DIY Clay Cactus Plant

Are you a brown thumb who can’t even keep low maintenance cacti alive? This DIY Clay Cactus Plant is easy to make and impossible to kill!

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Today I’m sharing one of my favorite former Darby Smart projects.  This DIY Clay Cactus Plant is a fun one to make!  If you don’t have the best luck with cacti, like I do, this is probably a safe option for you (and the plant, too).  The first time I made this project, it was out of sheer boredom. I was sitting on my couch one Saturday afternoon, bored out of my mind.  Like most episodes of boredom, I started to explore my stash of craft supplies.  I found some clay and starting working with it. 

Looking around the house, I also found a small terracotta pot and some white gravel.  I ended up crafting a simple cactus shape out of the white clay. Then, I baked my clay cactus, painted it green, and used a white paint marker to paint “spikes.”  I filled my terracotta pot with gravel and popped my clay cactus into it.  And there it was – an easy clay cactus plant that was virtually impossible to kill!

It wasn’t long after initially making this project that I launched it as a DIY kit on Darby Smart. This project quickly became one of my most popular DIY kits on the website.  Soon after that, it was featured on BuzzFeed. Definitely a major highlight in my blogging and DIY career!

This project is easy enough for kids and perfect for those of us who just can’t seem to keep our plants alive. Supplies are minimal and so is the time it takes to put this altogether!  It’s definitely nice to have a plant in my office that doesn’t need sun or water, and won’t die!

SUPPLIES

• 2 oz. package of white oven-bake clay
• Green acrylic paint 
• White gravel
• White paint pen
• 4 inch terracotta pot
• Paintbrush

STEPS

1. Soften the clay in your hands.  Mold your clay into a cactus shape. Use one larger piece for the body and two smaller pieces for the cactus arms.
2. Follow the instructions according to the package and bake the clay cactus.  Allow clay to cool before proceeding to the next step.
3. Paint your clay cactus green and allow paint to dry completely.
4. Add “spikes” to the clay cactus with a white paint marker. 
5. Then “plant” your new cactus in a small terracotta pot filled with white gravel and display.

Cute, isn’t it?  Create your own clay cacti garden in various shapes and sizes!  You’ll never have to worry about killing a plant again!

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