14 popsicle sticks. Next, grab super glue, hot glue, or another strong adhesive and start putting your popsicle sticks together. Lay two popsicle sticks down flat, then add one popsicle stick to each end, connecting the two. The second set of sticks should be on their sides rather than flat. You can add a third stick to the middle as extra support. Add additional flat popsicle sticks on the tops of those pieces, running parallel to the first two flat pieces you placed down. Glue them firmly in place, then flip the pallet over and add more flat popsicle sticks to the back to finish it off.

Coat the entire pallet in a clear sealant to protect it from absorbing moisture when you water your succulents. Fill the pallet with your growing medium, optionally adding landscape fabric to the bottom and back gaps to reduce spills. Garden Answers used sphagnum moss, but you can also make your own potting soil. Then, carefully poke a small hole in the medium between the boards. Place the end of a succulent cutting in each hole so that they can begin to root, nestling it in carefully so it doesn't fall out.

Garden Answer's original mini succulent garden is cute and easy, but you should feel free to make it your own. One simple option is to paint or stain the popsicle sticks before putting your pallet together, giving it a prettier look. Make sure the mini pallet is sealed completely, though. You won't want the paint to peel or warp when you water your succulents. Which succulents you choose and how you arrange them will also make your pallet garden more unique. Admittedly, there is a limit to how creative you can be with plant choice, since many plants won't thrive in a space that small. You could give yourself a little more room to work with by using longer popsicle sticks or attaching some popsicle sticks end-to-end to craft a slightly larger mini pallet.

If you love the look of the mini pallet garden but aren't sure you're up to the task of picking the right medium and caring for the plants, there's another option. Use or craft mini faux succulents, then glue them to the pallet. Using this method, you could branch out into other flowers and plants that normally wouldn't grow so small as well. You could try adapting this DIY paper towel flower hack to a smaller size, use air dry clay, or look for toy plants that could be repurposed. This also opens up more options for decorating with your mini pallet garden, since you wouldn't need to worry about sunlight or drafts.