How to Create a Succulent Pumpkin Display

Turn an ordinary pumpkin into a living succulent display.

Here's what you'll need for this project:  

Pumpkin

Sphagnum moss

Succulents and seedpods (see next slide for ideas)

Spray adhesive

Clear crafts gel

Hot-glue gun 

Succulent cuttings will heal their raw ends and live off the plant's reserves while awaiting an opportunity to root. Properly cared for, your pumpkin may last for months; succulents will send roots into the moss within a few weeks.

Some succulents and seedpods we used in our arrangement:
• Left to right, top row: Senecio scaposus, Portulacaria afra 'Variegata', Graptosedum rosette, Sedum 'Blue Spruce', Jacaranda seedpods
• Middle row: Aloe vera, Sedeveria rosette, Senecio vitalis, Echeveria purpusorum, Magnolia seedpod
• Bottom row: Kalanchoe tomentosa, Crassula 'Baby's Necklace', Echeveria pulvinata, Sedum nussbaumerianum, Eucalyptus seedpods. 

To make the sphagnum moss adhere, coat the top of the pumpkin with spray adhesive. 

Before the spray adhesive dries (you want it tacky), press dry moss onto the top of the pumpkin, creating a layer 1/2-1 inch thick. 

Group the three tallest items slightly to one side of center. Use a clear crafts gel to glue cuttings and seedpods to the moss. Work from the center outward, packing items tightly. 

Using a hot-glue gun is a quick and easy way to attach decorative items to the moss. You can even hot-glue cuttings to save time. 

Aim for a mounded arrangement, with initial elements perpendicular to the top of the pumpkin, and shorter, smaller items angled outward. 

Protect a succulent-topped pumpkin from harsh sun, excessive heat, freezing temperatures, and rain. Spritz the plants once a week and give the arrangement bright, indirect sunlight by setting it near a window indoors or on a sheltered deck or balcony. Place your pumpkin on top of a quarter-inch-thick piece of cardboard to keep moisture from collecting underneath and rotting the pumpkin prematurely.