Introduction: Make a Micro Eggshell Planter Out of Cement for Tiny Succulent Plants!

By www.puppetjunction.com

I loved the idea of using something that is traditionally regarded as fragile, like an eggshell, to make a micro cement planter for succulents. Cement/concrete is usually associated with strength and solidity, and the juxtaposition really appealed to me!

So I set out to make an egg shaped planter, using an egg shell as my mold and cement as my planter material.

Supplies

  • Something to protect your work surface
  • 1 egg, carefully emptied and cleaned - you should have 60% of the eggshell to work with
  • Little scissors for trimming the eggshell
  • 1 small cup to push into the egg and make your planter cavity (I used a cough medicine cup)
  • Vaseline
  • Empty mixing container and stirring stick
  • Quick-dry cement and Water to mix into it
  • Sand/dirt picture for plant
  • Tiny Succulents in need of a home
  • Optional: Egg Holder for both working while making the planter and for displaying

Step 1: Preparing the Eggshell Mold

In order to make this planter you need to carefully crack and use (or discard) the contents of the egg, keeping about 60%-70% of the shell to work with as my mold. Once the egg was out, I cleaned and dried the inside of the shell, and used very small scissors to delicately cut the top all the way around. You want to make sure the cup you will use to push into the cement (in my case a small cough syrup cup) fits inside the shell.

Step 2: Lubing It Up for Easy Release

Next, using my fingers and Vaseline, I carefully lathered it into the inside of the egg shell, as well as the outside of the small plastic cup (in this case, the cough medicine cup). Be gentle with the eggshell! If you break it, you can always make another :)

Step 3: Mixing the Cement

Then, I carefully mixed the cement with the water (as instructed in the package of the cement) in the empty mixing container with the stirring stick, and poured it into the empty egg shell - almost halfway full. Next, I slowly pressed the plastic cup into the egg shell allowing the excess cement to spill over the edges out of the eggshell. I pushed it as far as I can. I let that sit for about 24 hours, allowing the cement to fully cure inside the eggshell.

Step 4: Removing the Plastic Cup and the Shell

Then, I carefully slid out the plastic cup, allowing the extra pieces of spilled over cement to fall off while doing so. Any breakage that happened up at the top only enhanced the look of the planter, as the egg shape and the ragged edges made it look very real in the end. Once the cup was out, I gave the planter another 24 hours to fully dry the inside now. Next, I carefully peeled the shell away from the cement planter and let it sit out another 24 hours to harden and fully dry.

Step 5: Finale Step: Make a New Home for Your Succulent!

Once it was fully dry, I was able to put some dirt into the planter - I used a mixture of 50% sand and dirt. I put baby succulents in the dirt and set them up in their new home. You can display it with the egg holder or by itself 0 either looks great! I made two, and they sit in my kitchen and are just adorable.

I carefully mist them with a little bit of water every few days and they’re doing great!