Five steps to make your own terrarium
Terrariums have become a popular way to display plants and add a little greenery to your different spaces.
Though they may seem complicated, terrariums are quite easy to make, don’t require too much upkeep, and can be made in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
Here are the supplies you need and steps to follow in creating your own DIY terrarium.
Supplies you need
Most of your supplies can be found at your local garden centre, with the exception of the container your terrarium will be created in, which you can find at a craft store.
The choice of container can also influence the kinds of plants you can include. Open terrariums being better-suited to dry climate plants, and closed terrariums working best for plants that thrive on moisture and humidity.
Aside from a container to house your terrarium, you will need:
- Activated charcoal
- Potting soil
- Sheet moss
- Trowel
- Plants
- Gloves
Once you have your supplies, it’s time to start assembling your new terrarium by following these five steps.
1. Build the base
To start with, cover the base of your container with 3-5 centimetres of activated charcoal.
This layer helps to both remove odours from the terrarium and drainage to ensure that your plant roots don’t sit in soil that is too wet.
2. Mix soils
Once the base is done, mix some of the remaining charcoal with the potting soil. Mixing the two, either with your hands or a trowel, also assists with drainage.
3. Next layer
Next, add the mixed soil and charcoal to the container until it is between a quarter and one third full.
To remove large air pockets in the soil, gently pack the soil as you add it.
4. Add plants
After removing the plants from their containers, position them on top of the soil with enough space between them for additional soil.
Some top picks for terrarium plants include starfish plants, air plants, and nerve plants.
For a healthy terrarium, it’s best to choose plants with similar watering and light needs.
5. Dress and water
Once the additional soil has been packed in and around the plants so that the roots are covered, position moss on top of the soil and around the plants.
Then, give the terrarium a water and place it in a well-lit area with indirect light.
Further care
Once the plants have established themselves in the terrarium, little upkeep is needed.
As they grow, you may want to trim branches that grow outside of the container, or trim the moss to control its thickness.
Image: @terrariumdreams / Instagram