Finding Joy in the Journey: A Reflection on my Genius Hour Experience

My Genius Hour journey has provided me with a deep understanding of how to create and care for a terrarium that will survive and thrive within the atmospheric conditions offered in my bedroom. Furthermore, my experience has taught me how important it is to be interested in the topic at hand; a piece of information that will be extremely helpful to me when creating projects for my future students.

The Final Product of my Research

The three main factors that contributed to the characteristics I ended up choosing for my terrarium are:

1) My bedroom has an eastern facing window, meaning it will have morning and early afternoon sunlight.

2) I am a student and therefore do not have an excess amount of time for terrarium care, therefore low maintenance plants will fit better into my lifestyle.

3) I don't want to be poking holes all over my bedroom so I would prefer a container that sits on a surface rather than one that hangs from the ceiling or is mounted on the wall.

My Final Product!

I ended up choosing a decently large glass container with an open top to allow airflow and prevent locked in moisture. I chose plants in the cacti and succulent families because they require dry environments and therefore will not need to be watered often. They also prefer lots of direct or indirect sunlight so the amount of daily sun I get in my bedroom will be ideal for their preferred conditions.

The Genius Hour Process

I have to say, the Genius Hour Project definitely struck some fear in me at the beginning. The assignment consisted of many smaller activities, at least one of which would push every style of learner out of their comfort zone. For me, the blog posts were most exciting. I love to write. I also find that collecting and retelling information helps to solidify my understanding, so being able to write about my research made it all much clearer in my memory.

The technological aspects were the parts I found the most daunting (yes, I am aware this is a tech class). Mostly, it was the video creation that made me nervous (ie. the trailer and the Ted Talk). However, I even found myself enjoying those aspects of the project because they forced me to get really creative and think outside of the box I would normally stay within. No, I don't love being on camera and I didn't love having to hear my own voice as I edited. But not only was it even more rewarding to finish because it was so far out of my comfort zone but I realized the Ted Talk specifically is very similar to getting comfortable teaching in front of a class. I actually think filming myself teaching lessons might be something I do for the first little while during my career so I can identify and work on the weaker aspects of my presentation skills.

Genius Hour projects are definitely something I will present to my own classroom one day. The best part about them is they can be modified to fit the needs of any age and any individual learner. They are also a great way to introduce how to research and compile information. Genius Hour Projects can be arranged to incorporate many different activities, therefore the teacher can ensure at least one activity will appeal to every student.

I look forward to being on the other end of this assignment and hopefully one day watching as my own students complete the tasks!  

Terrarium TLC

One of the best parts about terrariums, and the main reason I chose to make one for my Genius Hour project is they are incredibly low maintenance; they are self sustaining ecosystems. Once they are made they only have two main requirements: sunlight and water.  

© BottledPlants 2010-2013 

The most important rule of terrarium care is to NEGLECT your plants. Too much sunlight can cause plants to burn or lose their colour. Too much water can cause plants to become moldy and waterlogged.

For my cacti and succulent terrarium I need to make sure they are getting a few hours of indirect sunlight each day. I will have to place it on the south wall of my bedroom. This will provide my plants with the morning and early afternoon light.

There is no exact set of directions that can tell you how often you’re supposed to water your plants. The need for hydration is dependent on the location of the plant (how much sun it gets), how well the soil holds water and the drainage system of the container it is in. Learning how often I will need to water my terrarium will come with time and observation. I will need to keep a close eye on my plants for the first months to figure out how often the terrarium is drying out and therefore how often I need to water it.

© Gardener's Supply Company 2016

            When watering is needed, there are a few specific steps I will need to follow. It is very unlikely terrariums ever require a large quantity of water. A lot of advice columns recommend you use a spoon or a pipette to water terrariums. Cacti and succulent leaves don’t like to get wet so it is important to water the base of each individual plant. This is why people recommend using items that allow for a lot of control but as long as you’re careful other watering devices are fine to use as well. I will probably use a small watering can or a cup for my terrarium in the interest of saving time. (This video gives some tips on watering terrariums).

I unfortunately didn’t have the chance to get over to my old bosses at Cudmores as I had originally planned. However, I was able to converse with some plant experts in a few other garden centres in the area. The most important piece of information I received from them was ‘plants first, aesthetics after’. They said it is a common mistake to pick a container without thinking about how it will affect the plants quality of life. I was told to choose a container that allows a good amount of airflow for the plants and to organize my decorations so I have easy access to the plants for watering.

All there is left to do is put together my terrarium! Stay tuned to find out how it goes! 

It's Time to Get Your Hands Dirty: The Basics for Making a Terrarium

When I worked at Cudmores Garden Centre, I was often involved in collecting the materials for and putting together the pre-made planters that were sold. During this time I received a lot of tips about how to plant the individual items (yes, there is a proper way); as well as how to organize a collection of plants to make them look the best. I was interested to discover that succulents/cacti and annuals follow a lot of the same basic rules. The biggest difference is that terrariums usually include many decorative objects as well.

            In my opinion the most important note to remember when you start the hands on aspect of any gardening is probably the most commonly forgotten one; remember plants are living things too! They require a gentle touch and lots of love just like anything else we take care of. I found it interesting that not many resources I explored about the DIY steps talked about the importance of a gentle touch. At my old job was one the most common tips!

Okay, that’s enough with the background information. After a bit of searching, I decided these basic guidelines were the most important to remember when creating your own terrarium.

The first thing to do is to collect all materials. I will be using an open top container that is suitable for plants requiring a dry environment; a collection of 3 or 4 (depending on the size) individual plants in the succulent and cacti families; some decorative rocks of varied natural colours; a bit of artificial moss and possibly a few shells.

Once I have my materials laid out in front of me I will start by placing about an inch of rocks at the bottom of the container with a small well (hole) in the middle and then cover that with fiberglass window screen. This bottom layer is needed because my container will not have a drainage hole, so I need to create a space for excess water to sit in order to allow the soil to dry out, as the plants require. The well I created is to help make space for root growth and the fiberglass window screening is there to stop the soil from falling down into the rocks

Next I will top the fiberglass screening with a few inches of moist soil. The amount I put in will depend on the desired look I am after, I will probably decide exactly how much I want to put in once I have the materials in front of me. The important part is there needs to be enough soil for proper depth and root growth. The good thing about succulents and cacti is they don’t need to be planted very deeply. It is also important to lightly moisten the soil before placing it in the terrarium so the plants are in a healthy environment as soon as they are planted.

Based on the containers I have been looking at most recently I will probably choose one that can be looked at from all angles so I will likely need to plant the tallest plants towards the middle and the smaller ones around the outside. When I get to the individual succulents I will first rearrange them on the table within their containers so I know the desired look I am after. Once I have decided on the placement of each plant I will take them out and place them in the terrarium one by one. Before planting it is helpful to remove as much of the excess soil and white perlite (little white specs) until you are mostly dealing with the roots.

After the plants are comfortably under the soil I will be able to start placing my decorative materials. For me it’ll be about simplicity and a clean look. I’ll also want to make sure the plants aren’t too crowded and have enough airflow.

Take a look at the videos below to see some other peoples preferred styles for making a Terrarium. The steps are slightly different than mine, but as long as they have the basics it’s all about personal preference!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6IU79JNz4Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WsWCoOSHYI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gNQuPom_fI

Next on my list of things to learn is how to properly care for a terrarium and whether my bedroom will be an accommodating environment for one… fingers crossed!

And the Research Begins... Choosing Terrarium Types and Styles

          This week I began searching for the perfect terrarium for my bedroom by researching the different types and styles available. Before my research I wasn’t aware that what I thought to be a terrarium was actually a spin off of the original definition. I was previously under the impression that terrariums were always comprised of some kind of succulent or cacti plant and was in a wide-mouthed bowl; namely, those habitats requiring a dry atmosphere. I was very surprised to learn that originally terrariums were created within closed glass environments and were comprised of plants that thrived off the humidity and moisture created from the enclosed space. It was only recently that they have been adapted to include dry environment habitats. This new piece of information broadened my research greatly. I discovered however that the original type of terrarium would probably not be as successful in my bedroom because they often require more maintenance. There are five main types of terrariums: cacti, carnivorous, fern, moss and succulent terrariums. Carnivorous, Fern and moss terrariums follow the original definition and cacti and succulent terrariums follow the adapted definition. Carnivorous and fern are not ideal for a bedroom because they thrive in moist and humid areas (closed glass enclosure) and require more frequent feeding, trimming and care. As a student I feel these characteristics would be too hard to upkeep. Moss terrariums are not as high maintenance as the first two but I was not impressed by the visual therefore making them an undesirable option as well. It was interesting to learn about the many different options available because the information may be useful for future endeavors. It turns out my original definition is the option that will prove most successful and visually appealing for my bedroom after all!

(The above shows a cacti terrarium)

 Cacti: Abesamis, Sonny. (22 September 2013). “Terrarium”. (photograph) retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/enerva/9959205406

(The above shows a succulent terrarium) 

 Succulent: Noodles and Beef. (17 November 2013). “My Succulent Terrarium”. (photograph) retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ekigyuu/10917956966 

           Once I decided on the type of terrarium I wanted I could start looking at different styles. When looking at styles I was mostly focused on the container I was most interested in using as well as the plants I was going to choose to put inside. I decided that I would use succulents and cacti. Since it is late September and many garden centers are beginning to close down I figured it would be best to keep my options open by compiling a list of possible plant options rather than choosing a specific few. The criteria I looked for was little maintenance required, prefers a dry environment and can survive on medium light. The following are all either in the succulent or cacti family and require similar maintenance needs:
 • Aloe
• Agave
• Echevaria
• Crassulaceae
• Haworthias 
• Sedums 
• Sempervivum
• ‘hen and chicks’
• dwarf rex begonias

          The two families that are bolded are the ones I am most interested in. They both require low light, which is ideal for a bedroom (even though mine is south facing and will get a good amount of daylight I still feel it is the safer option) and tend to stay small so I wont have to be worried about them outgrowing their enclosure.

         From here I began looking at possible enclosure options. Once again, I’m not letting my mind completely set on any one particular container just incase I can’t find it when the time comes to start shopping but for now I’ve settled on either a round, wide-mouth bowl (like the one found in this link: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Arcadia-Garden-Products-Slope-7-in-Dia-Glass-Terrarium-TE15/206617843) or a geometric shape container (like the one found in this link: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Pride-Garden-Products-Mika-4-in-x-6-in-Glass-Faceted-Cube-Terrarium-18116/206858555).

            Now that I’ve done my research and narrowed down the type and style of terrarium I am looking for I can begin learning how to properly make and care for my terrarium! Keep your eye out for next week’s posts where you’ll find a list of steps for DIY terrariums and some cool tips and tricks about upkeep!