Building a Self-Sustaining Terrarium — House + Plant

Good morning! Today I thought I’d explain how I make closed terrariums. They’re so amazingly beautiful! A closed terrarium is different in that once you’ve finished creating it, you seal it up—and only very occasionally (if ever) open it. It is a self-sustaining mini ecosystem. The water we add evaporates in to the air in the terrarium and condenses on the glass walls, then ‘rains’ back down to water the plants. My kids and I love to watch this process! Rich well-draining substrate (soil) is a must. I mix equal parts sand, sphagnum moss and potting soil. You’ll also need a base layer of either pea gravel or clay pebbles. This allows the water to sit at the bottom until the plants need it. There are many different species of tropical plants you could use. I prefer to find 3-5. A mix of tall ferns and low creeping vines. Be sure to not add to many plant, as some will thrive and take over the others. Do not over stuff your terrarium with plants. A few plants can fill a terrarium in just a

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• Kristiana