A terrarium is a fun way to garden indoors. Terrariums are easy to build. Here are tips and instruction on how you can do it.
A terrarium is a fun way to garden indoors. Terrariums are easy to build. Here's how.
You will need a glass container with a top that can be closed. The neck should be wide enough to get dirt and plants through. Good candidates for the container might be an aquarium, an old cider jug, or a large water cooler bottle.
The bottom layer of the planting medium should be gravel. The gravel will give the terrarium good drainage when the terrarium is watered. You can use the same type gravel that is used in an aquarium. Using a funnel if necessary, carefully pour gravel into the terrarium until it is one-half inch to one inch deep. The larger the container, the deeper the gravel should be. Put some window screening, cut to fit the terrarium, over the layer of gravel to keep the soil layer from washing down into the gravel.
Next pour in some potting mix. The mix should consist of equal part potting soil, sand, and peat moss. The potting mix does not have to be perfectly flat in the container. You can make small hills and valleys in the terrarium. Put pieces of wood in the container for air plants or plants that climb. Be sure to use wood that is rot resistant, such as cypress and cedar. Use your imagination and create a miniature landscape. Get the general terrain of your terrarium finished. You can refine it as you place your plants.
The plants you choose for your terrarium should be able to thrive in low light and high humidity. Good choices are Rex begonias, aluminum plant (Pilea), miniature African violets, nerve plant (Fittonia), small ferns, and air plants and other epiphytes. Be sure that the scale of the plant matches the scale of the terrarium. Don't pick a plant that will grow 2 feet tall for a 1-foot container.
Plant larger plants toward the back of the terrarium, so that they do not overshadow the smaller plants. Let creeping plants spill over a small rock or piece of wood, or a miniature terrace. Using one or two large focal plants with smaller plants around them will make an attractive planting.
Before actually doing the planting, place your plants on top of the soil in the places you plan to put them, to double-check your design. Make sure the soil is deep enough to accommodate the deepest rootball. Then dig a hole for each plant large enough to hold its root ball, put the plant in the hole, cover the roots with soil, and firm the soil around the roots. Reshape the ground if necessary to restore your landscape.
Use lichens and moss to complete your planting, and make it look like a real landscape. Small rocks and miniature statuary can also be added to complete your design.
Once you have planted your plants, water the terrarium so that the soil is just moist and then cover the top. Do not over water or you will cause the plants to rot or get mildew. Your terrarium will only need to be watered every two weeks to a month. Check the soil carefully before you water to make sure that it will not be too wet after watering. The plants in your terrarium grow better if under watered just a little rather than being over watered. Do not fertilize, as you do not wish to encourage excessive growth. Replace some of the old soil with fresh soil each year instead.
Place your terrarium in a place where it will get northern or eastern light. Never place it near a south or west-facing window. That will literally cook the plants. A good rule of thumb is to place your terrarium where there is enough daylight for you to be able to read by.
You can change your design over time, adding new plants and removing ones that grow too quickly or do not thrive. A terrarium can be an enjoyable hobby for years.
