How to make your own Kissing Ball or Wreath :

Below you will find instructions on how you can make a Kissing Ball to hang in your home. You can use this information as a base for creating your own wreath; just make a tube of netting or old pantyhose, fill with soil and connect the ends to form the base of the wreath. Then....

You'll want to start about 10 - 12 weeks ahead of the time you want to display your succulent ball (or any other succulent mosaic you are creating).

Okay, you get some netting- you can probably use the netting that fruit comes in, fill it with soil (not dirt) until it is the size and shape you want, pull it closed and secure the closure with something small, like heavy-duty staples.

Take cuttings of your favorite little succulents- they should be about 1 or 2 inches long. Cut the stem cleanly and allow to sit in a shady spot (in the garage or potting shed) for about a week. This allows the cut to scab over. Once the scab is apparent you can push the stem into the ball of soil. You might want to use a pick or awl or something like that to help the stem to glide in. Try making a pattern of some sort to add intricacy and interest to your project.

*We tend to leave the top 1/4 of the ball unplanted, and set it on this end while it is growing in. Once the cuttings are well rooted, you can suspend the ball and add additional cuttings to the empty area.

When the ball is covered with succulents, allow it to sit for about a week. Then start misting the leaves every few days so they don't dry out.

After about three of weeks of this, the cuttings should be growing roots. If you tug on a cutting and it doesn't pull out immediately, you're looking good!

The succulents will grow in as the roots develop, giving you a nice, plump, firm sphere. When it gets near to the 8 week mark, you can start to give your sphere a good dousing of water. You can submerge it in a bowl of water for a few minutes, allowing it to take up lots of water.

Take it out and it won't need another watering for a week or so, if you area isn't too dry.

We loop a piece of strong wire through the top of the ball to form an attachment from which to suspend the succulent ball. A wide, rich ribbon to hang the ball from will be a nice finishing touch.