Terrariums are a great trend that is popping up everywhere. As (borderline obsessive) plant enthusiasts, of course we had to try it ourselves. We love making low-maintenance desk gardens to bring a little nature in where we need it most. Arranging these tiny ecosystems is therapeutic, especially during winter when we’re starved for some green. We’ve created some basic instructions to follow so you can make your own at home. As always, we’re here to help. Stop in, call, or message if you need us!
Materials:
•Container-we love bias cut bowls and heirloom-style glassware
•Activated charcoal
•Pea gravel
•Potting mix
•Miniature tropicals, succulents, or herbs
•Decorative moss, wood chips, or rock
First, build a layer of charcoal in the bottom of your container. This will prevent the chemicals in our water from building up in the soil and damaging your tiny plants. It also helps with drainage and problems associated with watering plants in an enclosed environment.
Then add a layer of pea gravel for extra drainage.
Next, add the potting mix. You can mix in charcoal with the soil, at a ratio of one part charcoal to three parts soil. If you’re using succulents and cactus, use a potting mix with lava rock to help with drainage. Choose plants with similar light and watering requirements for easy maintenance.
Now the fun part—placing the plants! Pull the plants out of their containers carefully. If the roots are dense or circling, rough them up a bit so they stretch out into the soil. Place the plants on top of the soil so you can move them around until you’re happy with your design. Then tuck them into the soil, tamping the soil down around the roots gently to eliminate air pockets.
Dress the top with moss, wood chips, or decorative rock, and add miniatures if you like! Give them a drink– slowly, be careful not to flood your new arrangement.
Water the plants as needed afterwards, but remember they live in an enclosed area, be careful not to overwater! If the plants start to outgrow their home, they can be trimmed back with scissors or replaced individually as needed. Beautiful terrariums can also be made with permanent botanicals! In this case you can replace the potting mix with decorative rock or gravel and poke the stems in place. No watering or sunlight required!
Good luck with building your own terrarium! We’d love to see the results, post them to our Facebook wall or tag us on Instagram so we can all admire your creation!
