Terrarium, which comes from the Latin words “Terra” (soil) and “arium” (aquarium), is a miniature version of an ecosystem that already exists in nature. The first terrarium idea was born when Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward, a botanist living in London, coincidentally observed the development of plants growing in a jar. Ward, who wanted to protect his plants from the stifling and polluted air of England’s industrial age, first started planting his plants in mini jars. After a while, the botanist noticed that a natural system formed inside the jar and that there were also different greenery like makeshifts, and with his curiosity about how long the new plants growing in the jar could survive in this ecosystem, the art of Terrarium emerged. The first example of Terrarium art, which was born thanks to Ward’s curiosity, who was a botanist, is called the “Wardian Case”.
Terrariums, which can be used in closed or open conditions, also have different needs depending on the plants used. While exotic and tropical plants that require more humidity are generally used in closed terrariums, succulents and cacti that need less water are preferred more in open terrariums. Although we see terrariums combined with various small objects in offices and homes today, it should not be forgotten that the terrarium is actually a mini ecosystem. Naturally, the needs of a terrarium are a little different than keeping the same plant in a pot or kokedama... If you want your terrarium to stay with you for a longer time, all you need to pay attention to is using plants with the same needs together. For example; Although using fittonia and cacti together may look very nice as a decoration, it means that you will have to say goodbye to one of the two plants after a while, since their water needs are completely different.
In this article, we tried to briefly answer questions such as how to make a terrarium? What materials should we obtain for terrarium construction? How should terrarium care be done?
Terrarium Materials:
You can easily find the materials you need to make a terrarium that suits your taste at DIY stores.
-Glass dome to suit your taste
-Small stones, lava fragments or sand
-Long tweezers
-Activated carbon
-Peat Soil
-Pumice Stone
-Plants suitable for terrarium
-Materials to decorate your terrarium as desired
Making a Terrarium:
-Clean your container: Thoroughly clean the inside of a container that you are sure is deep enough, such as a bell jar, large jar or glass teapot.
-Create a decorative and solid base: Place your tiny pebbles at the bottom of your terrarium container. In addition to providing a nice look to your terrarium, the tiny pebbles will also absorb excess moisture in the ecosystem, providing long-term drainage and preventing your plant roots from rotting.
-Place your charcoal: You can ask for activated charcoal from aquarium shops, make it smaller than pebbles by hand and sprinkle it on your lava chips or stones. If you can't find activated charcoal, you can also use charcoal. Using charcoal will make your terrarium soil more durable and will provide nutrients to your plants for a longer period of time. Apart from this, using charcoal is also vital in preventing mold that may form inside the terrarium.
-Place your peat: After pouring your peat soil on the pebbles and coals, press it down well. If you are going to use plants that need little water in the terrarium, we recommend adding some pumice stone to your soil.
-Place the plants: First, make small holes in the soil of your terrarium and determine where you will place the plant roots. Then plant your plants and do not forget to water them. If you want, you can add various objects to your terrarium with long tweezers.
Terrarium Care:
Although the needs vary depending on the plants used in open and closed terrariums, there are some common points to consider.
-Light: Light is vital in a terrarium. If you position your terrarium directly in the sun, the possibility of your plants burning due to the lens effect of the glass is very high. In addition, the glass that receives direct light will heat up too much and cause moisture loss in your terrarium. Therefore, position your terrarium in a bright place but not in direct light. Since the plants in the terrarium are in a closed area, it is useful to change the direction of your terrarium once a month so that they can receive equal sunlight.
-Watering: If you want to find a clear answer to your terrarium watering frequency, you should know your plant well. Since the moisture lost by the plants in a closed terrarium system returns to the soil with the evaporation of water, the terrarium itself can provide the water needs of your plants for a long time. However, we still recommend that you check frequently according to the environment in which the terrarium is located and prevent moisture loss. For example, if you have a terrarium where Palmetto, pilea, tree moss and fittonia are used, the moisture needs of your terrarium are very high. You can check the soil with your finger frequently to see if it is slightly wet, and you can give the terrarium the moisture it needs by spraying or watering. In addition, if there is a lot of mist and water droplets on the glass of your terrarium, this means that you are watering too much. In this case, you should open the lid of your terrarium or move the terrarium to a warmer area to allow the excess moisture to escape.
-Ventilation: You may have seen terrariums that have been closed for years in botanical gardens you have visited. Unfortunately, this is very difficult to achieve in a home environment since we cannot keep all variables constant… We recommend that you ventilate your terrarium once a week for the healthy development of your plants.
-Terrarium Care: If the plants you watered after making the terrarium have accepted their new place (you will understand this within 1 week) and if you have enough space in the terrarium bowl, the terrarium will generally not need maintenance for 1-2 years. If you have plants that rot or do not accept their new home in the first stage, you should separate them as they will affect the other plants in the terrarium. You can prune your fast-growing plants from time to time and add small soil to your terrarium. If your terrarium glass gets very dirty, you can clean it with a damp cloth without detergent.
Your Questions About Terrarium:
1- Can my plants die from lack of air?
Terrarium is a natural ecosystem. Thanks to the auxiliary materials you add to the terrarium, this ecosystem will maintain itself for a long time, but it is still useful to ventilate it once a week.
2- The terrarium glass is starting to turn green. What should I do?
Your terrarium is probably getting more sun than it needs. After wiping your terrarium glass with a damp cloth, you should change its location.
3- I can't see the plants because of the fog on the terrarium glass. Is it normal?
If you see heavy drops of water on the glass of your terrarium, this means that you have given too much water to your terrarium. You should open the lid of the terrarium and allow the excess moisture to escape.
4- Where can I buy a terrarium jar?
For your first try, you can use glass jars at home. For decorative terrarium bowls or terrarium kits hello@cocodema.com e-mail address or instagram You can contact us from our account.
5- Bitkiler artık teraryuma sığmıyor. Ne yapmalıyım?
Teraryumunuzun yapım aşamasında bitkilerin uzun süre aynı teraryumda kalacağını düşünerek, seyrek aralıklarla dikmekte fayda var. Boyu çok uzayan bitkileri ayrı bir toprağa alabilir ya da budayabilirsiniz.
6- Which plants would be more suitable to use in the terrarium?
Hedera Helix (ivy), Adiantum Raddianum (Maiden Hair Fern), Fittonia (fittonia), Peperomia Caperata (Emerald Wave), Pilea (Money Flower), Calathea Rufibarba (Prayer Flower) and Cryptanthus Bivittatus are some of the plants you can use.
7- Do you do terrarium workshops?
You can contact us for your corporate or individual terrarium workshop requests.
hello@cocodema.com
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