How to Make a Terrarium with Your Own Hands? Essay Example

some of the materials first. Luckily, they are inexpensive and easy to obtain. You can get all the materials you need for around 20$ or less, depending where you go. Before you buy anything, you must decide whether you will want an open or closed container terrarium. An ‘open’ terrarium is simply an open-lid jar or glass bowl, while a ‘closed’ terrarium is one with a closed lid, making it air tight and able to keep a humid environment. Remember: the type of container you choose determines which plants you can use. However, the two are equally easy to make and require mostly the same items. These are the items you will need for your terrarium.

A glass jar, bowl, or vase with a wide mouth, so that you can get your hand inside. These can be found cheaply at Goodwill or Salvation Army: Mine was $1. A more expensive alternative is HomeGoods, but they have a great selection of glass containers at decent prices.  Soil can be found in any gardening center. I found mine at Lowe’s for less than $5. Open terrariums will need cactus soil, and closed will need potting soil. Rocks will be needed for the bottom of the terrarium, to help water drain. Something just like gravel from the driveway will work, or you can get fancy and buy some rocks at a craft store.  Activated charcoal, or just plain charcoal, will be needed, which can be found at pet stores. And, of course, you will need plants! You want to look for small plants, the smaller the better for this project.

Open terrariums like plants that like

dry conditions, such as: cacti or succulents like jade or aloe, sempervivum, creeping fig, and many others. Closed terrarium plants desire low light and high moisture. Some good plants are mosses, spider ferns, African violets, prayer plants, Josephs coat, and star fish plants, although there are many, many plants that will work. When you are at the store, look at the little cards inserted into the plant. They tell you what kind of environment the plant needs.  Some optional things you might want would be decorative sand for an open terrarium, decorative rocks for a closed terrarium, and for either one, miniatures or figurines add personality to the project.

Transition Statement: Now that you know what you will need for this project, its time to move on to how to build your terrarium.

The process is very simple and can be done in less than a half an hour. According to Sprout Home: First, place your rocks in the bottom of the glass container. This only needs to be about an inch thick, unless you have a large container, then make it a little thicker. It just allows any extra water to drain from the soil. H. Place a thin layer of the activated charcoal on top of the rocks to keep the water clean and the soil fresh. Add your cactus or potting soil to the charcoal layer. You want to be sure to use enough. For example, if the plants you are using have 4-inch root balls, use at least 4 inches of soil.

Try to leave holes where you will be inserting the plants. Add your plants to the

holes, and secure them in place by filling any gaps with soil. First place in the larger plants, then the smaller plants afterwards. If you are unable to fit your hand inside to position the plants, use tweezers or tongs. A great tip from THE NEW TERRARIUM says use a skewer or chopstick with a cork on the end to tamp down the soil.  Add your decorations. If it is an open terrarium, now is the time to put your sand on top. For a closed terrarium, add your decorative rocks. Miniatures or figurines make the landscape more interesting.

Transition Statement: After your terrarium is assembled, there are just a few things you need to know about how to care for it!

Just as everything else in this project has been easy, caring for your terrarium is a simple task.  Put your terrarium in moderate to indirect sunlight.  Closed terrariums will rarely need water since the humidity stays inside. For open containers, check the soil before you add water, and see that it is slightly moist. Use a spray bottle to water the terrarium, approximately every two weeks, and remember: you don’t want the terrarium to be wet, just damp. N. If you have a closed terrarium, take the lid off about once a month to air it out.

If you see condensation, take the top off to air it out until the condensation disappears. (Container Gardening)  Remove any yellowed or damaged leaves. Prune back any plants that have grown too large, to ensure they don’t take over the terrarium, which can harm the health of other plants.  Remember to never use

glass cleaner to clean the inside of the glass. Use your spray bottle and dry it with newspaper. Sprout Home gives a good guide about how to tell if your terrarium has received too much (or not enough) light, water, or heat.

Transition: So, you see for yourself how easy this is. Less than 20$ in supplies and a half hour of your time later, you have your own miniature garden.

Conclusion:

Summary: You have learned everything you will need to know to make your own terrarium and keep it alive. Concluding device: Now, I hope that you are all able to enjoy your own little piece of low-maintenance, green eye candy. And remember, the sky is the limit!