Plus, they look great when paired with succulent arrangements. We appreciate you taking the time to read about this fall DIY. You can make the DIY desert soil by mixing regular potting dirt with perlite. Vermiculite tends to hold more water than perlite. It is most commonly used in medium and heavy soil mixes. When using plastic to line the wood, plastic also holds moisture in and does not allow water to permeate through the walls of the container. The succulent seeds are able to survive for many months without any moisture because they only require minimal water.