Glass Act

Bring the outdoors in with a terrarium that’s as hardy as it is easy to make.

Closed Terrarium

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Glass jar or terrarium container with a cork lid

• Pea gravel

• Activated charcoal

• Potting soil (sterile)

• Small paintbrush

• Chopstick or pencil

• Plants (English ivy, nerve plant, velvet calathea and parlor palm are shown here)

• Sheet moss

• Decorative pebbles

• Quartz stones

• Paper towels

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Pour a ½-inch layer of pea gravel into the base of the jar.

• Sprinkle activated charcoal onto the pea gravel; this keeps toxins from developing.

• Top with a 2-to-3-inch layer of sterile potting soil.

• Using a small paintbrush, clean any soil from the insides of the glass jar.

• Using a chopstick or pencil, make a hole for the largest plant.

• Trim back taller plants so the leaves do not touch the sides of the jar. Plant your largest plant in the center, then make additional holes to plant the remaining plants.

• Break up the sheet moss into pieces to fit around the plants. Place the sheet moss around the bases of the plants.

• Finish with decorative pebbles and quartz stones as desired.

• Brush dirt from the sides, then water lightly. Place cork in jar.

• Place in a shady spot out of direct sunlight. Condensation should cover 10% to 30% of the jar; wipe away any excess with a paper towel. It shouldn’t need extra water for a couple of months.

PLANTING TRICK

Try using a chopstick to guide plants into place. Bonus: You can use one to poke a hole in a wine cork for a planter within a planter.

Terrarium Care

Water sparingly while the succulent is dormant in winter. Then add a teaspoon of water to each plant every month from March to October.

Photo credit: GAP Photos/Nicola Stocken