Terrarium Making

Adding some plants into our life is pretty nice, adding some green in our workplace or be it at home. Many will prefer to purchase ready-made ones for convenience. For me, I might also  consider the easiest way out. But this time round, I decided to try to learn and make it myself.

Closed Terrarium

Tools you will need:

1. A bottle with a lid
2. Spoons (at least 2)
3. One pair of chopsticks
4. A presser tool
5. Non-fertilized soil
6. Rocks/ Pebbles
7. Plants
8. Decorative Figurines

Step 1: Preparing the bottle

Do get a bottle that's big enough - the bigger the better it is. This is so that it can contain the plant for a longer period. Otherwise you might have to transfer the plant to a bigger bottle when the plant start to over-grow out of the bottle.

Sample of a glass bottle you may use

Do make sure to peel off any stickers on the bottle and clean the interior and exterior of the bottle before use.

Step 2: Adding Rocks and Pebbles for layering the base

This step is critical in ensuring that the plant you will be growing will survive. Adding colour stones for beautifying but this is definitely not the reason for the need to add rocks/ pebbles at the bottom. 

The purpose is actually to create a layer of drainage at the bottom of the bottom, allowing water to seep through and prevent flooding the plant. Add around 2 inch of rocks/ pebbles at the bottom would be just sufficient. Use the presser tool to press down on the rocks/ pebbles to straighten the layer.


Step 3: Adding Soil

After the drainage layer is completed, you may now proceed to add soil on top of the layer. It will be best to use non-fertilized soil instead as this slows down the plant growth speed. If not, the plant would shoot to very tall and you will have to get a much bigger bottle to fit it in. 

Press down on the soil using the presser tool to flatten. Use average force - not too light and definitely not too tight when pressing down on the soil. Make sure that the soil is around 1 inch (Around 9 big tablespoons of soil depending on the size of your bottle) For my bottle, it takes around there. Do an estimation. But regardless, the rocks and soil should not take up exceeding 1/3 of your bottle. 

Step 4: Dig a spot for your plant

Using one spoon, dig it into the middle of the soil towards one side. You should be able to dig it down until you see the coloured rocks/ pebbles. Now, leave the spoon to that side, instead, use another spoon and dig towards the other side from the spoon. You should also see the rocks/ stones now. Leave it there for the time being since the plant will be placed in the middle of both spoons.


Step 5: Plant

Very important thing is to select the plant you want to add inside the closed terrarium - not all plants can survive inside. 

Use the non-fertilized soil to wrap the roots of the plants and using water to secure the soil. When planting it inside the bottle, take the leaves of the plants (avoid touching the secured soil on the roots). Placed it in the middle of both spoons. You may push the spoons further apart in order to fit the plant in. Use chopsticks if there's a need, to place the plant in.

After the plant had sat on the spot, use chopsticks to secure the plant at the sides. And slowly take out one of the spoon by moving the spoon from left to right gently. Once out, push the soil that came out with it back near the plant and use the presser tool to flatten just around the area. Do the same for the other spoon.

This is how it looks like after the spoons are removed, only leaving the chopsticks there.

Next, slowly pull out the chopsticks. Be sure that no roots can be seen when you gently brush the leaves of the plant. 

Note: If it can be seen, take out the plant by loosening the soil around with the use of the chopsticks and re-do the planting step.

Another thing to note when planting the plant is to avoid the leaves from touching the sides of the bottle. Due to the cycle that will happen inside the bottle, there will be water droplets at the side, hence if the leaves are touching the sides of it, it might end up in them rotting. 

Step 6: Beautify the Plant

Final step is to add some accessories to beautify the terrarium. You may wish to add in some rocks/ pebbles on top and add some figurines inside.

Completed Product - 1 Side

Completed Product - 2nd Side

THINK THIS IS ALL? YOU ARE WRONG. 

This is definitely not the end! There's still the maintenance part! 

Step 7: Maintenance the plant

As the soil is pretty raw (see the blurrish parts on the soil area?), you will have to consistently for 14 days, open the lid for around 30 mins to air it. One thing to make sure is that the plant is placed in a lighted area - Not under sunlight/ indirect sunlight (This will cook the plant). 

And every month, do make sure to spray 4 drops of water inside on each sides, avoiding the leaves of the plant.

The challenging part of a terrarium is the maintenance of the plant to decide their fate of whether they live or die.  

Not sure how my terrarium will turn out in the end though. Hopefully it will grow up just fine and healthy:)