Grow a Mini-Garden

Your final product will be a self-sustaining mini-environment in which moisture is created by the plants. That moisture will then collect on the surface of the container and drip down to replenish the plants. How to care for a terrarium? This simple terrarium can go weeks without watering, and even then, just a light misting is all that’s needed.

A Container and Plants For Terrariums

First, find your container and a good fitting top. Experts advise that beginners grow a terrarium in something large, such as a fish tank or fish bowl. Whatever you decide to use, it must be clear, watertight and have a removable, but secure, cover. Next, decide what plants will live in your terrarium. You want small plants that thrive in high humidity. It’s best if terrariums are placed away from direct or full sunlight, so you won’t need plants that require a lot of sun. When you go to the nursery or garden center to pick up your materials (from the list below), talk to an employee about what kinds of plants might work best.

Building Terrariums

The self-sustaining environment of a terrarium requires that you layer the proper foundation to channel drainage and absorb decomposition. You will need:

• A good quality potting soil (something pasteurized or something made specifically for terrariums)
• Pebbles or coarse sand or pea gravel
• Activated charcoal
• Sphagnum moss
• Builder's Sand
• Leaf mold

Don’t forget a few nice stones, wood features or rocks for landscaping. Before placing in the terrarium, rinse with hot water to kill anything living on them.

Layer It

The layered foundation of your terrarium will work to sustain the life of plants and the greater environment. First, create channels for drainage by placing down a 1’’-3’’ layer of pebbles or pea gravel at the bottom of your container.

Next, place a thin layer of the activated charcoal on top. This layer takes care of plant decomposition.

On top of the charcoal, add a layer of sphagnum moss. This way, soil from the top of the terrarium cannot escape and clog drainage channels.

Before topping these three layers with potting soil, mix one part builders sand with one part leaf mold to two parts of the regular potting soil. This final layer doesn’t have to be perfectly flat. Feel free to landscape the top layer of soil with hills, valleys and mounds.

Arrange and Plant

Spend some time thinking about how you want your terrarium to look. When you’ve reached your final design, dig small holes in the soil as a place for each plant to live. Remove your plants from their containers, loosen the rootballs and secure the plants with soil. It’s recommended that plants live as far as possible from the sides of the container. Add your landscaping features and cover. Water requirements shouldn’t vary much from plant to plant, but you will need to care for your new terrarium with small amounts of water or moisture every week or so.