Vintage Turkey Succulent Planter

H is for Holidays: Vintage Turkey Succulent Planter

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I have a thing for turkeys. It may sound crazy, but it’s true. I rediscovered my love of flea marketing and bargain hunting this summer and for some reason I was all about turkeys. I purchased several ceramic turkey planters over the course of the summer for a few bucks a piece. I am still regretting not buying an amazing pair of turkey salt and pepper shakers that I looked at. They would have been perfect for my Thanksgiving table this year. Darn!

I think my love of turkeys stems from my childhood Thanksgivings. You see my mom inherited a ceramic turkey planter filled with dried flowers and grasses and fake fruit from her own family. It has regularly made an appearance at Thanksgiving dinner and we have lovingly referred to it as “Grandpa’s Turkey” for most of my adult life. For many years, I thought it was the tackiest thing I had ever seen, but as I have matured “Grandpa’s Turkey” has really grown on me. This year I decided that I needed to create my own version. Here is what I came up with:

I picked up this hand-painted ceramic turkey planter earlier in the summer at one of the first flea markets I attended. I think I paid 2 dollars for it. Bargain! I have since done some research about my planter and discovered that it is a Napcoware turkey that was made in Japan. This piece most likely dates back to the 1950’s or 1960’s. A quick internet search found that there are many varieties of this planter and that they came in several different sizes, colors and finishes. I found a good selection for sale on both Ebay and Etsy for between $10 and $20 dollars a piece. Otherwise you might keep your eye on thrift stores, vintage stores, garage sales or antique fairs if you want to make your own.

Some of my flea market finds including the vintage turkey planter.

I placed some gravel for drainage in the bottom of my planter and filled it with a mixture of potting soil and perlite. I added one large succulent plant and then tucked in smaller plants around it.  Many of these small plants were babies that I had taken from my larger plants.  The different colors and textures filled this fun little turkey planter right up. This arrangement will be low maintenance. Occasional watering and some indirect sunlight should keep my vintage turkey succulent planter thriving well after Thanksgiving.

I just love succulents! They are fun and easy to grow and there are so many gorgeous varieties.  One of the most popular posts on Ava’s Alphabet this year has been the post on 4 Secrets for Successful Succulents. Click HERE to read more related to what I have learned about growing and caring for succulents.

So, what do you think about my vintage turkey succulent planter? Tacky or terrific? I have to say that it just might be a step up from “Grandpa’s Turkey”. You better watch out or you might just develop a year-round love of turkeys too! Wishing you and yours a lovely Thanksgiving holiday this year!

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