terrarium

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Terrarium How-To

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Terrariums came of age with the Victorians and are enjoying a newfound resurgence, fueled in part by their affordability and the continued interest in all things gardening. A terrarium is a collection of small plants growing in a clear, sealed container. It can serve as a unique decorative object or an educational piece, as it can illustrate how an ecosystem works. Within the terrarium, many different natural processes can be observed including photosynthesis, respiration and the water cycle. Since it is sealed, the water is constantly recycled, passing form liquid form to gas and back again.

WHAT YOU NEED

• A transparent container: Can be dome shaped, teardrop shaped, cylindrical, rectangular, etc.. just make sure it is made of glass so that sunlight can seep through.

• Small stones or gravel

• Decorative stones (optional)

• Peat moss (optional)

• Plants – I recommend succulents, as they are easiest to take care of and are small enough to fit   inside a small terrarium. Pincusion cactus, Jade plant, moon cactus, aloe, hens-and-chicks, etc.

• Desert sand

• Potting soil

• Gloves

STEPS

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  1. Clean your chosen container with water and dry with a towel.

     

  2. Place 1-2” of gravel/rocks at the bottom – this can include rive rocks or decorative rocks.

     

  3. Place a layer of potting soil mixed with desert sand on top of the rocks. You can mix some peat moss in if you like.

     

  4. Place a layer of desert sand on top of the soil, compact & spread out evenly.

     

  5. After deciding what plants go where, dig a small hole with a small spade into the layers, placing the plant inside. Make sure that you compact the sand around the plant, completely covering the roots and lower parts of the plant. You can do this with existing layers or with extra rocks or moss. Be cautious when planting various cactus plants – they have sharp needles! You may want to use some thick gloves or other gardening tool to place them inside.

     

  6. Disperse peat moss (optional) around the plants, filling in the holes.

     

  7. Water the plants to where there is an inch of water at the bottom in the gravel.

 

CARE

Place your terrarium in an area with bright but indirect sunlight. Succulents need as much as 6 hours of sunlight a day. Lightly water the plants every 2 weeks. If you would like for your plants to grow, you can use fertilizer or plant food.

Enjoy!!!