A terrarium is a miniature landscaped garden housed in a small container.
“It’s the ideal way to garden without having to go outdoors,” said Linda Geinosky, owner of Garden Gallery in Hixson.
“It’s great fun, especially in this super-hot weather when nobody likes to garden outside. Terrariums also make great front-porch decorations.”
The popularity of terrariums fluctuates, she said.
The latest trend for enclosed containers is to use succulents, particularly small varieties of plants from the jade family, because they require less water.
Geinosky offers the following tips for assembling a terrarium.
FIVE TIPS
1 You’ll need a glass container with lid, pea gravel, activated charcoal (the type recommended for aquariums), sphagnum moss, coarse builder’s sand and sterile potting mix.
2 Choose compatible plants. Succulents have pronounced architectural features that add interest to container plantings. Suggested plants: Crassulas; aenomiums; Pachyveria Blue Haze, Sedum Dasyphyllum and Sedum Hispanicum.
3 Create the planting area. Since the container doesn’t have drainage holes, spread a 1- to 3-inch layer of pea gravel over the bottom so excess water can drain from soil. Add a 1/2-inch layer of activated charcoal to act as a filter and purify the water and air as the organic materials gradually decompose. Spread a thin layer of sphagnum moss on top of the charcoal to keep the soil layer from clogging the gravel.
4 Terrariums need little water. Moisture will collect on the insides of the glass and drip back down onto the soil and plants. If condensation becomes excessive, open the lid to air it out for a day or two. Water sparingly.
5 Keep the terrarium in bright light but out of direct sunlight. Don’t fertilize plants regularly. You don’t want to encourage rapid growth and fertilizer build-up. If plants seem to need a boost, use a very dilute (1/4 strength) solution. Snip any leaves that touch the glass, and pinch tips and trim plants as needed to keep them in bounds.