Tips On Building A Terrarium At Home

Gardening at Home - A terrarium is a miniature landscape that placed in a glass container. Building a terrarium at home is great way to have easy, inexpensive and beautiful landscape at your home and also allows you to express your creativity.

Tips on Building a Terrarium at Home

Here are some tips on building a terrarium at home you can make a simple, beauty terrarium:

1. Find out The Suitable Container


Glass container or nearly any clear container is suitable for building a terrarium at home. You can find the perfect container based on your taste at your local thrift shop or reuse the container which is already available at your home. Goldfish bowl, old aquarium or a one-gallon jar can be a right container for building a terrarium at home. A brandy snifter or one-quart canning jar is large enough for a small landscape with one or two plants.


2. Find out The Right Potting Soil


For building a terrarium, you don’t need a lot of potting soil, but just keep in mind the potting soil you use should be lightweight and porous. You may use peat-based commercial potting mix or you may add a small handful of sand to improve drainage.


Some gravel or pebbles should be added also for building a terrarium to make a layer in the bottom of the container and improve drainage. To keep the terrarium fresh, you may add a small amount of activated charcoal along with them.

Read also: Tips on Growing Potted Houseplants Indoors at Your Home

3. How to Set Up a Terrarium


Building a terrarium at home is so simple. You may follow below steps on how to set up a terrarium at home:

• Put 1-2 inches of gravel or pebbles in the bottom of the container. This will provides a place for excess water to drain. Just remember that a terrarium doesn’t have drainage holes and as the result any soggy soil is likely to kill your plants.
• Place a thin layer of activated charcoal on top the gravel. This will keep the terrarium air fresh and sweet-smelling.
• Add a few inches of potting soil, the amount should be enough to accommodate the root balls of the small plants. To create interest and make your terrarium is more beautiful, you may vary the depth of potting soil. Maybe you want to make mound the potting mix at the back of the container so you can see the beautiful landscape from the front.
• Plant your favorite plants in terrarium. To make them beautiful, arrange the tall plants in the back and put shorter plants at the front. You can plant the slow-growing plants in a variety of sizes and textures. Don’t forget to include one plant that adds a splash of color. Just to make sure to allow some space for air circulation between plants. Add potting soil to cover the roots. Also you can add a layer of moss pressed on the soil between the plants since it can creates a velvety ground cover for the terrarium. Or you may add some rocks, seashells or bark. Building a terrarium at home is so interesting. For example, you may add some interesting rocks, seashells, or bark.
• Water the plants, enough to give the moisture in terrarium.
• Place container in a well-lit area with indirect light.

4. Future Terrarium Care


Building a terrarium at home is so simple and no need special attention. Once plants are established, maintenance is minimal.

• Future watering is dependent on the types of plants you have choose and the environment they're growing in. Before watering, you need to test the soil moisture with your fingers.
• Trim any branches that grow over the top of your container.

So there are 4 tips on building a terrarium at home. Have fun with your terrarium and don’t be afraid to express your creativity and do experiment.

Read also: Ideas on Using Shade Cover in Gardens