Jenn here, with a little behind-the-scenes fun from the recent fiesta shoot we produced for Cooking Channel. Using re-purposed Mexican food cans and assorted succulents, we created these super affordable favors for guests to take home at the end of the night. If you’ve ever re-potted a cactus or succulent, you know it can be prickly business! But with the right tools, you can create these pint-sized favors for your next summer bash without getting a scratch. Keep reading for full instructions after the jump!
To get started you’ll need succulent plants, empty cans, a hand trowel, tongs and a small bag of cactus potting soil. We found small, colorful cans on the Mexican food aisle of our local grocery store.
Begin by filling an empty can with a 1-inch thick layer of cactus potting dirt.
Using the tongs, grasp the stalk of the plant at it’s thickest point. Gently rock the plant back and forth until the soil has loosened from the pot. Still using the tongs, pull the plant out of it’s container and place it into the can.
Hold the plant upright with the tongs and carefully fill in the can with more potting dirt by hand. Once the plant is secure, you can add decorative rocks on top of the dirt. We used white gravel rocks from Camille’s garden. The greater variety of plants and cans you are able to combine will make for a more dynamic table display. Inform your guests that these plants need lots of sun, very little water, and send them home with the cactus of their choice!
{Bottom image courtesy She-N-He Photography and Design for CookingChannelTV.com, all other images by Jennifer Rose Smith}
That is awesome!!
The can labels totally make this DIY! Love the “fiesta” flavor.
What a festive and original favor! I’ll have to remember this for my daughter’s Cinco de Mayo birthday next year.
So cute! Perfect favors!
Oh my gosh, these are so great!! You guys come up with the best stuff! Just shared on my FB page.
Kristina
Nook & Sea
Very clever idea!!! Loved the combination of unique and colorful cans.
Thanks for all the helpful tips to prepare these wonderful pint-sized
succulent favors! D
Thank you for sharing such a fun and festive Fiesta Favors DIY idea and so doable for me!
What a cute idea! And perfect for the succulent collecting habit I”m planning to start. 😛 Would it be a good idea to hammer holes at the bottom of the can with a nail, for drainage?
clever, fun, great idea
way cool and now you can grow a pet TickleMe Plant that Moves and closes its leaves when you Tickle It! Just search TickleMe Plant Party favor
very very cute! I love the recycled cans, but wish to note that Hatch (as in “Hatch Green Chile”) is in *New Mexico* — not Mexico. They may seem exotic, but they are not Mexican 😉
cactus needs a permanent pot/home with drainage hole. period. otherwise it
will not last. don’t understand why people refuse to acknowledge this when putting out all the cute repurposed planter ideas. and putting a layer of rocks
on the bottom is not good enough….sharp drainage necessary. One extra
step, drill hole in can. Then it is no longer temporary.