The World in a Jar: 7 Tips for Creating a Successful Terrarium

THE WORLD IN A JAR

SEVEN TIPS FOR CREATING A SUCCESSFUL TERRARIUM

Don’t be intimidated by the process of building a terrarium. With all the supplies in hand, you can put one together in a few hours.

Any little container that holds water can be turned into a terrarium. All you need are rocks, dirt, sand, appropriate plants and your imagination. If your terrarium project involves kids or kids-at-heart, add an extra dose of that last ingredient with miniature figurines, paint or other craftsy items to bring your terrarium to life.

Terrariums may be very easy, but they do have a few simple rules for success:

CONTAINER:

Tiny terrariums are very cute, but I like my glass container to have a wide mouth for easier access. I like an apothecary jar with a glass lid. If your jar has no lid, you can use plastic wrap or a piece of clear plexiglass.

LAYERS:

Start with sand, then add a layer of rocks, then soil. The plants and other items go in last. Or you can start with pea gravel, add activated carbon (or horticulture charcoal) and then soil.

BUILD:

Be sure to pack down the layers firmly to remove all of the air from your container. If you’re using charcoal, dampen it to keep down the dust.

PLANTS:

Don’t use cacti. Remember you’re creating a little miniature jungle inside your terrarium, and you’ll need plants that like moisture. Try plants like moss or slow-growing plants with small leaves, such as acorus, African violets, creeping fig, needlepoint ivy, oxalis, prayer plant or maidenhair spleenwort.

PLACEMENT:

Remove the plants from their pots and place them in the terrarium just like you would in the garden. Place the taller plants in the back, mid-sized plants in the middle and low growing things like moss toward the front. If possible, keep the foliage away from the sides of the container.

IMAGINATION:

Little figurines around the house can be used to create a scene in your finished terrarium. For the holidays, you could also create a little nativity. Glue your characters to the rocks in the second layer for best results.

CARE:

Terrariums don’t need a lot of maintenance, just mist them with water about once a week. If it has heavy condensation on the glass, remove the lid and let the terrarium air out. If no condensation, give it a mist of water.