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You Can Grow It: Making succulent planters

Succulents are so easy to grow and care for that they make a great way to begin gardening if you haven't had much experience growing plants.

BOISE - Want to get a little practice planting before you get into the real gardening season? Try an indoor succulent planter.

Succulents are so easy to grow and care for that they make a great way to begin gardening if you haven't had much experience growing plants.

If you're unsure how to get started, don't fret - there is a local class where participants learn about succulent plants, and then make their own unique planters to take home.

Telaya Wine Company hosts the always-popular (and often sold-out) Wine&Design classes.

Seasonal florist Dacia Hill teaches custom floral and plant design classes. At a recent class, about 30 women put their imaginations and creativity to work.

Some of them have never done anything like this before.

"I haven't, but I wanted to learn a lot about succulents," said one participant. "And this is a great opportunity to do that because it's just super easy."

Hill provides all the materials, including planters, soil and the plants.

"Before I start talking about how we are going to assemble the project, I want to tell you a little bit about the care of your succulents," she explained to the class. "You're going to notice that succulents look really juicy, or succulent, right? And that's because they're holding all the water and nutrients that they need in the plant."

Because they store water in their tissues, succulents can thrive without frequent watering.

"So you don't want to over-water succulents," Hill said. "That's the main thing I want you to remember."

The first thing they start with is the planters - in this case, pine logs about six inches long, with a fairly small, shallow hole drilled into the top.

"This is on purpose, so you cannot over-water your succulents," Hill said, explaining the purpose of the hole. "It's not even possible."

Then, everyone chooses one large succulent, including Echeveria, chicks and hens, and some types of aloe and jade plants.

Once everybody gets their plants and other materials, the rest is easy. Very soon, unique designs begin to take shape.

Besides making unique plant displays, those taking the class get a fun evening out with friends or family.

If you're interested in taking a creative floral design class at Telaya Wine Company, check out their website here. An upcoming class will feature making Kokedama, a Japanese art form for hanging plants.

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