| Once set up a plant terrarium requires very little | | | | Flowering plants, such as African violets and |
| maintenance and brings the pleasures of a | | | | geraniums, in a larger terrarium, can also be included. |
| greenhouse to your patio or home. If your terrarium | | | | Terrariums should not be placed in direct sunlight. You |
| also has reptiles it is called a reptarium. One with | | | | can also add other decorative items such as terrarium |
| standing water is called a vivarium. | | | | (or aquarium) ornaments, driftwood or pine cones. |
| A terrarium would be a good choice if you don't have | | | | Natural objects should be regularly inspected as the |
| time for maintenance or if you have cats that love | | | | moist conditions can lead to rotting. |
| to nibble on your house plants! These miniature self | | | | Setting up a Terrarium |
| contained mini greenhouses efficiently recycle | | | | Add a thin layer of gravel or pebbles to provide |
| moisture. The plants draw water from the soil which | | | | drainage covered with some activated charcoal which |
| is released into the terrarium atmosphere by | | | | can be brought from garden centers or aquarium |
| transpiration, condenses on the glass walls and | | | | shops. The charcoal will help keep the air inside the |
| returns to the soil. Occasional top ups are all that is | | | | terrarium clean. The next layer is sphagnum moss |
| needed to replace the small amount of water lost | | | | which will keep the next layer, the soil layer, in place. |
| through the cap. | | | | Special mixes of soil for terrariums can be used or |
| Terrarium History | | | | use a mixture of two parts potting compost, one |
| Nathaniel Ward, an amateur botanist, made the first | | | | part coarse builders sand and one part leaf mold. |
| terrarium in 1827. He became concerned about the | | | | Beach sand contains impurities that can be harmful to |
| notorious pollution present in London air at that time | | | | the plants and should not be used. |
| on the butterfly cocoons he was studying he placed | | | | For a terrarium with live animals add a shallow dish of |
| them in glass jars to protect them. After a few days | | | | water. Now add the plants. Depending on how the |
| he found ferns happily growing in his glass jars and | | | | terrarium will be viewed you can arrange the plants. |
| realised the glass jars were ideal environments for | | | | For a terrarium that will be viewed from all angles the |
| growing moisture loving plants. His idea spread rapidly | | | | tallest plants should go in the middle with the smaller |
| and terrariums became very popular especially for | | | | plants around the edges. If the terrarium will only be |
| preserving exotic plant specied brought to England | | | | viewed from one side the tallest plants can go at the |
| from abroad. | | | | back with the smallest in the front. Be sure to keep |
| Choosing Plants | | | | the leaves away from the glass walls as moisture on |
| Suitable plants for your terrarium are those that are | | | | the walls will drip onto the leaves and cause them to |
| moisture loving and do not grow too big. The location | | | | rot. |
| where you will place the terrarium will dictate the | | | | Add any decorations, add water to the soil and close |
| amount of natural lighting that it receives and plants | | | | the lid. |
| can be chosen accordingly. For a terrarium receiving | | | | Maintenance |
| low levels of natural light choose mosses, lichens and | | | | Inspect the terrarium regularly to check the moisture |
| ferns. More choices are available for terrariums | | | | levels. If it appears too dry use a mister to add |
| receiving moderate to good natural light including | | | | water but do not over water or the plants could rot. |
| butterwort, Irish moss, philodendron, pitcher plants, | | | | For a plant terrarium nothing more is needed. |
| jade plants, Venus fly traps and asparagus ferns. | | | | |