How To: Creating a Terrarium

by **Nanneerose** Wed Apr 23, 2014 5:26 pm

It's a great idea to have indoor plants, but sometimes, if you're really busy or you're away a lot, it becomes really difficult to maintain them and that's where a terrarium is a great idea because you're creating a self-perpetuating microclimate in which your plants can thrive for years with very little maintenance. Terrariums look good too and they're very easy to create.

What you will need

A clear glass or plastic container
Pebbles or coarse gravel/sand
Activated charcoal
Coir or sphagnum moss
Potting mix
Plants
Spray bottle filled with water
Ornaments

Method
To start, place a layer of gravel or pebbles in the container, about 2 ½ cm deep, as a base so the plant roots never sit in water where they could get root rot.

Then add a layer of activated charcoal. Activated simply means it's been through a process where it's made more porous and hence more absorbent. Wet soil can smell and charcoal is great at absorbing and removing any nasty smells.

Then add a layer of sphagnum moss which will stop the potting mix from settling down into the lower layers of the gravel and charcoal.

Potting mix is the next layer - at least 4 cm deep. You can even create hills and valleys.

Planting
Many indoor plants work really well in a terrarium - go for a range of heights and colours. Plants to try; Peperomia, Helxine, Calathea, little ferns, Hypoestes phyllostachya
To start planting you may need to reduce the size of the plants rootball to fit the space you have. You can trim up to half the roots and the plant will be fine.

If a terrarium is to be viewed from all angles, arrange the plants with the tallest one in the middle. If it's viewed from one angle, position the tallest plants to the rear. A range of different heights, colours and leaf shapes will always create interest exactly as they would in a garden bed.

Water the plants with just enough to settle the plants roots in. When positioning your terrarium, make sure you keep it away from direct sunlight and from heaters because they will get too hot and dry out.
And there you have it. You've created your own living masterpiece!
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s3301070.htm

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