Make Your Own Terrarium
Terrariums are everywhere at the moment and are super stylish! In the shops they can cost a fortune, but with a bit of creativity you can make your own. So here goes the ‘Lynne Lambourne’ recipe for a Terrarium.
(Please note a Terrarium is not where the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live, it’s a mini type glass house for plants… all will become clear)
INGREDIENTS:
Glass Jar- check your charity shops for large old vases etc. I used one of the old pickling jars from Love Nellie.
Crushed charcoal.
Gravel type stones/pebbles.
Horticultural grit.
Potting soil to match the plants you choose ie if you use cactus, buy cactus compost.
Sphagnum moss
Plants of your choice
Maybe a few decoration bits, shells. mini figurines ect.
A water spray
Wooden spoon.
METHOD
1) Make sure the glass jar is really clean from bacteria. Give it a really good wash; pop it in the dishwasher maybe.
2) Pop a layer of the crushed charcoal at the bottom of the jar, this helps keep the soil fresh and helps with drainage.
3) Next I popped a layer of the gravel/pebbles down on top and then did a layer of moss to help create the layered look and add some interest to the jar.
4) Next up its your potting medium. I was planting cactus I went to the local garden centre and bought a bag of cactus compost as its got the right nutrients that are needed and can make all the difference to the success of the Terrarium. ( Levington do a good one)
5) Now its time to pop your plants in. When selecting your plants go for a variety with different textured leaves and in different shades of green so that it adds interest. Cactus that you could consider include jade, aloe, borro’s tail, earth stars, echeveria, haworthia and sedum.
You have to be quite neat at this point as you don’t want to mess up the layers and you also don’t want to get lots of the compost on the leaves of the plants as it gives a messy appearance. TIP- use a wooden spoon as the long handle allows you to position the plant and soil with precision.
6) Next I popped a layer of the horticultural gravel around the plants which seemed to help secure them in place. I arranged some moss on top of that and a few of the larger pebbles in an arty type way to complete the look without hiding the plant.
7) Lastly I gave the whole thing a spray of water and the job was all done.
Now all you need to do is water 1-2 times per week, watering only the live plants and avoiding the moss if you can, the soil should always remain barely moist, never bone dry.
The finished result! I love how simple this was, and it fits right in with my home.
Terraniums are such a simple way to get a bit of green into your home, and they are both so easy to make and keep up. I found a few brilliant ones from around the internet to inspire you a bit more. And it will definitely keep you busy and out of the rain!
Have a great weekend all!
Lynne xx
