CHOOSING A TERRARIUM CONTAINER AND PLANTS

A beautiful, healthy terrarium starts with a little planning. Follow these tips before you sit down to assemble your miniature landscape.

CONTAINERS

Glass should be clear and smooth. Rippled or textured glass will distort the view of your project. Tinted glass will shade plants from needed light. 

When choosing a terrarium with a small opening, such as a bottle or jug, you'll need smaller cuttings and longer tools. 

Smaller vessels will require smaller plants and finer substrate layers. 

THE QUEST FOR SMALLER PLANTS

Plants should share similar light and water needs

Consider the size and growth habit of the plants relative to the size of vessel. Don't over crowd your plants. Their leaves need light exposure to photosynthesize. 

Some plants can be divided into more than one crown, and for many terrarium plants you can use tip cuttings instead of rooted plants. These will root easily in the humid environment of a terrarium.

Plants sold in miniature size are not necessarily "dwarf" and may need occasional pruning. On the other hand, there are plants with a naturally small stature such as pilea aquamarine or baby tears. 

Before installing plants in your container, carefully remove the bulk of the soil and trim the roots. 

Mosses make a realistic understory to larger plants or can be used alone to give a lush look to the surface of the substate layers.

ACCESSORIES 

Be mindful of scale so the container, substrate, plants and accessories are harmonized.

Use your terrarium to tell a story personal to you. It will become a memory keeper you’ll never tire of tending. Look for animal or people figures and dollhouse miniatures at thrift and specialty stores and from online sellers.

Utilizing collected stones, driftwood pieces and cork bark make landscapes believable and memorable. Be sure to sterilize such items before inserting them into your miniature landscapes. Natural materials can introduce molds and fungal spores into such a moist environment.