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!