How To Plant A Terrarium – A Video Guide

Don’t miss out on adding some whimsy to your terrariums! Head to your local garden center and look through the fairy garden supplies for accessories to add to your terrarium. For ours, I used colored pebbles and some fun fairy accessories.

Terrarium Materials:

Make one or make many!
➡️ (supplies are easily found at your local garden or home improvement store)

• Mason jar (any size will do but I recommend a 2pint) or other glass containers.
• Succulent/Cacti Soil if using succulents or indoor soil if using mini ferns
• Gravel or sand
• Activated charcoal (necessary if you want to close the lid. It keeps the bacteria in check.)
• Assorted moss-optional
  -Sea glass mix, colored rocks, or shells-optional
• 1 live succulent or mini fern —or many, if you are wanting to make many terrariums :)

Terrarium DIY instructions:

1. Start with a clean and clear glass jar or container. Your recycling bin most likely has a good option. Other fun options would be a fishbowl, coffee pot, pickle jar, cookie jars, and more.
2. Cover the bottom of the jar with a layer of pebbles or gravel for drainage.
3. For the next layer, add a small layer of activated charcoal to help with the bacteria that can come from high humidity..
4. Add a layer of moss to help the potting soil from staying out of the charcoal layer. This is optional. if you aren’t too picky about the layered look you can skip this.
5. Add a thick layer of potting soil. It is a good idea to get potting soil made for indoor plants if you can.
6. Shake off the dirt that comes with your foliage. Use a spoon or your hands to create the hole for your plants.
7. Plant small ferns, succulents, or even cacti in your soil and pat it in gently. You want to keep about 1 plant per 1-inch diameter, if possible. A good resource for small plants for your terrarium is your local garden store fairy garden section. Generally, plant your largest plant first so you leave enough space for the smaller plants.
8. Once you have your plants planted add additional moss, gravel, or decorative rocks to cover the soil.
9. Finish with your small extra accessories, if you decide to use them.
10. You may need long tweezers to help insert the decorations into the small space.

To care for your terrarium in a jar:

Keep the soil in your terrarium moist by gently spraying the soil with a water sprayer.
Keep condensation in check. Remove the lid of your jar when you see a heavy condensation in the jar. When the condensation has gone, replace the lid.
Keep the plants deadheaded, pruned, and leaves trimmed that are yellow or brown.
Don’t fertilize the plants!

Tips & Questions:

Is a closed terrarium or open terrarium better?

Open containers have fewer problems with fungal diseases and bacteria because of the air circulation but require more babysitting to keep them moist and adequately watered. Closed terrariums are easier to care for but can have problems with bacteria. However, using the activated charcoal layer I recommend you use dramatically decreases the risk of bacteria problems.

How do I get plants and soil into jars with narrow openings?

• Chopsticks, tongs, or tweezers are your friend! Use them to help you get small plants and accessories into your jar. Try using a wooden spoon to press down the soil, a small spatula to move soil around, and even a muddler. Just dig into your kitchen tools for the right tool!