SO you have taken the plunge and bought one of our fully sick kits!
Cleaning your Vessel
Take a soft cloth and give your vessel a nice polish, with water and no chemicals, this gives you a nice starting point for your living landscape.
Activated Charcoal for Terrariums
Since the glass container will not have drainage holes at the bottom like planter pots, you’ll need to create a layer to act as one. This base will be used to help prevent the retention of excess water in your soil. Excess water in the soil can damage the roots of the plants.
A thin layer (roughly 1/2 inch) of activated charcoal will be placed on top of the pebbles. The activated charcoal will help to catch any impurities in your miniature eco-system. Open your sachet of charcoal and add it to the bottom of your terrarium vessel
Layering
We give you some sand to help with layering/drainage, add the layer of soil in a nice this layer to create a nice aesthetic line on the outside of your terrarium but also to help your soil dry out between watering.
Plants for Terrariums
Select your plants and the number of plants that you’d like. Pick an odd amount of plants with varying colours and heights, but similar sun and water requirements, we have selected the same kinds of plants to ensure an easy to care for landscape.
Remove the pots from the plants and feather out the roots and place inside your vessel at the spots you would like them to be.
Potting Soil for Terrariums
Make sure you select the potting soil that works best for your plants as this layer will act as nutrition for the plants. A general type of potting soil that works well with most plants used in terrariums is the African Violet potting soil. Fast draining soil would work best if you are making a terrarium with succulents.
Potting soil is to be placed as the next layer above the drainage layer. Use your little pop stick we have included to help create a coverage for your selected plants. At this point we are trying to fully cover any exposed roots of the plants we have placed in the vessel. Make sure there are not any exposed roots, otherwise the plants don’t have the best chance at survival.
Terrarium Decor
Some people like to add little decorative items inside the terrarium to give it a more unique touch. You can also add another layer of moss or pebbles on the top of the soil if you prefer. The choice is up to you!
Fairy gardens are our most popular landscape that involves creating a miniature scene as if your terrarium was the home of a fairy. This can be done with small items and pops of colour and finished off with some nice soft moss.
How to Care for Your Terrarium
Caring for your terrarium is quite easy as long as you understand the needs of the plants that you selected. You will generally only need water and sunlight. Fertilizer is unnecessary for terrarium plants as growth is strongly discouraged due to the limitations of the glass container.
Watering Your Terrarium
Check the terrarium every week to see if it is need of water. If the soil feels dry, spray some water to hydrate your plants.
If you start to see mold growing in your terrarium, remove it as soon as possible. This mold growth is most likely due to excessive water in your terrarium. If there is too much water in a closed terrarium, you can also leave your containers open for a few days to allow the water to evaporate.
Sunlight For Your Terrarium
Place it in an area that gets a moderate amount of sunlight, preferably a north-facing window. If you see that your plants begin to brown or wilt, move it away from the sun into a place that does not get as much light as your original location. If there are any dead matter in your terrarium, remove it as soon as possible.