Rabbit Ridge Berry Farm

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Rabbit Ridge is now offering (in limited quantities) everything you need to create your own one-of-a-kind living succulent wreath or topiary. You can choose between a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles made with either Hardy Succulents (safe to leave outside in temperatures as low as -15° F) or Soft Succulents (brought inside for a lovely winter wall hanging or centerpiece).

Succulent wreath and topiary kits contain:

1 ready to use sphagnum peat moss wreath or topiary form

1 bag of floral pins to hold the succulents in place while they are rooting

1 paper bag of succulent cuttings and/or rooted plugs (enough to cover your preferred form while still leaving some room for them to grow)

How to Create a Living Succulent Wreath or Topiary

Step 1: Soak your base form until the sphagnum peat moss is fully saturated, and then let it sit for a few minutes while any excess water drains.

Step 2: Decide on a rough arrangement for your succulents. You can always change things around while you’re working, but this will give you an idea of where to start.

Step 3: Use a sturdy, blunt instrument to poke a hole in the moss large enough to fit the base of the succulent (we use a pen or a thin bamboo stake). Some hardy succulent rosettes may be flat on the bottom, in which case they can be laid directly on top of the moss.

Step 4: Insert the succulent into the hole you’ve made and press the moss firmly around it, then pin the succulent in place. The pin should go around the succulent leaves (but if you have to poke it directly through a leaf or two, it won’t hurt the succulent).

Step 5: Continue around the moss form, leaving ½ - ¾ of an inch between the outside edges of the succulents so that they will have room to grow. TIP: Begin with the largest and/or prettiest succulents placed where you want them, and then fill in the gaps with the smaller succulents.

Step 6: Leave your wreath horizontal for 1-2 weeks while the succulents are rooting, and hang it when none of the succulents feel loose.

Step 7: Enjoy your new creation!

How Do I Care For My Succulent Wreath?

Light: Most succulents need a lot of sunlight, so plan on growing them outdoors in partial sun or indoors in a room with direct afternoon sun. If your colors begin to fade and the succulents start to look ‘leggy’ and stretch out in search of sunlight, you can place your wreath somewhere with more direct sun for a few days before moving it back to your preferred location. We hang ours on an East facing wall so they get morning sun, but the wall shades it from the hot afternoon heat of our NC summers.

Water: A maintenance routine of soaking your wreath in a large dish or saucer for 10-20 minutes, and then allowing the sphagnum peat moss to fully dry before soaking again will let your succulents develop deep and healthy roots. If displayed outside, the wreath or topiary can be misted or watered between soaking during the hotter months. It is important to pay attention to the moss as it will dry out much faster during the summer months than it will in the winter.

Pruning: As with all living things, your succulents will continue to grow and change over time, and you may eventually need to give them a ‘haircut’ to keep them looking their best. That is easily done with a pair of sharp, clean scissors, or just pinching of new growth by hand. Keeping the center of the wreath trimmed will give the entire arrangement a tidier appearance, while the outside can be left to grow longer and more wild.

So now what do I do with all these cuttings? You’ve just pruned your succulents and now you’ve got all of the removed tops – DO NOT throw them away! The succulents we offer for wreaths and topiaries are easy to propagate, and with the smallest amount of effort can go on to become brand new plants to be planted outside, kept in containers, shared with friends and neighbors, or used to create another living wreath! Start with a shallow dish (you can use an egg carton lid, a plant saucer, that old Tupperware container you lost the lid for…) and add 1-2 inches of potting soil. You can use a seed starting mix, MiracleGro or coconut coir with added perlite, anything gritty and well-draining. Lay your cuttings on top of the soil and water just enough to keep the soil moist (but not wet!) and new roots should form in 1-2 weeks. When you see lots of little white roots, you’ve propagated your first succulents. Congratulations!