What do You Need to Make A Terrarium?

Terrariums have, in my opinion, become very complicated.

All you need is a container and some plants. You can even just use the soil they came with.

What do you need to make a terrarium?

A container

Keep an eye for glass containers in thrift stores because you can get some awesome terrariums. Good garden centres also have options, albeit pricy ones.

Scour Facebook for damaged aquariums (watch out for sharp edges!)

There are also some cute options on Amazon.

Plants

Just go anything that will fit at the time.

Terrariums are an AWESOME way to grow plants quickly, but the downside is that they will need pruning.

Soil

I’m made my last few terrariums from the soil that came with my plants. I did need to add some extra to the big one, but I just used whatever I had left over.

Even a pretty dense soil can work. Just water it well before you use it and be careful when you’re watering.

Bugs

Totally optional but springtails and isopods will eat decaying matter and they look CUTE.

Things you’ll see recommended that I don’t use

I have used all these things in the past because I thought they were required.

I can confirm that they are not:

• A base layer of gravel or LECA
• Some sort of membrane beneath the soil
• Charcoal or any fancy substrate
• Moss (though, like the springtails, it is does make for an aesthetic terrarium)

How to make a terrarium in a jar, step by step

It might be easier to just watch me make one in this video:

If you would prefer me to tell you to build one, the instructions are as follows:

1. Buy a terrarium and some plants
2. Leave plants to dry out a bit – to dry and it becomes a dusty mess, too wet and it becomes a muddy mess.
3. Remove some of the soil from the plants
4. Arrange the plants in the terrarium until it’s pretty
5. Backfill the gaps in the soil later using the soil you removed in step 2.
6. Firmly tap the terrarium in a solid surface to remove any air pockets (firm but gentle – glass breaks!)
7. Spend 10 minutes trying to wipe soil off the inside of the glass, then give up (don’t worry, it’ll be easier clean after a couple of days.
8. Fin.

Do you need a drainage layer or charcoal in a terrarium?

No.

Open, closed or sealed: which should you make?

Which plants should you put in a terrarium?

How do you look after a terrarium?

How long do terrariums last?

Going bigger: making a terrarium in an old aquarium

Is it cheaper to make or buy a terrarium?