How to plant and maintain a terrarium

Terrarium gardens may be open at the top to create a micro climate or sealed so that the moisture and the air inside are recycled to create an ecosystem.

Materials Needed

  • any glass container
  • horticultural charcoal to keep the soil sweet
  • gravel to provide drainage
  • White Rose Tropical Potting soil for tropical plants
  • long fibre sphagnum moss for carnivorous plants
  • milled sphagnum peat moss for ferns
  • pebbles, rocks, driftwood, ornaments, figurines, etc. for decoration

Suitable Plants

  • baby tropical plants such as Pilea
  • Peperomia
  • Philodendron
  • Fittonia
  • Sansevieria
  • Dracaena
  • Croton
  • Ivy, etc.
  • blooming plants such as African Violet and Episcia.
  • ferns such as Maidenhair, Button, and assorted Pteris varieties.
  • carnivorous plants such as Venus Fly Trap
  • Pitcher plant
  • Sundew.

To Plant

  • layer the charcoal, gravel and soil or moss.
  • remove plants from the pots and loosen the roots.
  • plant shorter plants in the ont and the taller plants at the back.
  • decorate the terrarium with decorative ground cover and ornaments of your choice.
  • dribble the water down the inside of the glass to avoid splashing up the soil.

After Planting

  • wait a day or two before sealing the terrarium to allow any excess moisture to escape
  • unsealed terrariums will have to be watered periodically when planting media is dry.

Maintenance

  • position in bright light but not in direct sunlight.
  • never fertilize.
  • remove all dead plant material.
  • plants may be pruned or shaped as necessary.