Terrific Terrariums: Miniature Indoor Gardens

I don’t know about you, but my enjoyment of all things plants is year round! Unfortunately, temperatures and various forms of precipitation don’t always contribute to being able to go outside to work in the yard! (A.k.a. “play” to a gardener!) If the weather isn’t cooperating so that you can indulge in your gardening habit, a terrific terrarium may be the answer to your need to play with plants and create a bit of green beauty!

Like you, I love messing with plants! We generally call this “gardening” when it’s done outside and the plants are in the ground. However, I think a fascination with the plants themselves, and the ability to master growing this or that plant, is something to which many of us are drawn! I have LOTS of plants in pots, indoors and out-I’m afraid I must confess to being a plant collector! In the summer, the pot plants are outside in various locations depending on their light requirements. In the winter, they are put in the greenhouse or brought inside. If there is more than one kind of plant in a pot, I call them container gardens. A terrarium is another kind of container garden and they are a great way to have fun with gardening inside!

You can create so many moods with a terrarium! I have always loved ferns, so a terrarium is a great way to foster growing these because the high humidity supports their cultivation. I made my first terrarium in the fall when small crotons with their autumn colors were available: I really liked being able to bring an autumnal touch to my garden “playhouse!” You can add all kinds of decorative accents like pine cones, gnomes or Christmas ornaments- whatever the season and whatever appeals to you. My grandson is into the Boxcar Children. I think a Boxcar Children terrarium will be fun to make in the future. Or maybe, one with a few plastic dinosaurs! ( But I won’t put them in with the Boxcar Children!)

Ready, Set, Go

So, let’s get started! There are a few things to consider if you decide to make the plunge into the miniature world of terrariums!

Question 1: What is a Terrarium?

Originally, a terrarium referred to an enclosed glass case (like an aquarium with a lid) in which small tropical or moist woodland plants were grown. The plants were moistened upon planting, but afterward, the enclosed space became self watering. Nowadays, the meaning has been expanded to include plastic containers in addition to glass, and to containers that are not enclosed. For the purposes of this post, I am referring to enclosed containers.

Question 2: What KIND of plants can be put in a terrarium?

This is the probably the first question a plant lover may ask. Small ferns, mosses, pileas, selaginellas, tiny palms, pepperomias…all kinds of small tropical plants that won’t grow too quickly, may be grown in a terrarium.

Question 3. Where are you going to put the glass case!?

If you use a light, you can place it anywhere. If not, it needs to be in front of a window. Situate your terrarium in front of a window whose light intensity will accommodate your plant’s needs. My maidenhair ferns and pilea depressas like my east facing window- that is, morning sun afternoon shade. Some plants need brighter light.

Question 4. What is the size of your space?

Measure your space and armed with that information, let the hunt for a suitable container begin! I got 2 glass cases (aquariums) from my niece who frequents second hand stores. She even got one for only $4! Sometimes they have lids and lights, sometimes they don’t.

Question 5. What if there aren’t lids or lights?

To get a suitable cover, we went to a local glass store: you can get a lid cut to your desired specifications. First we tried using plexiglas, but we don’t recommend. Initially, it was cheaper than glass, but after a short period of time, it started warping. We went back to the store and got glass. Measure CAREFULLY!

We purchased these lights online. They have a built in timer!

Question 6. Where do I get plants?

Many nurseries carry small plants in 2.5 inch pots. Recently, I have enjoyed shopping for these tiny gems in two great places- Willow Creek Gardens in Abilene, Texas and North Haven Gardens in Dallas, Texas! I used to shop in a wonderful place in St. Louis Missouri, but alas, it closed down a few years ago. I have also found plants that can be grown in terrariums in the big box stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot! And fortunately, wonderful terrarium plants can also be ordered online from Etsy and Amazon.

Question number 7. What supplies do I need?

Pea gravel– You can order online or go to a local business that sells pea gravel in large quantities. We got a couple of 5 gallon buckets very inexpensively! Some people skip the pea gravel. Omitting the gravel will give you more soil depth.
Landscape cloth – You won’t need much so you can get this or go to a local nursery. This is to keep the soil out of the gravel. I think it looks neater. You could also use sheet moss.
Activated or horticultural Charcoal-In the past I was able to get this in a fairly large quantity at a pet store or Walmart, but nowadays, it is harder to find. Amazon is a great source.
Potting soil – We’ve been pleased with Happy Frog or Fox Farm soil. Check with your local nursery. If you do omit the pea gravel, be sure to have soil that drains well. I mix mine with perlite AND use pea gravel.
Perlite
Plants
Water
A light
Miniature decorations – Your imagination is your only limit here.
A timer – Many lights have a timer built in, but if you find a light that needs one, get one.
Glass enclosure to house your creation. I used an old aquarium on this one but any glass container that you can put a lid on will work.

It’s Time To Make The Terrarium

Step 1: Prepare The Terrarium

Clean the terrarium with a solution of 1 part Clorox to 9 parts of water. Rinse the terrarium THOROUGHLY! Dispose of the Clorox solution properly! Be sure to clean the inside walls of the terrarium very well: it won’t be as easy to clean them later when the terrarium is full of plants!

Step 2: Plan Your Arrangement

Arrange the plants, still in their pots, the way you want them in your space. Take a picture so you can remember your plan! And you may want to rearrange them when it comes time to plant. I did this planning step, not just for aesthetics, but also to figure out how much dirt, etc. (substrate) that I had room for with regard to the height of the plants. In trying to plan for enough soil depth, look at the depth of the pot, as well as the height of the plant.

Step 3: Ready Your Space

Remove the plants you just arranged from the terrarium, but leave them in their pots! You don’t want to lose the soil they are in, or let them dry out too much while you are otherwise occupied!

Step 4: Think Through the Layers

Keeping in mind the plant’s height and root ball size, mentally picture how much soil you MUST have to accommodate the total. You may have to prune your plant later as it grows, but this is not really a problem.

The remaining room will be taken up by the following layers:

Pea gravel to help with drainage
Landscape cloth to keep the charcoal and soil out of the pea gravel.
Activated charcoal to help filter any musty smells.

(Some people skip both the charcoal and landscape cloth. And some mix the activated charcoal with the soil.)

Step 5: Add the Layers in this Order

Pea Gravel-In the picture I t’s barely noticeable. There is actually about 1/2″ to 3/4″ but the base of the terrarium disguises it.
Landscape cloth- I intentionally cut it smaller than the footprint of the tank so you don’t see it when looking at the terrarium.
Activated Charcoal-This can be a messy product, so you might want to wear gloves.
Potting soil mixed with perlite to enhance drainage- As mentioned before, you need enough to cover the plant’s root ball sufficiently.
Plants without their pots- I arranged them in the case with the pots beforehand, but then, of course, removed them from the pots as I planted them.
Decorative accents
A little water to moisten the soil

Step 6: Finish Up

Put on the glass top
Put the light on top and set the timer

Voilá! You have a terrific terrarium!

Betcha can’t make just one!

Ongoing Care

So far, I’ve had to do very little to my terrariums. I do expect to need to carefully prune plants in the future or even remove and replace plants. The jury is out on fertilization, since I’m wary of fertilizer build up.

Around Christmas, I did an experiment and put a tiny poinsettia in one of the terrariums, but the poinsettia just wasn’t having it! I knew up front it was probably not going to work: a terrarium is too moist an environment for a poinsettia, but I just had to try! Sadly, I had to pull it out.

At Christmas I experimented with using a tiny lemon cypress. The plant will eventually outgrow the space, but until then, I have a little tree. It’s doing really well and doesn’t mind the moisture.

If the environment isn’t closed- that is, self watering because it has a lid- you could put an African violet in your terrarium. The problem is, water dripping from the lid onto the leaves of an African violet would cause problems for the violet. I’m also curious about orchids with the right size and shape of container. Succulents must be put in an open terrarium.

I did put an Episcia cupreata, a plant with tiny red blooms, also known as a flame violet, into my enclosed environment and it’s very happy. Other plants in that terrarium include ferns, a small palm, a purple passion velvet plant (Gynura Aurantiaca), and a strawberry begonia.

I really love making and having terrariums! Before we downsized to our current home, I had thought many times about making terrariums. I had loads of room for these little “playhouses,” but never actually made one! Now that I’ve taken the plunge, I would love to have more! Currently, I have two! So many ideas, so little space!

Until next time! Blessings!

Julie

I’d love for you to share a pin to your board!