{"id":4126,"date":"2014-11-22T19:38:00","date_gmt":"2014-11-23T00:38:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2020-08-13T17:46:36","modified_gmt":"2020-08-13T21:46:36","slug":"making-real-working-terrarium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardern.co.za\/2014\/11\/making-real-working-terrarium\/","title":{"rendered":"MAKING A REAL, WORKING TERRARIUM"},"content":{"rendered":"
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JUST BECAUSE A PLANT IS SMALL, DOESN’T MEAN THAT IT WILL MAKE A GOOD TERRARIUM PLANT. I LIKE TO CHOOSE PLANTS WHICH ACTUALLY PREFER THE HUMID CONDITIONS THAT SUCH A GLASS CASE OFFERS. HERE IS HOW I PLANTED ONE OF MY LARGER WARDIAN-CASE STYLE TERRARIUMS.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\nI secretly love terrariums. Like many of you, I often converted most any glass container I could find as a kid – old canning jars, old aquariums, even old plastic shoe boxes which I could convert into magical, moss filled terrariums. Hey – it was the 60’s and 70’s and it happened to be very trendy towards the end of the 70’s!<\/p>\n
I still enjoy terrariums, they are just so magical, but today, in our overly DIY world, the term ‘terrarium’ has a broader definition – some blogs advise you to plant succulents in an open glass bowl -ok, not really a terrarium, but then again, not a good way to grow anything. And then there are those very hip hanging glass spheres with nothing in it much more than a tuft of reindeer moss and an airplant. Still, not a great or effective way to grow plants, but there are so many vessels to choose from today, that really, there should be no excuse for any pocketbook from industrial kitchen jars at Target meant to store cookies or sugar, to more costly designer cloches and domes. I spluged on this one a couple of years ago at Terrain<\/a> – and it keeps me entertained in the winter months.<\/p>\n
I considered using the Kohleria, a relative of the African Violet but even with three plants, I think this large terrarium was already over planted. I can always pot this up under a dome or in another terrarium. It’s not a perfect candidate for terrarium culture, but I know that my greenhouse is too cold, and my house too dry for it.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\nWhen I plant a terrarium, I like to combine plants that prefer the same conditions. A terrarium won’t last forever, most need to be replanted every year or at least, edited but again, these are plants, and they grow. If you need to replant your terrarium, you are probably doing something right.<\/p>\n
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Terrariums are best if kept clean, so I start with a good commercial potting mix. The Perlite in it can be unattractive though, so I mound the soil higher in the center, and use gravel at a higher level on the glass. One would want to avoid white Perlite from floating up onto the moss, but garden soil would be too dense for me to use. A good compost if you have it will do well too. Fast draining soil that holds moisture is best, and most woodland plants, whether they come from the jungles of Ecuador or from upstate New York prefer fibrous, damp aerated growing material. In most cases, a deep layer of moss will do for these plants, as would live sphagnum if you can find it. I only use a half an inch of soil, relying on moss mostly to create my growing medium.<\/p>\n
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Tucking moss in under leaves of plants that tend to lie on the ground such as the leaves on this Begonia crispula will help keep the leaves healthy.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n