Ever thought about having a miniature landscape in your living room? Having a terrarium can help gardeners continue honing their craft, even during the colder months.
Not sure where to start? We have a few tips that can help!
Where To Start When Creating Your Terrarium
There are many things to consider when looking to start a terrarium.
First and foremost, make sure to choose plants that share compatibility with the environment they’ll be in, as well as with one another. This means choosing a container that will help plants to thrive.
Container Options
Closed Containers
These will require far less maintenance. However, it is important to be selective about the plants placed inside; ensure these plants will thrive in an environment with more moisture.
Additionally, it is important to make sure the plants receive indirect light as any direct sunlight can burn the plants.
Open Containers
Open container terrariums require occasional maintenance. Plants that will thrive here will desire more air circulation as well as a more arid environment. Plants like aloe and cacti are great for open container terrariums.
After choosing your container, it’s time to start looking at what can be added to your new miniature garden.
Creating Proper Drainage For Your Terrarium
There are a number of things to consider when looking at things to add to the terrarium. First, it’s essential to make sure the plants have proper drainage. To do this, gardeners need to look at their container and the terrarium environment.
For a closed container system, there should be three layers to ensure proper drainage: soil, charcoal, and rocks.
For an open container system, there are four layers needed to create a proper drainage system: pebbles, soil, charcoal, and rocks.
By creating a layered system, gardeners ensure the success of their terrarium and allow for plants to live long and healthy lives.
What Plants To Add
Next, it’s time to choose which plants that will occupy the terrarium. Moss is a great place to start
Plants best suited for a closed container system are those that will thrive with more moisture. Some of these plants include baby ferns, crytanthus, and aechmea. Additionally, moss is great for closed environments, is more forgiving, and helps add some enchantment to the miniature garden.
Open container systems are best suited for plants that prefer more air circulation and a more arid environment. Some plants best suited for this environment include cacti, aloe, and air plants.
Having your very own miniature garden in your living room is not only a great way to add decor, but a great way to expand on a craft. And while the creation process can be a bit time-consuming and tedious, when all is said and done, the results are sure to speak for themselves.
