These cork planters are super sweet. They are easy to make and make awesome fridge magnets. We also think they’d make for great upcycled gifts. Got a wine or plant lover on your list? We’ve got you covered.
These cork planter fridge magnets make for a quick and easy DIY. They’re simple to make and only require wine corks, magnets, some soil and succulent clippings. For tools you will need a hot glue gun, a pairing knife and a screw driver. If you’ve been saving your wine corks for a special project then you will love these cork planters. If you are having a special bottle of wine be sure to set aside the cork and make a special memento from it in the form of a succulent cork planter!
Step 1. Assemble your corks and get out your pocket knife or kitchen paring knife. We recommend working over a box or newspaper to contain the cork carvings.
Step 2. Punch a hole in the cork with the head of a screwdriver.
Step 3. Take the paring knife and wiggle it around, carving out a hole into your cork.
Carving tip – Your hole should go about halfway down the cork.
Step 4. With a hot glue gun, affix magnets onto your corks.
Step 5. Fill your mini cork planters with soil.
Step 6. Plant your succulent clippings into the cork planters.
Step 7. Place your new magnets onto the fridge and admire your new cork planters!
Do they live? Do they have to be watered?
Hi Hannah, yes they do live 🙂 I water mine by spritzing them with a water sprayer. Succulents need very little water so once a week or so is adequate.
These are so cute! 🙂
How did you clip your plants? Was there any special technique you used to ensure they continued to grow?
Hi Kristin, succulents are not very fussy. Just clip of a piece (I look for the new growth/off-shoots) and plant it in soil. More often then not it will grow 🙂
Succulents are pretty forgiving and love to be propagated. One thing to know is that it’s best to wait at least 24 hours between taking a cutting and planting it, which allows the cut to “callous” and not get infected when it’s planted. That being said, some will do fine going straight from a plant into the ground, particularly the “woodier” plants
It looks awesome!
Those planters are amazing 😉 It’s really simple to plant those succulents but your idea is really unique.
Great idea Juds!
This is great & I have lots of those plants so many that I give them away once they over grow the pots .. I want to start planting them in ugly fields lol .. But it gets 9n the 100’s in the summertime here in calif.
these are so cool. I’m making them for my mum at Christmas. thank you, thank you, thank you and merry Christmas. 🙂 <3
Where can I get succulents? Will hens & chicks work?
You can get succulents at your local nursery. They will work best as they require little water.
This is total awesome!!! The plant look so adorable.
What is an alternative for the mini plants? Please suggest. Thank you
Alternatively cacti could work. The plants must be very hardy and require little water.
Thanks Judy but what I meant was what could be an alternative for the plants? Could it be some fake flower tops? paperclip designs?
I am really interested to know your ideas. I already have wine corks and would like to have my weekends more fruitful. 🙂
Hi Mark, absolutely, those ideas all sound great. some more options: cork magnet toothpick holders or try inserting an old marker lid to make the cork magnets friendly for fresh plant clippings 🙂
You can also try airplants instead succulents! They need very little water.
So unique! I adore this idea!
Maybe an alternative to the fridge would be to put them in a framed piece of tin or metallic backing and hang them on a wall.
Thats adorable!
I have filing cabinets in my room so I want to put some there where I can enjoy them most. 🙂 you could also put them on cabinets at work! I think I will do that one too… I better get more corks.
Such a cute idea!
I use a dremal tool to hollow them out also wear a dust mask and safety glasses
What a great idea I going to do this very soon, thanks
These are great! Did you use any rooting hormone or pre-root them before planting? Fantastic way to keep live plants away from the animals! Also, would you share where you found the small round magnets? Thanks for posting – I see spring in our forecast this weekend!
Try Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Almost any craft store will carry the magnets.
I knew there was a reason to keep all those corks! great idea. Also like putting a pen tip in for fresh.
What a clever idea!
Just wondering, how fast would the succulents or cacti outgrow those little corks?
Ours grow fairly slowly so you should be good for quite some time 6 months – 1 year
nice and amazing idea. i will make some of them with my kids. Thanks for sharing.
Love them. Will have to try.
Hi! Your amaizing idea has been featured on my top 5 DIY’s post of yesterday. Thanks for sharing <3
http://2ndfunniestthing.blogspot.com.es/2013/09/diy-ideas.html
How will these fare in an office with no windows?
Succulents are fairly low key and super hardy so I’d say give it a go 🙂
and how do u actually stick plants inside, the soil suppose to go after??
Hi Ekaterina, it requires a bit of finesse but essentially you put a bit of soil, then the plant, then top with more soil. Enjoy!
Can you use the plastic corks that come in cheap wine or only really cork?
Hi Kate, real cork works best.
I’ve made some with real corks and they look great! But I have like 15 plastic corks to use also… will the plant not grow as well in the plastic or is it worth a try?
I think that the plastic corks are harder to core out. Plus I believe that the cork corks relax and stretch out so will absorb a tiny amount of water.
Too bad I only drink red wine. That stain can’t look good for this project.
We used some red wine corks. Just put the stained end on the bottom. If you still don’t like it you can ask a restaurant for their corks 🙂
I also only drink red. It doesn’t really hurt the looks. I used the stained side up and it is just an accent to my little garden. Most hobby stores (Michael’s or Hobby Lobby) carry the corks. I bought a little pack of “Replacement Bottle Corks” at World Market. 6 corks were $1.99. Cheaper than the wine!
Adorei a idéia de plantar as suculentas nas rolhas. Vou tentar fazer. Ficam lindos os enfeites. Muito grata pela sua geniosidade. Feliz Natal. Yolanda Guimarães.
Sooooo many uses, thanks
I love these! Thank you for the great idea!
Very cool . So very cool. I’ll have to keep my eyes open for plants now. Wine corks, I’ve got lots of, I enjoy fruits of labor 🙂
Did you use regular potting soil, or a mix specifically for succulents/cacti?
We used regular potting soil.
Hi there, great project! We included your mini cork planters and a link to this post in a roundup of some of our favorite DIY wine crafts here: http://clubveritas.com/pressed/10-plus-wine-craft-projects/ and while I haven’t yet completed this one, it’s on the list. Thanks for putting this together.
Awesome roundup, thanks for including us!
I see above that you said it will last 6 months to a year in the cork. What visible signs will I see when they need to be replanted into a bigger pot? And how much water do you use when watering each? (like one spray of water per plant?) Do you spray the cork, or spray into the soil, or both? Do they not need to be by a window for light either? Thanks
Hi Jessica, succulents like natural light but not too much water. A few drops a week into the soil should suffice. If your plant starts toppling out of the cork then replant it.
Cute as bugs in a rug.
FYI, It’s “paring” knife, not “pairing.”
Oh thanks Jules! We fixed that up 🙂
These are adorable! My sister in law recently asked me to start a jade plant for her with clippings from one of my larger plants and this is the perfect gift idea to help her get her own little plant started!
I just made one! took no more than 10 min. Only I didn’t use your method of carving. I stuck a fat drill bit in my power drill it was done in seconds. Super cute. Thanks for sharing
Can you tell me what size magnet you used? I love this project!
Look for one that fits on the cork without peeking through on either side 🙂
Love these! I am going to stick them with glue onto a rough piece of old wood, drill 2 holes in the top of the wood, attach a piece of rope & hang it on the wall!
These are great so far…I’m in the process of making some to give as wedding favors. Little tip- I drilled the holes in mine using my wireless drill and finished about 50 in half an hour.
What type of drill bit do you suggest?
We don’t use a drill for this. Just the head of a screwdriver (any will do) to poke a hole and then carve with a knife.
Loved the idea, I have a garbage bag of corks I have been saving for about 20 years, just waiting for the perfect idea. I have 4 on my refrigerator along with a small perfume atomizer filled with water and I put a magnet on that too. My 10 year old loves to water them. My next project the back wall to the Bar area, I cant decide if I should cut them in 1/2 or use the whole cork???
Dana G
great idea…what type of soil do you use ??
Potting soil 🙂