Make a Terrarium

Terrariums are arrangements of pebbles, soil, and plants in a clear container. With the right setup and care, terrariums also become living laboratories and miniature ecosystems where we can observe how water moves through a watershed up close.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED: 

A quart-size glass jar with lid, small pebbles or rocks, crushed charcoal,

organic potting soil, small plants

OPTIONAL: Small tools for planting and arranging, such as forks, spoons, and chopsticks

Clean your jar with warm soapy water and dry completely - clear glass works best. Note that an enclosed container will be entirely self-sufficient. A plant in an open container will need occasional watering. 

  1. Add pebbles, charcoal and potting soil to your jar in the following order:

  2. Place a 1-2” layer of pebbles at the bottom of the container to promote drainage. 

  3. Add a few tablespoons of crushed charcoal to keep the soil fresh, filter the water and prevent fungi growth. 

  4. Next, add good organic potting soil- enough to cover your plant roots, probably about 2”. Generally, the pebble/soil mixture should not exceed 1/3 of the vessel.

  5. Place your plants inside your container, and plant them in the soil. You can use your fingers or small tools if you like. Add the lid.

Welcome Roly Polys!

If you’d like to try housing a backyard critter or two, here are a few tips for setting up a roly-poly friendly terrarium. Roly polys, also known as pill bugs, are actually tiny terrestrial crustaceans. They can live happily in the right terrarium for months or longer: 

  1. Poke very small holes in the lid of your jar, or swap out a very fine mesh screen for the center piece of a canning lid and secure with the screw-top ring only. 

  2. Place a shallow water dish - a bottle cap with a few drops of water should be fine.

  3. Include a small piece or two of cardboard, which will provide shelter and food for the roly-poly, turning back into soil when they’re finished with it.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR TERRARIUM:

Check the light: If new growth is small, pale, or leggy, try a sunnier spot. 

Water if the soil looks dry. Don’t over-water. 

Air: ventilate if a lot of moisture builds up on the container. If your plants fade or get crowded, prune or move to a larger container 

Plants: For closed terrariums try small slow-growing tropicals like African violet, Swedish ivy, philodendron, spider plant, small ferns, and prayer plants. For open terrariums, try succulents.

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