Terrariums. They're pretty to look at, and even more awesome because they're super low maintenance. Plus, they're ridiculously easy (and -dare I say it?- fun!) to make. Your friends will all be jealous of your wicked awesome gardening skills once they see you've made these awesome-looking things (or at least you'll be impressed by your own mad gardening skills). :]
If you have some sort of glass or plastic container, you can make one. Old coffee pots, aquarium containers, even mason jars or part of an old pop bottle will do. People's definitions of "terrarium" can vary wildly; some house animals (called "vivariums"), and others are just pretty places to put plants (and you still have to care for them as usual).
I tend to stick with the utilitarian version of the terrarium that's completely closed off from the rest of the world. It acts as its own mini-ecosystem: The plants release water vapor into the air, which condenses on the sides of the terrarium and trickles back into the soil, feeding the plant and continuing the cycle. Set it up once, and you don't have to do anything with the plants for at least a few months.
Of course, terrariums don't have to be completely sealed. I'm assuming that they work the same way as closed, only less water is able to condense on the sides of the container. This makes partially-open containers great for succulents and other low-moisture plants.
.jpg) |
| I want succulents some day...... |
And terrariums are ridiculously simple to make!
You need:
- A container of some sort (old fishbowls, cookie jars, aquariums, etc. work really nicely)
- Gravel for drainage (I like using the fish tank gravel available at Walmart)
- Dirt (the kind you need usually varies with the types of plants you're using, but whatever you do, don't take dirt from your backyard. That has microorganisms in it that can royally screw up things and cause mold to grow in your terrarium.)
- Activated charcoal (also in the fish section at Walmart) (I've lived without using this, but it helps to prevent rot in the terrarium.)
- Plants would also be nice... When you pick them out, keep in mind that they should all need similar growing conditions (all tropical, all desert, etc.). You should also think about how much room they need for roots, and how fast they'll grow (the slower, the better!). I started a parlor palm in my first terrarium four years ago, and it has since graduated to a real pot and it about 6 times bigger than when it fit in a fish tank.
To start, spread ~1/2 inch to 1 inch of gravel at the bottom of your chosen container, and put some activated charcoal over top of that (it doesn't need a whole lot; probably about 1/4 of an inch if I had to put a number on it).
Layer the dirt on top of the charcoal and gravel. Fill the container up to a little under where you'd eventually like the "dirt line" to be, and save the rest for a little later...
Plant your plants! If your container is big enough, feel free to lay out the plants on top of the soil before digging them in and getting them settled in the terrarium. Believe me, it's a heck of a lot easier to lay them out ahead of time than decide after two or three are already planted that you'd like to re-arrange the whole deal.
Once the plants are in place, fill in around the plants with your remaining soil to ensure the roots are completely covered. After that's done, water the plants! I always get nervous doing this, because there is a fine line between having enough moisture (when you first move plants, you usually have to soak the daylights out of them...), and going way overboard. If there's too little, the plants will die. If there's too much, the extra water will sit at the bottom of the tank, causing the roots to rot, and the plants will die. No pressure or anything... Just kidding. It really isn't that hard to judge, just make sure to use some common sense. :]
Then if you plan to completely seal your container, go for it now! When I used fish tanks, I liked to seal it with saran wrap and some clear tape.
Now find your new terrarium a nice place to live, and you're done! If it's a tropical plant terrarium, they like a lot of sun (so a south-facing window would be best) and heat.
Hints
- If there is a ridiculous amount of condensation on the inside of the terrarium, don't worry (... yet). It can take a few days for the mini-ecosystem to fall into balance. If, however, the condensation continues, give the terrarium a little ventilation (poke holes in the saran wrap, crack the lid, etc.). You can also move it to a more indirectly sunny location, to slow down the uber-efficient photosynthesis that was causing too much water in the first place.
- Lots of people use moss as ground cover when they make terrariums. (and it looks adorable!) The only time I've ever used it was a major fail (I used the wrong kind), but I'd still like to try again sometime. Moss Acres is one website I stumbled across that you can order moss from.
- Decorations are awesome! The last terrarium I did was called the "Hundred Acre Wood", and I found some cute little Winnie the Pooh figurines laying around to put in it.
 |
| Hundred Acre Wood, complete with reflection from the window behind the camera |
- Have fun with it! There are a million different plants and containers you can use for terrariums. They're mainly used for their aesthetic pleasantness, so make something you will enjoy looking at. :]
And there ya go, folks. That's my experience with terrariums, and I hope to make another in the near future. They're fun, pretty, simple, and last a long time with very little effort. Try it for yourself, and see what you think!
(PS- Happy Valentine's Day! It also happens to be my 20th birthday... thought you outta know. :) )
