How to Create a Terrarium

Terrariums are a fun way to display plants and create some art with nature. There are a variety of shapes and sizes you can make, and they’re easy as to make yourself.

Types of terrarium

Terrariums can be classified as either wet or dry.

Dry terrariums are best planted in an open container, whereas wet terrariums can be either open or closed.

Think of a closed terrarium as a mini greenhouse. The plants and soil inside release water vapour, which trickles back down to the soil, in a circular system. They’re basically self-nourishing, and don’t require much maintenance.

Plant types

Typically, foliage plants and plants that grow slowly work best – avoid fast growing plants. Foliage plants or small ferns do well in a wet system, and small succulents, cacti, and air plants are perfect for dry terrariums. You could also try something different like a carnivorous Venus fly trap or bonsai. Also, try selecting a mixture of textures and colours.

Here are some examples that will do well in terrariums:

• Ferns – maidenhair, bird’s nest, button ferns
• Carnivorous plants – Venus fly traps, pitcher plants, sundew plants
• Dwarf palms
• Airplants – tillandsia
• Succulents - cacti, hawthornia, echeveria, crassula, etc
• Peperomia or other foliage plants - baby's tears etc

How to create a wet terrarium

Once you’ve selected your plants and container, follow these steps to create an open or closed wet terrarium.

Start with a 1-2cm layer of wet sphagnum moss to line the bottom. This will hold moisture in the terrarium.

Next create your soil mix. We’re using a combination of coir brick, indoor potting soil, and activated charcoal.

• Soak the coir brick in warm water for about 30 minutes, breaking it up with a trowel as it expands.
• Add some activated charcoal. This will help keep the terrarium fresh by filtering nutrients, stopping algae growth, and other problems.
• Add some indoor plant mix, and mix it all together to create your soil mix.

Add your soil mix to the container. If you’re only going to be viewing your terrarium from one side it’s a good idea to slope your soil - that way you’ll get a better view of your plants if they rise slightly towards the back.

Before placing your plants into the container, decide on an arrangement you like.

Start with your largest plant, and gently position it in the soil. You might need to lightly tease out the roots. Do the same again for the rest.

Once they’re all placed, you may need to add a small amount of soil on top to bed them in position, and press it firmly in place.

Finally, we’ve added some moss and rocks to create an interesting look. You could add what you like – driftwood, or even some toys – whatever suits.

How to create a dry terrarium

To plant a dry terrarium with cacti or succulents, simply layer up different coloured sand, and plant straight into it.

Timing

You can plant a terrarium any time of year. But remember that some plants aren’t always available.

Location

Indirect light is best but you can grow them in direct, or artificial light. If you do have a closed terrarium in direct light – it’s a good idea to remove the lid so the plants don’t get too hot.

You can place them wherever you want, from desks to bookshelves or hanging displays.

Watering

Use a mister to water the plants. Spray open wet terrariums every 2– 4 days.

Because closed terrariums recycle their water, they only need watering once a month or so, but check the dampness beforehand.

For dry terrariums, a spray every couple of months should be fine.

Feeding

Feed with a diluted mix of liquid house plant food every 1-2 months for a wet terrarium, and once a year for a dry terrarium. You can also spray this on.

Pests and disease

You can use an insecticide spray on any infected plants. But because the plants are relatively inexpensive, it’s best to remove and replace them so they don’t harm the other plants.

Maintenance

Terrariums are pretty low maintenance. If you’re growing ferns, then keep an eye how big the plant is getting and trim the leaves to prevent overgrowing.

Trim any yellow or brown leaves – this could be a sign of pests or disease.

And if you have a closed terrarium, remove the lid every so often to let in some fresh air.

If you get algae on the side of the glass, wipe it away with hot water, but it may be easier to remove the plants, clean it away, and repot the plant sot keep them nice and fresh.