How to Plant a Terrarium Kit: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Planting a terrarium kit should take somewhere between 30 - 45 minutes from start to finish․ Once you get the layers right‚ it should establish in two to three weeks․ The biggest mistake people make is not with the plants‚ but the first two layers‚ getting the drainage or the watering right․ When you get those two things right‚ you can leave it for years with very little maintenance․
We have a wide variety of humidity conditions in Tennessee․ From the bone-dry heat of our winters to the air so humid it feels like you are swimming in it during the summer months․ For this reason‚ terrariums are an excellent choice for indoor growing in my state․
What’s actually in a good terrarium kit
The kit should include more than a few plants and some dirt․ TN Nursery’s Terrarium Garden Kit includes fresh turkey tail fungi‚ native lichens‚ mosses‚ and small‚ locally sourced plants from the hills of Middle Tennessee‚ so you’re working with something that’s already adapted to the region’s humidity and temperature rather than greenhouse-grown stock that has never been in real dirt․
Look for kits with a variety of textures․ Moss only can get boring pretty quickly․ Try to include something tall‚ like a little fern or a peperomia‚ something short‚ like moss or a creeping fig‚ and‚ preferably‚ something like a sprig of lichen-covered wood or a stone‚ which gives a little anchoring weight to the whole thing․
Size does matter․ Terrariums less than 6 inches wide are nearly impossible to plant and maintain․ Most beginners‚ I think‚ will do just fine with something in the 8-to-12-inch range‚ because your hands are too big to get in there around the leaves‚ and it’s harder to control moisture․ You want space enough to work with and enough buffer if the humidity levels swing a little․ Succulents and cacti are a different matter (open air and little moisture needed)‚ so an open terrarium or dish garden will work for those․
Setting It Up: The Layers That Actually Matter
1․ The Container A covered glass container is standard for a tropical terrarium․ They seal in humidity‚ creating a self-sustaining greenhouse effect․ Containers must be washed first‚ because even new ones have residues from manufacturing and shipping that can harm delicate root systems․
2․ Drainage Layer Add 1 to 2 inches of small stones or lava rock․ This is especially important for closed terrariums which do not have a drainage hole‚ or water will pool at the bottom and quickly rot the roots․
3․ Charcoal Layer On top of this drainage rock is a layer of activated charcoal about a quarter inch thick․ It is not decorative․ This process of decomposition releases waste products‚ and unless adequate filtering is in place‚ the enclosure will sour‚ giving a musty smell․ Without a filter‚ this will happen after several weeks‚ particularly if the terrarium is warm․
4․ Soil Use potting soil intended for tropical and house plants‚ as garden soil tends to hold too much moisture in a closed container‚ in addition to drying out slowly and compacting․ Two or three inches is usually enough․ The soil should feel like a wrung-out sponge: damp but nothing drips out if you squeeze a handful․
5․ Planting Perhaps the most important step is opening up the roots prior to planting․ When a plant is in a pot at the nursery‚ roots can circle around the pot․ If the plant is planted out in this condition‚ roots will continue to circle instead of spreading․ A few minutes spent loosening plants and cutting encircling roots will save a lot of problems down the road․
Prepare for taller plants in the rear or the center of a 360 view terrarium․ Space the plants an inch or two apart when planting within the terrarium container․ In fact‚ it can look almost empty on day one‚ but tropical plants in enclosed containers grow like weeds‚ and within a few months overcrowding becomes the problem․
6․ Finishing Touches Small stones‚ driftwood or a piece of bark can hold the arrangement together‚ but also give moss something to climb on and help to give the whole terrarium enough texture‚ so it seems to fit in the environment instead of being just a plant in a jar․
Care Through the First Year
Light Bright‚ indirect sunlight is often ideal‚ and in most houses‚ an east window is fine․ However‚ the afternoon sun can act like a magnifying glass and cook plants to death in a few hours on a hot‚ clear day; it is best to keep terrariums a few feet from south or west windows․ If your home doesn’t get a lot of natural light‚ a small grow light on a timer for 8-10 hours a day is fine․
Water This is what causes most problems for beginners․ Once a sealed terrarium is planted it may not need to be watered for 3-4 weeks because moisture in the terrarium condenses on the glass and recycles itself․ Each day‚ inspect the inner surface of the glass․ If there is a thin mist that disappears around mid-afternoon‚ humidity levels are acceptable․ If the inside of the glass instead has a thick mist‚ the humidity levels are too high: crack the lid for a day to allow moisture to escape․
Air Circulation Even if your terrarium is going great‚ it is a good idea to crack the top for an hour‚ every week or two‚ just to refresh air quality and reduce fungal threats in the humidity found in Tennessee summers․
Pruning By the second or third month‚ growth will be obvious․ Prune plants that come too close to their neighbor or touch the glass․ Typically‚ terrarium plants will grow slowly in containers but they grow regardless of the size of the container․
Troubleshooting Yellowing leaves indicate overwatering․ Brown‚ crispy leaf tips can mean underwatering‚ but they can also mean insufficient humidity or too much light․ The white mold on the soil surface is typically a harmless fungal bloom that can be wiped up and watering lessened․
A good terrarium kit‚ if planted and cared for correctly‚ could last upwards of 2-3 years without needing to be completely replanted‚ making it one of the lowest-maintenance ways to have something green and alive indoors year-round․
