Succulents in Shoes- DIY

I saw the Croc planter below on Pinterest (originally sourced from here and here.) It was so cute, I thought that "up-cycling" old shoes would be fun. (I didn't consider the lack of drainage in old shoes until now... hmm.) 

Also, kids can plant something in their old shoes and see what happens. Grab one shoe from each member of your family and have a little representation in the garden. Next year, when your shoe succulents are overflowing, tell your friends to bring an old shoe over and you'll make them a planter. (Either that, or you'll make a fine succulent swimming pool.)

Succulents grow like crazy and they don't take much work. They like hot weather, but even here in zone 5, mine multiply and fall out of their pots every spring.

To do this project, you'll need:

• 1-3 different types of succulents
  
• Potting soil
  
• Moss
  
• A container, a shoe in this case

1. Cut out the tongue. I used meat scissors to cut the tongue out of my shoes. This allows the succulents to grow through the laces. The laces keep the integrity of the shoe, both visually and functionally, so everything doesn't fall out.
   
2. Stuff the toe with a little moss for drainage
   
3. Fill the shoe with moist potting soil and add moss wherever the soil needs a little support
   
4. Pack the soil in a little more, and add more
   
5. Use your finder to poke a hole where your succulent roots are going in. You only need 1-2 of each starter, as they will self-seed next year.
   
6. Tuck the succulents in and cover the roots. Place the shoes in the sun and water gently. 
   

Next year, you can vertically hang the shoes on the side of the house or just leave them in their natural state at the back door. You can act surprised when your guests ask what happened to your shoes.