Weekend Fun with Kids – Open Terrarium

All about terrarium:

The word terrarium came from the word aquarium. Terre means land and aqua means water, viva means to live. It is usually transparent and one can keep plants or reptiles like turtles, lizards or frogs. The longest-known terrarium lasted on its own for 53 years & they may even outlast us. The purpose of terrarium, in general, is for decoration and in many cases for scientific observation or plant-animal propagation. Two different types of terrariums are open or closed and the 4 levels of layering up the terrarium are in the order from the bottom to up - pebbles,moss, soil and decorative layer. The most common terrarium types are Bonsai terrarium, Succulent terrarium, Moss terrarium, Desret terrarium , Tropical terrarium & Aqua terrarium is also called waterfall terrarium.

Let us collect some things before we start.

• Glass bowl - You may recycle from old jam jars to large pasta containers. Pick any glass container that has enough room to place a couple of plants.
• Potting soil – any soil will do and we may require two handful maximum.
• Activated Charcoal – Optional, this keeps the terrarium water fresh and avoids bacteria from growing
• Sphagnum moss - Optional
• Tools - Pencil / Chopstick / long spoons/stick will do
• Sand - Optional
• Small rocks
• An assortment of small indoor plants (like succulents, moss, tropical plants). Choose an assortment of small indoor plants and slow growing like succulents/moss/cacti/ nerve plants/air plants etc.
• An assortment of decorations and toys—like toadstool mushrooms, plastic dinosaurs, moss, grassy rocks and craft birds.Other favourites include larger rocks, coloured sand, mini garden gnomes and fairies, other plastic animals, etc. Let your kid pick out whatever he or she wants to give the terrarium an extra special touch.

Now how do we set up the Terrarium?

Fill the bottom of your cleaned and dried glass bowl with small pebbles—about 2–3 cm high. This allows for proper drainage.

Next, add the charcoal. Just scatter them to cover the pebbles & if you have sphagnum moss you may layer them on charcoal.

Fill the glass bowl with potting soil about ¾ of the way up. Make sure there is enough soil so that the plant's roots sit comfortably inside it.

Next pick your plants according to their size and the bigger plants go in first. You may use tools like a pencil to make a hole for the plant.

Next, you may use moss or sand to cover up the soil. So layer them up accordingly.

Let your child fill their terrarium with special objects of their choice now.

Place your terrarium in a sunny indoor spot but not in direct sunlight and water when the soil becomes dry. Preferably spray them with water. Do not overwater the soil. It should remain barely moist.

Feel free to tag us in a photo or share it in the Facebook group so we can see your spectacular creations  😊

Some surprising facts to explore:

biologicperformance.com/sealed-bottle-terrarium-garden-watered-once-53-years

ecoponics.com.sg/top-3-surprising-terrariums-facts

terrariumtribe.com/terrarium-facts