Build a Terrarium

Build a terrarium and enjoy the green plants all year long. Terrariums are fun to create and a great way to bring the outdoors inside.

A terrarium is an enclosed glass container filled with plants and soil that creates a mini-ecosystem. Moisture will condense on the glass, then rain back down into the soil so they will only need watering every few weeks.

To build a terrarium, begin by choosing your container. When choosing your plants, select plants that stay small and compact with similar light and moisture requirements. This will leave room for the plants to grow. If you do add plants that become too large, you can always prune them back later on.

The first step to build a terrarium is to add a small layer of pebbles to create a reservoir for water, this will help prevent the soil from getting too soggy. The pebble layer should be about 1/2 inch deep. Place a thin layer of activated charcoal on top of the pebble layer. This will help keep the terrarium fresh. Use a general purpose potting mix for the soil. These layers should take up about 1/3 of the container.

After you have planted and placed any decorations such as twigs, moss or figurines, lightly water your terrarium and leave the lid off for a couple days. This will help even out the moisture level. It's important not to overwater your terrarium because you won't be able to get the excess water back out.

It is normal for condensation to appear on the walls of the container but should not appear on the container top. If it does, remove the lid for a day or two. Once the condensation disappears from the walls of the container it is time to lightly water again.

Terrariums enjoy bright light but not direct sunlight. Placing your terrarium in direct sunlight could make it too hot and might cook the plants inside. You can feed the plants once a month with houseplant food.

Build a terrarium that suits your tastes and space requirements.