Q and A: Can I Collect Moss in the Summer?

Whew, the heat is on here in Texas.  It is this type of heat that makes me want to dream of moss blanketing a cool forest floor. My question for today comes from reader Isabella:

Question: Can I collect the mosses in summer time from the forest?

Answer: I respond with a question again, does the moss you want to harvest look to be in peak health? If the moss in your area looks dry or dormant in the summer, you may want to skip collection until cooler months. You'll want to collect moss that is healthy, green, and thriving. In my experience, it can be challenging enough to transplant healthy moss harvested from the wild into a terrarium environment.  The moss receives a transplant shock from getting uprooted, it might dry out before you plant it, and it might be full of bugs or mold that might infest your terrarium (wash your moss!).  You may set yourself up for failure if you collect dry or dormant moss in summer months.

How to Start Hydrangea Cuttings in a Terrarium

Philipp Franz von Siebold and Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini
(Flora Japonica, Sectio Prima (Tafelband).) [Public domain]

Hydrangea cuttings will propagate in damp vermiculite, coarse sand or other sterile medium.  A terrarium-like environment will give your cuttings the best chance to sprout roots.  But you don't want to stick your hydrangea cuttings down a narrow-necked bottle terrarium and hope to fish them out again.  

Much like quarantining plants for use in a terrarium, you'll want to be able to easily retrieve the plant at a later date.  Consider purchasing a wardian case with a hinged door, or you can build a terrarium environment by tenting your potted cutting with a plastic bag.  Check out hydrangeashydrangeas.com for some great tips and photos.

Lace Wardian Case from H Potter

I love the delicate lace-like metal detail in the "barrel" top of this desktop wardian case from H Potter, available on Amazon.   Wardian cases with doors for access make a great container for a potted orchid, or for quarantining new plants before you plant them in a terrarium!

Force Begonias in a Terrarium

Inhabitat shared a fun tutorial on forcing early begonia blooms through a terrarium kit.  A bell jar environment encourages a new begonia to grow quickly and bloom faster than in the fresh air.  Growing young plants under glass shares some benefits with putting plants under quarantine before planting them in a terrarium.

Diluting Hydrogen Peroxide for Garden and Terrarium Use

As part of our ongoing discussion about the utility of treating terrarium mold or fungus with diluted hydrogen peroxide, I've found a new resource that may answer some more questions.  The aptly-named www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com  has a wealth of information on using hydrogen peroxide to fertilize plants, sprout seeds and - you guessed it- treat mold and fungus.

I've grabbed an image of the suggested dilution ratios for treating sick or fungus-attacked plants above.  However, if you are interested in preventing mold or fungus in terrarium moss and plants, and are washing your moss prior to use, you may want to review the additional chart "To water or mist plants, to soak seeds, to add to water used to wash sprouts."  The dilution ratio is about half of that suggested for treating a mold outbreak and seems to be the right fit for a mold prevention attempt.  

The evidence I've discovered so far has motivated me to test including dilute hydrogen peroxide as a step for washing and preparing moss and plants for use in a terrarium.  I'll report back on how things go! 

Wardian Case for Cheap

This 8"x 13" x 7" Wardian case type terrarium vessel can be yours for less than $40 through Target.  Just don't try to search for it using the words "wardian case."  Target is calling this baby a "Glass Cloche Terrarium."  I was under the impression that cloche meant bell.  Anyhoo - it is a steal and a great option for your terrarium-mad friend who might need a good container like this for putting plants in quarantine before putting them in terrariums.

Moss Monday: Mold on Moss (Q & A)

Thanks to reader Kelly for her question on the post Prevention and Dealing with Pests, Fungus and Disease in Terrariums.

Question: My terrariums lately have grown a type of fungus and even tiny mushrooms. Will this kill my irish moss? Is there anything that can be done to "clean" the moss? Or is this harmless?

Answer: I do not think mushrooms could kill your moss but if the fungus is web-looking you may be facing trouble. You may try removing the fungus or mushrooms with tweezers or chopsticks to clean it out. Next time you build a terrarium you may want to wash the moss first and watch it for a few days before putting it in your terrarium.

To recap my general advice to prevent or at least minimize the chance of mold or pests appearing in a terrarium:


1.) Rinse all containers with a bleach/water mix before planting (with a day or two to dry out).

2.) Wash newly harvested moss and look for pests or unwanted plants in the chunks.

3.) Quarantine new plant specimens in a "holding tank" for a period of time so you can observe their behavior and adaptation to the terrarium environment.

Have you had problems with fungus or mold in your moss terraria?

Q&A: Insect Infestation

An insect infestation can be the bane of a terrarium ecosystem.  While an errant earthworm, ant or snail may not do severe damage an entire host of winged insects can spoil your tiny garden.  Here's another Q & A about this common problem.

Question: I recently made a moss terrarium with live moss bought from Idaho. After a week or two after I placed everything in my glass jar, I noticed very small white mite looking insects crawling on the glass. I researched for hours and couldn't find anything pictures of the insects. They don't jump or fly, and seemed to be in the hundreds crawling on the glass. I tried putting a cottonball soaked in pesticide in the closed terrarium for a week plus. I didn't see the bugs again. I bleached the terrarium, put new substrate in and within 2 weeks the white tiny mite looking bugs were back. I threw everything out in fear the bugs were crawling in my house and not being able to identify them was scary to say the least. I just went back to my homestate of Illinois and went moss hunting so I can try once again. I'm going to go through all your steps and quarantine the pieces to see if anything happens. Have you had this problem before? Do you have any advice on how to treat them if I do have another problem? Thanks so much!

Answer: I believe that washing your moss and observing it under quarantine should prevent the insect infestation from taking place again.  I would recommend observing the moss for two weeks in quarantine just in case the insects are taking that long to hatch or mature.  Two weeks is a long time to quarantine moss so make sure to not over/under water or let it suffocate in a poorly ventilated container.

If the insects are not native to your moss - I can imagine two other potential problems:

• Your soil may be contaminated if you are not using fresh, bagged potting soil.  There are methods to "sterilize" soil by baking it on a cookie sheet in an oven at low temps.  It may be something to consider trying and here are some further instructions at Tipnut.  

• If you fear that the insects may enter your terrarium from elsewhere in your house (another houseplant perhaps)?  You may want to lid your terrarium for 80% of the time or consider rubber banding a piece of gauze or cheesecloth over the opening of your terrarium to prevent insect colonization.  

Round Acrylic Lids for Terrariums

Kitty-view aquarium

Oh, the myriad applications of acrylic!  How can it help your terrarium?  Last week during "Operation Diagnose" we discussed the idea of keeping a lid on open terrariums for about 80% of the time to retain moisture.

Plastic Circles by TAP Plastics

Reader Amanda drew my attention to a TAP Plastics product - laser cut acrylic circles, which would be an unobtrusive way to add a lid to nearly any sized open terrarium.  The circles range from 2"- 24" diameter and $.75 - $35 in price.

If you have some time to kill, I encourage you to also explore the TAP Projects page to see the creative projects people have completed with TAP products and services.  There are some interesting aquarium projects that might have terrarium-type applications, like the above image of the kitty view-dome aquarium.

66" long acrylic tank aquarium

Operation Diagnose: Ferns in Terrariums

Unhappy Fern by Nesting Ranch

Operation Diagnose:  This week I'll explore a variety of ailments that commonly afflict terrariums.  A reader contacted me a with a bevy of floundering terraria (with accompanying photos).  This affords a great opportunity for me to attempt to diagnose the problems and make suggestions - but I also encourage you to chime in and share suggestions or anecdotes in the comments!

Here is a brief summary of the questions from Nesting Ranch:

Question:  We could really use your advice as we're having just a dickens of a time with our terrariums. Some are open, others closed, some with ferns, some are just moss, some "wild" from the yard and some revived... none are doing quite well. Ferns are loosing leaves or turning black. Mosses are browning or yellowing. Just can't seem to pin-point why. 

Answer: Today I'd like to discuss the success and demise of ferns in terrariums.  

TL:DR Answer: Ferns are tricky business.  Unfortunately, it is trial and error for using a specific fern variety in a certain terrarium vessel. 

For those of you that have some more time: read on...

Nesting Ranch, your unhappy fern photos are a sad casualty of terrarium-keeping.  Many people assume ferns love shade and lots of water but they actually span a wide variety of climates and conditions.  Some ferns just can't handle terrarium conditions.  Some ferns are better suited for certain sized or shaped terrarium vessels.  Almost all of my "settled" terrariums containing ferns were replanted several times.  I would try one type of fern, it would die, and I would start again from scratch.

I would encourage you to experiment with different varieties of ferns.  I've had great luck with the hardy and common sword fern but it gets tall and needs a tall, narrow terrarium.  

If you obtain a special or hard-to-obtain (aka purchased) fern you may want to divide it into smaller, self-sufficient plants to see if it takes to terrarium life and maximize the opportunities to try it out in different vessels.  You can also keep the divided ferns in a wardian case or other holding zone to observe whether the plant thrives or shrivels in a terrarium environment.

Operation Diagnose: Proper Moss Placement

Unhappy Moss by Nesting Ranch

Operation Diagnose:  This week I'll explore a variety of ailments that commonly afflict terrariums.  A reader contacted me a with a bevy of floundering terraria (with accompanying photos).  This affords a great opportunity for me to attempt to diagnose the problems and make suggestions - but I also encourage you to chime in and share suggestions or anecdotes in the comments!

Here is a brief summary of the questions from Nesting Ranch:

Question:  We could really use your advice as we're having just a dickens of a time with our terrariums. Some are open, others closed, some with ferns, some are just moss, some "wild" from the yard and some revived... none are doing quite well. Ferns are loosing leaves or turning black. Mosses are browning or yellowing. Just can't seem to pin-point why. 

Answer: Today I'd like to discuss planting moss in terrariums.  

TL:DR Answer: I recommend rinsing moss with water, tearing it into smaller chunks, and planting it in the soil.

For those of you that have some more time: read on...

Nesting Ranch, it looks like you placed large swatches of moss directly on top of the soil in some of your terrariums rather than splitting it into smaller chunks.  Yes, I know some people say that works.  Yes, I know some terrariums appear to have moss planted that way.  But in my experience, it takes some prep work to give moss a fighting chance in your terrarium.

1. Wash your moss.  The gist of it is - rinse your moss out with some water and remove any trash or over sized pebbles etc.  By rinsing the moss you are "waking it up" a bit and getting the root parts more exposed.  Read more about washing moss here.  You may also consider putting the moss into a holding zone to observe its overall health prior to planting it in your terrarium.  Is it going to go brown in 48 hrs? Are gnats going to appear?

2. Tear the moss into smaller bits.  This advice is based on personal discovery based on trial and error.  I never had luck plopping a chunk of moss onto soil in a terrarium.  I find smaller pieces nestled into the soil (i.e. "punched" into the soil with a chopstick) tend to flourish more frequently in the long run.

And of course, moss needs humidity.  If you are using an open top terrarium, put a lid on it!

Q and A: Quarantine for Large Plants

Chemical Safety Signs - MySafetySign.com

Reader CJ left a couple questions in the comments of my post about keeping new plants in quarantine before adding them to a terrarium.  I'm sharing a version of my reply in this post to clarify the circumstances for which I recommend the quarantine process for terrarium plants.

Q: I recently decided to attempt a trio of open terrariums in my home. I bought a variety of different plants including irish moss, davalia trichomanoides (fern), hypoestes phyllostachya, and what I suspect to be a peperomia scanden (unlabeled), along with 2 other unlabeled plants from a local nursery. I am also buying a small orchid. I want to take the proper steps before beginning the process of planting them all. How do you quarantine medium sized plants? They range in height from about 3" to 10". Should they be separate from one another? 

A: If your open terrarium vessels are large enough to reach your hand into - I wouldn't worry about keeping them in quarantine prior to planting them.  If mold develops you can reach in and cut it out or scoop it out as it develops and a larger vessel isn't as likely to get quickly overrun by bugs or mold.  To recap my suggestion from the original post:

It is relatively easy to remove problem items from a large-opening terrarium such as a vase, fishbowl or dish.  But if you aim to plant a terrarium in an enclosed terrarium or a narrow-opening vessel like a wine bottle, test tube etc. it may save you time an energy in the long run if you can be patient enough to "quarantine" your plants and moss to see if any problems surface before you add them to your terrarium.

If you'd still like to quarantine your larger plants prior to planting them, you may be looking at a need for additional equipment.  Some terrarium enthusiasts invest in large aquariums or wardian cases in which they can enclose their plants prior to terrarium-planting.  You can keep several new plants in the quarantine vessel for a period of time.  Make sure to inspect each plant regularly for insects or mold and remove promptly if discovered so they don't contaminate each other.

Smaller plants can be sealed into a gallon ziplock bag, kept upright with a chopstick or popsicle stick as a stake.  Make sure to leave the bag slightly "unzipped" to allow for airflow.  Don't leave your plants in bags for longer than three days or so.

Q and A: Growing ferns from spores (from the archive)

I am at a conference and will be sharing posts from the archive this week.

Question:
Is it possible to grow ferns from spores right in a terrarium? Would it have to be an open terrarium?

Answer:
It is absolutely possible to grow ferns from spores- but it is not always easy to achieve. You can collect fern spores by putting a fern frond in an envelope and waiting for the spores to dry and fall off. Sow the spores by sprinkling on top of sterilized damp soil mixed with some sphagnum moss, with a drainage layer below, in a container with a lid that can be removed or propped a bit for air circulation. I have found that misting the spores with distilled water can water the spores without washing them completely out of the soil. Fern spores require about 2-6 weeks to germinate and are extremely delicate in their "baby" phase.

Q and A: Gnats in terrarium (from the archive)

I am at a conference and will be sharing posts from the archive this week.

Question: A few weeks ago I put together two terrariums: one with irish moss and african violet... recently I've noticed that they both have some tiny little whitish/yellowish bugs roaming around inside. I've only seen 5-6 in each one, but now I'm wondering if they're going to become a problem for the plants if they're not kept in check. I'm pretty sure that the bugs have begun to sprout wings, so I think they're probably fungus gnats that were stowed away in the potting soil.

My question is this: what's the best way to deal with these little guys?

Answer: The appearance of gnats might be the most difficult and disastrous problem for terrarium owners. Whether the gnats invade an established terrarium through an open top or appear in a freshly-planted terrarium they are very difficult to eradicate. Traditional methods for dealing with fungus gnats such as dish soap sprays and changing soil do not bode well for the delicate environment within the terrarium.

When my large jug terrarium showed signs of gnats I was desperate to try to save the arrangement. I used a sharp bamboo skewer to "turn" the soil in the terrarium to try to disrupt any of the juvenile insects or the eggs. I also used a the round end of the skewer to squash any of the flying gnats I could reach.

After careful monitoring and repeated gnat-attacks I seemed to have eliminated all but a few of the insects. I stuck some double-ended tape on the edge of the skewer to fish the last few gnats out on the makeshift fly paper.

I'm proud to say I finally saved the big terrarium from the gnat invasion and I'm happy to say it's till growing strong! However now I keep a bit of gauze over the top of the bottle to prevent any more new residents.

Good luck with the gnats and in the future- always use sterilized fresh potting soil to make your terrarium substrate.

Pests in terrariums

Ikea Wardian Case

IKEA Socker Greenhouse

At $20 this IKEA Socker Greenhouse is priced right to make a great container for your more sensitive plants in need of a humid environment.  Thanks to Alyssa for the tip!

Q & A: How to quarantine plants and moss (and why)?

Quarantine containers can be as easy as tupperware with air holes
or ziplock bags left partially open.

In a completely enclosed terrarium problems can develop fast and be hard to remedy.  Plants and moss collected from nature or purchased at a nursery can harbor any number of foreign items or organisms that might wreak havoc in a terrarium environment: small insects, mold, mystery plants etc.

It is relatively easy to remove problem items from a large-opening terrarium such as a vase, fishbowl or dish.  But if you aim to plant a terrarium in an enclosed terrarium or a narrow-opening vessel like a wine bottle, test tube etc. it may save you time an energy in the long run if you can be patient enough to "quarantine" your plants and moss to see if any problems surface before you add them to your terrarium.

Stow -aways identified in plants and moss under quarantine.

Additional benefits/uses of a quarantine set-up for plants and moss:

• Provides a simulation terrarium-environment for your plants and mosses so you can see if they are suited to terrarium-life before they are planted in terrariums.
• Serves as a storage method for delicate plants or mosses you have collected that require a humid terrarium-like environment prior to planting in a terrarium.
• Allows any mold or insects or sickliness become apparent on the plants prior to planting in your terrarium.

 Let's take a look at how to quarantine your plants and moss.

Common household items make great containers for quarantining plants.

1. Materials you will need: plants and moss intended for a terrarium arrangement, paper towels, water (preferably distilled, preferably in a spray bottle) and quarantine containers. A quarantine container can be any transparent container that will admit light to your plants with a partially-closed opening to allow for a humid environment but also permit some air flow. This doesn't have to be as fancy as it sounds and you can likely make-do with household items:

• Translucent tupperware with lid partially open.
• Glass container with a plate or lid partially covering the opening.
• Ziplock bag left partially open.
• Your intended terrarium vessel (if it has a wide opening) with a plate or lid partially covering the opening.

2. Rinse off your plants with tap water and let them air dry.  If your plants are planted in small containers that can be completely enclosed in your quarantine container you can leave them that way.  If the plants are in large containers you can remove the container and any excess soil and either transfer to smaller pots (ie dixy cups etc.) or just wrap the soil/root ball in a damp paper towel to loosely contain it.

• If you are working with moss you need to wash it before quarantine.  See instructions for washing moss here.

3. Prop your plants upright in your chosen quarantine container(s) and place them in indirect light, preferably in an east-facing window if possible.  Don't let your quarantine containers get overheated in sunlight or they really will grow mold! 

• Moss can be laid on damp paper towels in a ziplock bag.  Partially close the openings to your quarantine containers (or partially seal the ziplock bags).  The goal here is to promote a humid environment for your plants but to allow airflow.

4.  Now watch and wait!  Check on your quarantined plants every day or so to look for signs of mold, insects etc.  You may want to adjust the lid or seal on your quarantine containers to admit more or less air to the plants or mosses if excess moisture becomes apparent or if the plant looks like it's drying out.  If a piece of moss grows mold ditch it fast!

5. Ideally your quarantine containers are pretty stable environments so you can keep your plants this way until you are ready to plant your terrarium!  If you are in a rush I would try to "quarantine" your plants and moss for observation for a minimum of four days before planting your terrarium.

• If you keep plants or moss in quarantine for longer than five days make sure to periodically spritz them with water (preferably distilled).

Q & A: How to wash moss (and why)?

Moss collected from outside with hairs etc.

You might be thinking "why wash moss at all"? The gist of it is - rinse your moss out with some water and remove any trash or oversized pebbles, etc.  By rinsing the moss you are "waking it up" a bit and getting the root parts more exposed.  Also, one of the most frustrating aspects of terrarium-keeping can be the arrival of mold or the appearance of pests in your terrarium.

You can take preventative action to minimize the development of mold and insects on your moss by rinsing it off with water, removing debris and quarantining it before planting it in a terrarium arrangement.  Washing is especially important if you collect moss from the wild (i.e. the forest or the city sidewalk).

Let's go over this idea in two steps. Today I will cover washing moss and my next post will cover how you can quarantine moss and other plants.

1. Gather your materials for washing moss:

• harvested moss
• a bowl or tub of water
• a tray or plate with paper towels on which you can lay the rinsed moss out to drain and dry

2. Break the moss into manageable pieces and gently press on the moss with your fingers to identify and remove any foreign objects (i.e. gravel, insects, hairs, bits of trash or plastic).

Rinsing off moss

3. Gently submerge the piece of moss in the bowl of water while continuing to press on it to remove any smaller foreign objects previously unidentified.  Some of the dirt will also disolve away from the moss roots and that is fine.

Washed moss drying off

4. Place your moss chunk on a tray or paper towel to allow it to drip-drain a bit.

5. Repeat process for all your moss pieces.  If your bowl of water gets very muddy replace it with fresh water.

6.  Once the moss pieces have sufficiently dried off (30 minutes or so) quarantine the moss for a few days or longer before you plant it in your terrarium. (See instructions on how to quarantine moss and plants here.) If you are feeling loose and fast you can plant the moss in your terrarium once it is dry enough to manage. 

Inverted "Found Terrarium" Tutorial at Design Sponge

I love the poetry in these inverted glass jar found terrariums, depicted in a tutorial by Amy Merrick on Design Sponge.  I think these would make great centerpieces for an event but I sincerely doubt they would live very long in such an enclosed environment sans air circulation.

If you'd like to try this project out I suggest two additional steps:

1. Use a drop of bleach when rinsing out containers before use for a terrarium.  And make sure they are bone dry when you start planting them.

2. Everybody hates this step cause it puts a dent in your "afternoon terrarium making" plans but I really cannot recommend it strongly enough when using moss you harvest:

A. Rinse newly harvested moss with fresh water, press lightly on the wet moss to locate pests, trash or unwanted plants in the chunks. 

B. Quarantine rinsed and dried (as in not soaking wet any longer) moss in a "holding tank" for 1-2 weeks so you can watch out for the development of mold.  This can be a dish with a lid partially covering it or a ziplock bag 2/3 sealed shut with a damp paper towel for the moss to rest upon.

For more about washing moss see my earlier post here on the prevention of disease and pests in terraria.

Terrarium Profile: Maja

After a long hiatus from the blog (finals) I am proud to share these lovely photos from terrarium-maker Maja S. from Croatia. 

Maja says:

I'm lucky to live in a climate that allows mosses and ferns to grow freely in the nature. Actually my yard is full of moss, and in this short time I've been collecting it I found 6 or more different kinds just by snooping around my little town.

Thanks for sharing Maja! 

"The end is nigh" Terrarium from Scientifics Online

Edmund Scientific does not want you to go hungry in case of unforeseen tragedy, nay: "doomsday." The Doomsday Terrarium claims:

Grow Fruits and Veggies in Low Light

Just in case the end of days is near, these plants can help get you through.

These plants were bred and designed to sustain you in the event of the unforeseeable, because they will produce fruits and vegetables early and in low light conditions.

So what are these miracle fruits and veggies to help me stave off starvation? Tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers. I don't know if those will cut it in my time of need.

Doomsday terrarium from scientificsonline.com