DIY Medium Open and Closed Terrarium Kit

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This gorgeous moss terrarium kit by EK Terrariumsis about as cute as it gets – measuring up to only 3.4 inches tall. This kit makes a great gift. (Image Credit: EKTerrariums). The closed terrarium water cycle mimics that found in nature. Once water is added to the terrarium and the lid closed, it becomes continually recycled. Water droplets form inside the glass container due to condensation and the plants giving off water through their pores (stomates) during photosynthesis. Water then runs down the jar into the soil, and the process repeats.

Getting the perfect setup may take a few tries to get right. If you see too much condensation building up on the inside and not clearing, simply remove the lid for an hour. You may also find your terrarium getting misty, but this soon clears.These types of cases are named after Nathaniel Ward (1791-1868), who pioneered the transportation of plants in glass cases with his book ‘On the Growth of Plants in Closely Glazed Cases’ in 1842. During the colonial years, many plants would die when shipped over to Europe from around the world; Wardian case terrariums provided the ecosystem with each plant needed to survive transportation.

When it comes to watering, you can use the old-fashioned method of adding water when the soil feels dry, but honestly, that’s a bit of a fuss in the confined space of a terrarium. Terrarium lighting is another big one to consider. You’ll need to provide consistent, even light that satisfies the needs of your tropical understory plants but doesn’t burn them. They’re typically quite delicate, after all. The plants in a closed terrarium also produce oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis; this is why many closed terrariums can also support small insects and isopods. This process is reversed at nighttime, allowing plants to get CO2 for photosynthesis; the plants can also absorb carbon from the soil as old leaves and organic matter decay. What You Will Need to Build a Closed Terrarium As the activated charcoal forms a complete layer, it also cleans the water as it passes through to the false bottom layer. I also added some to by false bottom layer to help clean any water that may sit on the base. A terrarium is an enclosed glass or plastic container that is used to grow plants," says Lisa Steinkopf, who runs the blog The Houseplant Guru.So naturally, when considering how to make a terrarium, we need to keep these principles in mind. The idea is to build a system that can look after itself so we don’t have to!

My meditating Buddha has been lost in his jungle! Roots have grown up the sides of the terrarium on the window side of the container. When it comes to getting lids for open containers, I find getting acrylic disks cut to size is the best option. There are plenty of companies online that can cut something to a precise dimension for a reasonable cost. An acrylic lid looks just like glass and it’s much cheaper and lighter. Below is my completed terrarium. I added a small buddha which totally changes it from ‘plants in a jar’, to a scene. No, succulents prefer open terrariums, they don’t do well in a sealed terrarium. Consider buying a fishbowl type setup.Fear not; all of these can be sourced easily online, from local stores, or even fashioned yourself (when it comes to tools). Want to add more greenery to your room, office, or home without simply buying another houseplant? Consider creating your own terrarium. Yes, you can create a more elaborate setup with lights, this will also give you more options for plants. What closed terrarium plants you have available will differ in different countries, but you’ll generally want a mix of all of these types of plants to get a natural-looking scene. Here we have one of my tropical terrariums with a bunch of ferns, epiphytes, and different tropical mosses. Or cling film (Saran wrap) works in a pinch! You can snip the loose edges and get a clean finish if you’re careful. However, it does tend to get quite dusty.

The plants will need at least 2 hours per day of sunlight, but you don’t need to add direct sunlight. My plants are thriving in a north-facing window.

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Add your gravel to the bottom of your bottle and sit your cut mesh barrier on top. For the stones, I used aquarium gravel to add some colour. You can use sand, but the evaporation is not as good.