These DIY cactus pots are looking sharp

22 Feb 2023

If you want to add succulents and cacti in your home, these DIY cactus pots might ‘prickle’ your fancy. With so many Resene paint colours to choose from, you can paint them any shade you wish to match your interior décor and colour scheme. Cacti only need watering every couple of weeks so if you’re after some low-maintenance greenery then this might be the plant for you, all they need is something colourful and stylish to grow in. 

What you need:

• Two stacking terracotta pots
• Resene testpot paintbrush, and a small craft paintbrush
• Cactus plants
• Potting mix
• Resene Aquapel and Terracotta Sealer
• Resene testpots in colours of your choice. Fleur used Resene Laurel, Resene Gondwana, Resene Quarter Parchment and Resene Double Pavlova.

Step 1: Start by sealing the terracotta pots inside and out with Resene Aquapel and Terracotta Sealer and let dry.

Step 2: If you’re using two colours, decide where the light areas of your pot are going to be and paint these with two coats of your chosen Resene colour. Fleur used Resene Laurel.

Step 3: Paint the remaining areas in two coats of another of your chosen Resene colours. Fleur used Resene Gondwana to create a shadow effect next to the lighter shade.

Step 4: Finish the painting by painting on some prickles or other patterns with a thin craft paintbrush in a Resene shade of your choice. Fleur used Resene Quarter Parchment and then painted over the prickles again while the paint was still wet with Resene Double Pavlova for a bit of colour variation.

Step 5: Once the paint is dry, line the bottom of both pots with stones, add in good quality potting mix suitable for cactus and succulents and add in your spikey friends.    

project and images Fleur Thorpe

Published: 22 Feb 2023