Succulent Potting

Emma Payne
Mar 2
3 min read

Updated: Mar 23

Duration: 30-45 minutes

Difficulty Level: Moderate

We had a great time potting succulents and designing their pots. When I arrived the residents were ready and excited. Potting the succulents was similar to potting the amaryllis bulbs from the previous week, so the residents new what to expect. I had two new residents join us this week with a total of 8 residents participating. I had plenty of succulents so some residents were able to take more than one!

Understanding The Benefits

Succulents are especially beneficial for older adults as they take little care for maintaining and upkeep as they are resistant to pests and can grow without much water (Mainaam, 2020). It is not uncommon for older adults in residential facilities to have memory and cognitive deficits, which is why succulents are great house plants to keep in apartments (Wang & MacMillan, 2013). These plants will provide a sense of accomplishment and independence while also being resilient surviving if they are not watered as regularly as other plants (Scott et al., 2020).

Step By Step Process

Pre-activity preparation

Unfortunately during the time of year that I did this project, stores were not carrying many live plants. I visited a few places like Home Depot and Walmart but they only had online ordering in order to get live succulents and they wouldn't have arrived in time. I ended up ordering my succulents for the activity on Amazon which I wasn't sure about, but they ended up looking great! When they arrived, they were a bit shaken, so I used the potting soil I had to repot them with fresh soil and cleaned them so they looked fresh.

Choose your clay pot and decorate it

I brought small clay pots for the residents to pot the succulents in. Permanent markers were provided in order for the pots to be decorated and and designed for the succulents. Residents had a great time drawing on the pots and helping each other.

Choose your succulent

I had a wide variety of succulents that the residents were able to choose from. Due to having extra, there were a few residents that chose more than one to take back to their apartments.

Pot succulents

The residents used small plastic spoons to scoop soil into their pots due to how small the pots were. Once some soil was placed in the base of the pot, the residents took their succulents out of their potters and broke up the base of the soil in order to prevent the roots from twisting. Additional soil was placed around the top of the pot and residents used their fingers to pack the down soil in order to keep the succulent steady.

Key Benefits of this Activity

Cognition: A study by Han et al. (2022), found that when participants were exposed to indoor plants, they exhibited better performance in cognitive tasks compared to a control group. For residents, they will be able to keep these succulents in their apartments and see them on a daily basis.

Physical/Physiological: One thing about succulents is that they are great for cleansing the air and removing toxins in the air (Royal Horticulture Society, 2023). Additionally, the act of planting and caring for indoor plants provides opportunities for physical engagement throughout their daily routines (Wang & MacMillan, 2013).

Psychological/Emotional: Indoor plants have also been found to activate the same emotional response as cats and dogs (Cook, 2024). This positive stimulation, especially during the winter months with shorter days and colder temperatures, can boost older adults' mood (Cook, 2024). With regular exposure to their plants, the residents will also have an increased chance of lowered stress, anxiety levels, and improved relaxation (Conway, 2024).

Sensory: The manipulation of the potting soil, earthy smells, the various colors, patterns, shapes, and sizes, all provide positive stimulation during planting activities (Ausen, 2024).

Social: Lots of the residents shared stories about previous succulents that they have owned and which they enjoyed most. There were also several times where residents were helping each other decorate their pots and plant their succulents. This social engagement is great for the residents and can decrease loneliness and social isolation (Conway, 2024).

Resident comments:

"We look forward to this every week."

"This was a lot of fun!"

"I think this is a Hen and Chick. We used to have them back home."

Conclusion

This was a fun activity that provided individual plants for the residents that they will be able to keep in their living spaces. There were energetic conversations and encouragements from participants that made me feel like I am truly making a difference in their lives. I look forward to my time spent with them every week and will continue to until the end of my project.