Succulent Planters | Rotted Tree Trunk Pieces

Looking for a unique, natural way to display your succulents? Instead of traditional pots, why not repurpose rotted tree trunk pieces into stunning, rustic planters? This eco-friendly project combines the beauty of weathered wood with the vibrant charm of succulents — creating a one-of-a-kind display that’s perfect for your garden, patio, or even indoors. Plus, it’s a great way to give new life to fallen branches or damaged trees!

I’m so excited to share some easy succulent planters with you today! I could hardly wait till today to show you what I did with some more leftover pieces of my dead tree.

Have you seen the wood slice rolling plant stand? It’s perfect for wheeling around a large plant.

I didn’t show you the rotted pieces of wood cut from the same tree while putting up the picket fence.

I bought some succulents at The Home Depot to plant in this birdcage planter I found in a dumpster. But after digging it out of the garage, I decided I didn’t like it—well, I sent a picture to Jamie (my daughter), and she said it looked a little “busy.”

Gather Rotted Tree Stump Pieces

I’ve been saving some of these rotten pieces all winter, not knowing what to do with them.

How to make Succulent Planters out of Rotten Tree Stumps

But suddenly, I had a lightbulb moment when I got the succulents on the potting bench. The question was, how do I hold the dirt in the rotted tree trunk pieces?

Secure Screening to Hold the Soil in Succulent Planters

I was thinking chicken wire, but when I went to my stash to get it, I saw this hardware cloth and thought it was a better choice because the openings are smaller.

I used my staple gun to attach the hardware cloth to the rotted tree trunk.

Then, I used the tin snips to trim the excess hardware cloth.

A hammer helped to tap down the tips of the hardware cloth.

How do you keep the dirt from falling through the hardware cloth? I tried to use the plastic pot liner that the succulents came in, but it was not deep enough for this sizeable rotted tree trunk piece.

Line Succulent Planter With Plastic

Using what I have on hand is essential, so I used a piece of a potting soil bag to line the tree trunk piece. After placing the bag and soil, I used scissors to trim the excess plastic.

I chose the large succulent for the middle of this planter. Do you know what this plant is called?

Add Moss to Cover the Soil

I filled in the top of the dirt with sheet moss. This is where I fell in love with the planter!

More miniature succulents were used to fill in the gaps.

I seriously LOVE how this rustic succulent planter turned out.

The smaller rotted wood slice succulent planter was made the same way, using hardware cloth stapled and a piece of potting soil bag.

I filled in the voids with sheet moss.

Related Content: Nautical Farmhouse Succulent Planter

Do you love these as much as I do?

How about one more? I had a lot of succulents to use up . . .

I made this DIY birdbath years ago and thought it was ready for change. Adding soil to the birdbath and placing a small plastic pot holding the succulent made this an easy makeover. The succulent was a little top-heavy, so it needed to be potted. Adding more soil and sheet moss to make it all come together makes it a happy little camper.

So, there you have it! Three easy DIY succulent planters to help decorate my patio (when the weather warms). Which is YOUR favorite?

More unique succulent planter ideas:

• Birdbath with Artificial Succulents
• Rotted Tree Trunk Succulent Planters (you are here, thank you)
• Succulent Garden Decor and Tips
• Wicker Wall Pocket Succulent Planter
• Mop Bucket Succulent Planters
• Succulent Planters Made From Mop Buckets

Here’s another easy succulent planter–a clearance-priced wicker Easter basket.

See more garden ideas here.

Related Content: 120 Cheap, Easy, DIY Garden Ideas

gail