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Okay, so I had this funny thought the other day. I saw one of those plush cactus dog toys lying around – the dog doesn't even play with it much anymore. And it hit me, wouldn't it be kind of neat, or maybe just plain weird, to put an actual, real cactus inside it? Just for kicks.

Getting Started

First thing, I needed the right stuff. I already had the dog toy, a green plush thing shaped like a saguaro, more or less. It was soft but felt pretty sturdy. Then I went down to the local garden shop. I spent a bit looking for a really small cactus, something that wouldn't be too big or too prickly to handle. Found a little guy, I think it's some kind of Mammillaria, small enough to fit hopefully.

I also grabbed:

• A small bag of cactus potting mix.
• Some thick gardening gloves. Didn't fancy getting spines in my fingers.
• A pair of scissors and a small craft knife.

The Actual Doing Part

Back home, I got to work. First step was surgery on the toy. I decided the top was the best place to make an opening. Carefully, using the craft knife first and then the scissors, I cut a hole in the top "arm" of the plush cactus. Made it just wide enough to work with.

Then came the messy part – pulling out the stuffing. Oh boy, that white fluffy stuff got everywhere. I scooped out enough to make a decent cavity inside the toy, leaving some around the sides to help it keep its shape.

Next up, planting. I put on my gloves. Very important step, trust me. I carefully took the little cactus out of its plastic pot. Then I started filling the cavity inside the dog toy with the cactus soil. Didn't pack it too tight. Just enough for the roots.

Getting the cactus itself in was a bit fiddly. I had to gently push it down into the soil inside the toy. The gloves helped a lot here, protecting my hands while I positioned the little plant so it was sticking out of the hole I cut. I added a tiny bit more soil around its base to make sure it was snug.

How It Turned Out

And... that was pretty much it. I cleaned up the fluff and spilled soil. Stood the plush toy up on my desk. It actually looks pretty funny. You've got this soft, fake cactus with a real, spiky cactus popping out the top.

It’s definitely a conversation starter, I guess. Not sure how practical it is long-term for the cactus, might need to be careful with watering so the toy doesn't get moldy. But for now, it's a quirky little project done. Just a silly idea I had to try out. Makes me smile when I look at it.