A terrarium is a glass container that is largely enclosed and used for growing and displaying plants. Although terrariums are primarily used to provide a climate that is conducive to plant growth, they are frequently kept as decorative items. Depending on the different conditions present inside, terrariums can be classified as closed or open. Natural terrarium stones are one of the most popular terrariums.
Tropical plant species like mosses, orchids, ferns, and air plants are frequently kept in enclosed terrariums since the environment is similar to their humid, protected habitat in the tropics.
Dry plants that thrive in open terrariums include cacti and succulents. Not all plants require or thrive in the moist environment of closed terrariums. For plants used in arid environments, open, unsealed terrariums are utilized to keep the air inside the enclosure dry. Open terrariums are the best choice for plants that require more direct sunlight as opposed to closed terrariums, which might trap too much heat and potentially kill any plants inside.
Even while it might seem that terrariums are only now becoming more and more fashionable, they have actually been a frequent home decoration since the Victorian era, and they have been built with increasing intricacy and style.
Plants are said to reduce stress and meet functional and aesthetic requirements when kept inside. Your general well-being, stress alleviation, anxiety reduction, mental health, and healing can all benefit greatly from having a little indoor garden. Giving care to a living thing always makes us feel good and gives us something to work toward.
Whether you reside in a little apartment or a large home, you shouldn’t contest the value of plants for our health and wellness. The addition of terrariums will calm your home and revitalize your soul. Plants can liven up even the drabbest of environments. Furthermore, we believe that creating terrariums is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to hone their green thumb. As a result, Gharpedia is once again ready to help you by providing instructions on how to make a terrarium at home. Before learning how to make one, let’s first learn about the various types of terrariums.
Types of Terrariums
Closed Container Terrariums:
A closed or sealed terrarium is ideal for plants that require humidity to thrive. They are independent and don’t need direct sunlight. The plants’ release of water vapor, which is caught in the vessel and falls back down to the substrate, keeps the water cycle going. The mosses, ferns, and ivy are the most widely used plant varieties.
Open Container Terrariums:
As the name suggests, it does not require a cover. Various plants can be used with it without issue. They need to be watered more frequently, perhaps once or twice per week. The overall humidity is low, and the moisture level is more under your control. Even faint sunshine will do. Examples of suitable plants are air plants, cacti, aloe, and succulents.
Dish Container Terrariums:
They are the simplest to prepare and maintain. It hardly ever needs watering. When planting air plants, you could exclude the substrate and drainage layers. Any kind of lighting is advantageous for this terrarium. There, a vast variety of plants that might struggle in the outdoors can be grown.
You should be aware of a few materials before getting your hands dirty. Making a small, medium, or big terrarium requires the same supplies and techniques; the only differences are the size of the container, the time required to complete this gorgeous creation, and the number of ingredients.
How to Take Care of Your Terrariums?
Terrariums are now available in a huge range of designs and sizes. They practically take care of themselves, generate magnificent blooms for your home, and love humidity.
To get the most out of your terrarium, make sure it is kept in bright, indirect light. As a result, there won’t be any chance of burned leaves preventing the growth of the plants. The closed container creates its own ecosystem by recycling its air and water, which virtually removes the need to water it.
The fact that the plants are growing in a tiny space means that they will eventually become taller or wider. If this happens, just cut them back with a pair of neat, precise scissors. Don’t worry about damaging the plant; doing so will only promote growth. Stone carpet is also quite popular these days apart from terrariums. And you can easily find Stone carpet suppliers online.
Benefits of Terrariums
There are a lot of advantages to terrariums, including:
- Plants that would find it difficult to grow in dry air. They benefit from their assistance.
- They offer a small area for a garden, or “mini garden.”
- Artificial lighting, like LED or fluorescent, can be used quite well.
- Terrariums do not require frequent watering.
Which Plants Are the Best for Terrariums?
Avoid plants that grow quickly and choose plants with foliage and slow-growing plants instead. For illustration:
- Maidenhair, button, and bird’s nest ferns are examples of ferns.
- Sundew plants, pitcher plants, and Venus fly traps are all carnivorous plants.
- Little palms.
- Air plant called Tillandsia.
- Other succulents include cacti, Hawthorne, Echeveria, and Crassula.
- Peperomia.
It can be challenging to grow ferns, carnivorous plants, and air plants without terrariums. Therefore, if you wish to have these plants in your house, we suggest buying or making a terrarium.
Developing the Best Composition
Terrariums are solid, closed vessels, thus they need to have enough drainage layers to keep your plants happy and healthy.
- Lay a base of stones or gravel first. We recommend Expanded Clay Pebbles. There are many advantages to using clay pebbles; they absorb more water and make sure that it is distributed slowly and uniformly to the roots of the plants.
- The next step calls for a layer of Terrarium Activated Charcoal. Activated charcoal is also suggested for drainage because of its anti-toxin properties. Charcoal can help stop the development of mold and mildew while filtering the water and maintaining the health of the roots of your plants.
- You will also need some free-draining, well-mixed soil. For the best results, we advise using our Cacti & Succulent Repotting mix. Make sure the soil is damp but not drenched in water or completely dry before applying it.
- You might wish to add some ornamental pieces, like stones, driftwood, or decorative grit, on top of the soil. To reduce toxins, make sure these items are washed and disinfected before adding them to your terrarium.