Can you plant Succulents in Mason jars or Glass Containers?

Succulents are extremely low maintenance plants and they need very little watering from time to time. This makes them ideally suited to be grown indoors as decorative plants. So,

Can you plant succulents in mason jars? Succulents can be grown in mason jars or in glass containers as long as you use proper succulent friendly soil, keep it near a window that gets adequate bright light and water the plant only when the soil is dry. However, as mason jars lack drainage holes you need to take certain extra precautions related to drainage.

Table of Contents

Why you should grow succulents in Glass containers or Mason Jars

Succulents have a unique appearance that instantly elevates the ambiance of any particular place. If you grow it in a transparent glass container, the visibility of the soil and some of the roots will make it look even more striking. Most succulents do not do well under humid conditions so putting a lid over the glass container/mason jars is not needed at all.
You can easily grow succulents in Mason Jars and use it to gift someone! The gift will be extremely unique and everyone likes a touch of greenery in their house.
They will provide a soothing touch to your home and the glass jar effect will be extremely eye-catchy.

Are Mason jars good for plants in General?

Mason Jars are excellent growing mediums for plants as they provide an extra classy touch to the plant.

Some plants like the Succulents are extremely sensitive to overwatering and don’t like damp soil, they prefer to have superior drainage friendly soil and drainage holes in their pot. However, as mason jars like most of the glass containers, do not have holes at the bottom, you need to do the following before putting the succulent in the jar:

Use a High-quality Cactus mix for growing Succulents or any soil Composition that facilitates better drainage
Use pebbles and small stones at the bottom of the jar to further facilitate drainage.
Give an extra layering of horticulture based charcoal over the layering of the pebbles. This will facilitate better drainage and keep harmful pests away.
If possible try putting a hole at the bottom of the jar using this guide. You can then keep the plants over a tray before watering and simply get rid of the water. The watering needs of indoor plants are extremely low especially for succulents, so maybe you will have to do this thrice a month maximum which won’t be tedious.

Which plants grow well in Mason jars and glass containers?

Almost all kinds of small-sized indoor plants can be grown in mason jars.

Make sure you are aiming to grow plants in Mason jar that are Small Sized i.e. won’t grow up to be huge.

Here are some Best plants for Mason jars:

Cactuses
Succulents
Most kind of herbs
Mosses and Ferns
Air Plants
Tomatoes
Small Flowering Plants like daisies, chamomiles, etc.

How to grow succulents in Mason jars? Can you plant Succulents in pots or containers without Holes?

You can grow succulents in pots or glass containers not having drainage holes as long as you take some extra precautions as succulents hate damp soil and commonly dies because of root rot.

Use a drainage friendly store-bought cactus mix soil or you can prepare your own soil at home. Mix equal portions of potting soil with coarse sand, volcanic rocks, pumice, and you are done.
Water them only when the soil of the jar is truly dry. I can’t stress how important this step is!
Use a moisture meter for that regard if you have a problem determining its dryness. When in doubt choose not to water as succulents can put up with under watering but not with overwatering.
The best part about using a transparent container for growing succulents is that you can easily observe the soil and roots and judge whether they look dry or damped.
When watering the succulent do not pour large amounts of water to give it a good soaking. You can only do that with pots having drainage holes. Water them carefully just enough to make the whole soil evenly wet.
Keep the mason Jars beside a window that gets bright sunlight throughout the day or on balconies. Most succulent like the filtered indirect sun.
Always keep an eye over your succulent especially at the beginning stages to see whether it is showing any signs of stress or not.

How to make a Mason jar Terrarium

Items needed:

Mason Jar (Obviously)
Succulent of your choice
A cactus mix potting soil (In case you wanna prepare your own soil mix at home follow this guide)
Pebbles and Decorative stones
Trowel
Activated Charcoal for gardening

How do you plant succulents in a glass jar?

Thoroughly wash the mason jar with soap and water and let it dry.
Start by placing the pebbles and decorative small stones at the bottom of the jar for about 1 to 1.5 inches depending on the size of the jar.
Now add about 1/2 inch of crushed charcoal on top of those pebbles right before adding the soil mix.
Add the soil mix to few inches and then put the plant into the jar carefully. Add the extra amount of soil.

If you have made drainage holes at the bottom make sure to add mesh tapes so that the small rocks and soil do not ooze out of the container with the water
For the final touch, add decorative rocks and pebbles above the soil layer if you want. You can also paint decorative patterns on the jars.
Place the Mason Jar in a place that gets sufficient indirect sunlight. Remember never let direct sunlight fall onto the Mason jar as that will end up damaging the plant (Glasses can act as a magnifying lens and cause scars on succulent plant surface).
Wait for two or three days and let the plant get adjusted with the new environment before watering it.
Bonus step: Take the jar with the succulent planted in your hands and feel the weight of the jar. Try to remember this feeling as the weight will be a little heavier after watering. So you can determine if your succulent needs watering or not by this simple trick as well.

Extra Bonus Tips for Growing Succulents in Mason Jars

Remove dead leaves and fallen off branches on a weekly basis as they invite fungal gnats.
You can gift this cute looking succulents in mason jars and while gifting, tie a bright-looking bowstring around the jar.
Whatever you do never overwater your succulent because that will lead to root rot and will kill the plant slowly. So be cautious of this!

FAQ

Can you plant succulents in a teacup?

You can plant small succulents in teacups but chances are quite high that they will outgrow the container within months.

Take some good looking teacups, make a small layering of pebbles inside, put cactus mix soil in it, and plant the leaf or stem cutting into it.

Make sure not to totally fill the cup with soil as succulents some space to breathe. Water the succulent when the soil feely dry to touch.

Conclusion

Succulents are magnificent plants to have indoors and to sum up the question, “Can you plant succulents in mason jars?” Yes, you can grow them in mason jars and their unique appearance coupled with the mason jar will make it an eye turner.

Plant small succulents that do not grow above 3 feet tall. Trim off the excess branches from time to time to keep it in shape.
Planting succulents in containers without drainage has its risks as succulents are sensitive to overwatering. As long as you put that extra layer of pebbles at the bottom, place them in a room that gets sunlight and water them when the soil is dry, things will be fine.