I tried making a $0 terrarium and it’s been growing really well! I don’t know how this is working but it is and I’m wondering what I did right with this design, and how I can improve from here! Details in comments
by nip_dip
Horticulture Terrariums
2 Comments
So this project started a month and a half ago when some terrarium videos on Youtube reached my feed and I decided to make my own. I was short on money so I decided to take the plastic container shown(which originally held slime) and washed it out. Then I took some small rocks in my yard for drainage and some plastic wrap to separate the layers, before mixing some soil, molch, and leaf litter together for the substrate. Then I decided to add some small plants, put some plastic wrap on top to conserve moisture and now, two months later, they’re outgrowing the container. I’m wondering what I did right, what I did wrong, and how I can improve from here!
My first one was made using stuff from my own yard, as well! I had an old mason jar, so I washed that out really well then put in rocks, dirt, pretty weeds, and some pieces of mossy bark. One of the plants died (unsure if it was just at the end of its life cycle or didn’t like the environment) but the other is thriving. The moss has spread a little. With nothing to separate them, my dirt has kind of sunk into the rocks, but there’s still a little drainage room.
It sounds like you did a lot right with yours, since it’s still alive and growing. If you want to spend money on your next one, get a jar that can hold an airtight seal, use either a mesh screen or coffee filter to separate your drainage layer, and add some springtails.