How to Make Desert Garden Planters

Choose a container that is two to four inches deep. Any shallow dish, pan or tray can be used. Use ceramic or terracotta dishes or bowls for aesthetics, although plastic will work as well.

Purchase different cacti or succulents in two-inch or three-inch pots. Choose upright varieties, spherical types and plants that sprawl.

Set the pots on the surface of the container to experiment with different designs. If you would like a view that includes all sides of the planter, place tall plants in the center and shorter types around the edges. A one-sided design places tall plants in the back and shorter ones in the front. Strive for a natural look.

Remove the pots from the container and fill the bottom with 1/4-inch of pea-sized gravel. Add cactus soil and gently tamp down until the soil reaches 1/4 inch from the container's rim.

Lay newspaper on a flat surface. Wearing gloves to protect your hands from cactus spines, take one plant, tip it gently on its side and ease the plant out of the pot with the tongs. The soil may crumble away from the roots but it can be reused during planting.

Make a hole in the soil with your thumb deep enough to cover the roots of the plant in its intended place. Using the tongs, set the plant in the hole and adjust so that the soil will cover the roots without covering the plant itself. Fill in with the soil, tamping it down around the plant.

Repeat the process of removing a plant from its pot and placing it in a hole in the container until all plants are set in the intended design.

Adjust the plants until the design looks attractive and each plant is centered in its space. Apply water and drain off any excess water from the top of the soil.

Add sand to cover the soil and place any decorative items on top of the sand. Place your completed desert garden planter on a sunny windowsill.