So… if you didn’t know already, I love plants!! I can spend hours wondering around Bunnings or Garden World and I never come home empty handed. I not only enjoy buying plants but creating terrariums too.
These are most of the plants that I own. In total I have 40 potted plants/terrariums… I think I have a little bit of a problem.
Most of them are succulents as I find them easiest to look after and hardest to kill. They are quite easy for any beginner and I would highly recommend them.
With terrariums they can be open or closed. These ones here are open terrariums as the plants are partially surrounded by “walls” with various sizes of openings. They are great for plants that like a dryer climate.
This one here is a closed terrarium (I haven’t opened and therefore watered, in almost 2 years).
Once a closed terrarium has been established, the lid can be closed permanently. It works by the sunlight evaporating the moisture in the soil. Due to its enclosed environment the water vapor condenses on the roof and walls which eventually falls back down. It turns into its own self sufficient environment. To learn more about open and closed terrariums you can head to Smart Garden Guide.
Note: Some plants are not suitable to be in a closed terrarium (succulents being one of them), so make sure to have a read of TerrariumTribe to get a greater understanding of the specific plants that can go into them.
Here is a quick summary of the layers needed for the terrarium.
If you wish to understand the role that these layers play within the terrarium and some tips too, continue reading below.
- Whether you are using a jar, bowl or pot, it is always a good idea to place a layer of rocks on the bottom. Not too thin or thick.
- These rocks are there for drainage. They allow excess water to drain down away from the soil preventing the roots becoming rotten.
Note: You can use any size rocks, but I recommend bigger rocks as there is more space for water to fill up and less chance of over watering.
- Now sphagnum is just the scientific term for dried moss. Dried moss is obviously a little easier to obtain and can be found at your local Bunnings.
- In putting a layer of sphagnum moss, it will help retain moister meaning you don’t have to water your plants as often. It also acts as barrier between the soil and rocks, preventing soil from leeching down into the rocks.
- With enough water and sunlight, the dried moss can become activated and spread throughout the terrarium. This adds a lovely touch of greenery underneath the plants.
Note: It is not vital that you use live or dried moss, so don’t worry if you can’t find it or don’t want to use it. Your plants will still thrive without it.
- Now you can just use regular potting mix but some of them can be a little too dense for the tiny plants roots to push through, so keep that in mind.
- For succulents I would recommend finding a cacti/succulent specific potting mix like this one here. (Which is the one I use).
- I also combine the potting mix with perlite, from Bunnings again. This makes the potting mix lighter and less dense which allows for more air around the roots and helps with water retention. To learn more about perlite, check out Epic Gardening.
Note: Perlite is not necessary to be successful in growing your plants, so don’t worry about it too much.
- This step is easy! Place whatever plants you want in the terrarium, that you have either gathered or bought.
Note: Place the smaller plants together and towards the front, just so that they don’t get smothered by bigger plants and die due to lack of sunlight.
- The rocks placed on top can be decorative, fake, real, anything that you would like.
- They have a role in retaining the moisture of the soil, stopping it from become too dry from direct sunlight and causing it to evaporate more quickly. This helps with you having to water less and therefore reducing the risk of over watering, just like the bottom layer of rocks, sphagnum moss and perlite.
- These rocks are also there for aesthetics as they can add colour and contrast to the plants making them more prominent.
- Now with your newly made terrarium give it a decent water to get things started.
- I would suggest watering your plants on a schedule and with a spray bottle. It reduces the risk of over watering again and makes sure the plants are getting water consistently.
Note: Different plants require different amounts of water and sunlight. A plant will show when it’s not getting enough water or if it doesn’t like the direct sunlight, by becoming shriveled or by the tips of the leaves turning brown and dying.
Remember: This is not the only way to construct a terrarium but is the way that I have found to be successful. You can see other versions here and here.
With your terrarium all made up there is one last thing to consider when trying to locate a suitable space for them. It is always important to read the information regarding the specifics of the plants requirements to make the best choice.
This includes:
- Indoor/Outdoor
- Sun exposure
- Shade
- Water intake
- Heat
- Humidity
Note: If you have pets or small children, it is best to keep it out of reach. Just to make sure no accidents happen with plants being chewed or pulled out. You put all that effort in and don’t want that hard work to go down the drain.
I hope this information is useful and that you take something away from it to make you become a better gardener, terrarium creator or plant owner.
Disclaimer: All headings were made using Font Meme
WRIDGWAY UPDATE 
Leave a comment