Artist Vaughn Bell's Hanging Terrariums

Photo credit: Vaughn Bell From: dnainfo.com

We love terrariums as they bring a bit of the outdoors indoors.  A miniature landscape to explore in your imagination, a small bottle of the sights and smells of the woodlands.  Artist Vaughn Bell capitalizes on these characteristics with an immersion experience: a hanging terrarium you can pop your head into for a look around.  This is one of many art installations at the DePaul Art Museum in Chicago that focus on soil.

Terrarium Bauble Tips from Living Mi-Wey

Photo by Linda Davidson/The Washington Post

Michele Weymouth of Living Mi-Wey in Virginia shares a step-by-step guide for creating a succulent terrarium with the Washington Post. I love her signature terrarium bauble: something gold nestled among her terrarium plants.  Other great terrarium decoration ideas include small mirrors, figurines, glass marbles, or beach glass.

Update: Marimo Moss Balls Make a Great Office Terrarium

My marino terrarium on my desk at work.

Several months ago I had the opportunity to do an unboxing of a marimo moss ball terrarium from EclecticZenMarimo.  Thanks to the excellent instructions that accompanied the marimo terrarium kit from EclecticZenMarimo, I knew just how to care for the terrarium from the start.

I am happy to say my marimo terrarium has happily thrived on my desk at work for these past few months.  The marimo terrarium is easy to care for - I just switch out the water with filtered tap water every week or so.  After a few months, one of the marimo moss balls got a little scuzzy - but I just followed the care instructions and and gently rinsed it off in running water.

The inside of the glass container has accumulated some calcium deposits on the glass, giving it a frosted appearance.  I have not tried scrubbing it out but I am sure it would clean up alright.

My coworkers love my marimo moss ball terrarium - it is a constant conversation piece.  I recommend considering a marimo moss ball terrarium if you are looking for an easy terrarium for your office or home.

Neo Geo Terrarium by Ricardo Espinoza

Photo by Ted Savage

One wonderful aspect of terrariums is their versatility.  Terrarium enthusiasts design terrariums in a variety of themes and moods- from whimsical and fantastical (think mini faeries and glitter), to scientific or historic themed (beakers, test tubes and steampunk) or modern and angular.

Check out these geometric terrariums by Ricardo Espinoza.  While the angular, gem-facet look is becoming very common in terrariums - I haven't seen the wall-mounted geometric terrarium like the one in the photo.  See more at mocoloco.com.

Tarantula Terrariums Just in Time for Halloween

I swear I was going to post a photo of a tarantula at the top of this post- but I really couldn't do it to you all!  I don't even bat an eye when I have to deal with small spiders in the house.... but the big hairy guys  freak me out!  So the photo is near the bottom if you'd prefer to skip through it.

With THAT SAID!  You might love tarantulas!  And terrariums!  So perhaps you might consider trying a vivarium and keeping a tarantula in your terrarium?  Don Moyer at the Manteca Bulletin shares his experiences keeping tarantulas and other local critters in a terrarium.  **I do not advocate stealing living creatures out of the wild and keeping them in captivity forever - but when we were kids we enjoyed keeping insects or lizards for a few days and then turning them loose.  Don reiterates this idea:

"Almost all of our terrarium guests were, just that, short term visitors who would reside with us for a few weeks or months so that we could learn more about them and their habits. Eventually the horned toads, lizards, snakes and turtles got returned to the wild places from which they came. We did learn a healthy respect for wild creatures."

Oklahoma brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi), Picket Wire Canyonlands, Colorado, U.S.A.  From WikiCommons Media, by Zenhaus **This photo is for viewing purposes only, I do not advocate or condone keeping this species of spider in a terrarium.

Terrariums in New Zealand

Photo / Ben Crawford, The New Zealand Herald

Indoor gardeners the world over enjoy building these miniature gardens enclosed in glass.  New Zealand Times reporter Ben Crawford touches base with local botanical stylist Annie Oxborough about the joys and challenges of maintaining terrarium gardens.

I love the silly quote about memories some of us may have of terrariums from our childhood, albeit this memory sounds distinctly NZ:

"She believes New Zealand's national aversion to styling our homes with botanical brilliance is due to dated images formed during our childhoods. Memories created at nana's; one of beiges, shag-pile carpet and conservatories crammed to overflowing with odd-smelling pot plants, barely any space left to lift a club sandwich from a Royal Doulton saucer."

Annie hits the nail on the head in regard to the appeal of terrarium collecting.  It is easy and fun to make more than one and when it comes down to it - the commitment is low and makes a terrarium a great gardening project for those who aren't expert gardeners.

"Planting a terrarium isn't a lifetime investment. One of the main barriers preventing people from having house plants is they think they'll kill them, but once you have a little display sorted you'll be surprised at how easy they are to care for. And if something dies, replacing a $12 plant isn't a big deal, that's only a couple of coffees."

Marimo Moss Ball Terrariums from EclecticZenMarimo.com

Marimo Moss Ball Terrarium Kit from EclecticZenMarimo.com

Looking for a new kind of terrarium to test your skills?  I recently built a marimo ball terrarium from EclecticZenMarimo, whose kits are available on Etsy.  This was an easy terrarium to set up and would make a great gift for someone looking for an unusual aquarium or terrarium for their office or home. UPDATE: Act now and you can enter to win a Marimo terrarium of your own!  Just visit EclecticZenMarimo for your chance to win.

Drawing by Arni Einarsson,
Myvatn Research Station,  from Wikipedia

Marimo or marimo moss balls are aquatic, spherical masses of algae that float free in freshwater lakes.  Best know for their appearance in Lake Akan, marimo have achieved "national treasure" status in Japan.  Observers describe marimo as dancing or moving in aquariums, due to their ability to bob along in still water.  Marimo thrive in cold tap water and are thus well suited for a life in a small desktop aquarium.

How to Build a Marimo Terrarium

The EclecticZenMarimo kit contained gemstones, shells, a piece of seaweed, and two marimo balls

Marimo Terrarium Supplies

The basic marimo kit from EclecticZenMarimo included gemstones, shells, sand, a spherical bowl with feet, a piece of seaweed, and marimo balls!  The kit also includes instructions for how to build and maintain your marimo moss ball terrarium, as well as a stick and a small funnel.  This tiny funnel came in very handy, as you'll see in a minute.

Small funnel, ready for the sand.

The seaweed can bend for positioning
into the narrow opening of the bowl.

1. Add the sand, rocks and seaweed to the bowl

After rinsing out the bowl, use the funnel to pour in some sand and stones.  I used a piece of paper to funnel the sand into the small plastic funnel provided in the EclecticZenMarimo kit.

What if the seaweed is too big to fit?
The seaweed is flexible and can be slightly squeezed to position through the hole and into the sand in the bottom of the bowl.

What if the sand sticks to the sides of the bowl?
Don't worry if some sand sticks to the side of the bowl.  Once you pour in the water all the sand will be washed into the bottom of the bowl.

Simply pour water into the bowl
using the funnel.

2. Slowly pour water into the bowl

Pour cool tap water into the bowl very slowly.  Some of your sand and stones may get disrupted - simply use a stick or straw to reposition the items in the bottom of the bowl.

What about floating sand?
I noticed some sand floating at the top of the water after I added it to the bowl.  This sand will settle naturally over time, but if you want it looking tidy in a jiffy - I had luck gently tapping the floating sand with the stick.  The sand drifted down to the bottom of the bowl.

3.  Add the marimo balls to the bowl

Nothing fancy here- just pop your marimo moss balls into the water.  Marimo will need fresh water once a week.

I will post again soon with more news about how my marimo balls are adapting to office life!

Marimo happy in their new home.

Q and A: Soil and Sand Ratios for Terrariums

Thanks to reader Heather for these questions.

Question: 


I am writing with two easy questions:

1) What is the soil/sand ratio for most terrariums? You have mentioned two different ratios so I want to be sure.

In most you say it's 2:1 soil to sand. However, in the "Operation Diagnose" area (the most recent one on your pages) you say 1:1.

2) Is Miracle Gro's basic potting soil ok to use? One of the ingredients is peat moss and I know you warned against it in Operation Diagnose. However, I know some plants do well in it; I used it with the last terrarium (first I've made), and it did ok until I killed it with spray fertilizer after about a year.

I hope you can help me - I am making a 10 gal terrarium for work (bio labs) and want to do it right.

Answer:

As your terrarium is on the larger size I think a ratio of 2 parts soil to 1 part sand will work best.  The sand speeds up drainage in smaller terrariums but since you are working with a larger quantity of "stuff" (and probably larger plants), 2 parts soil will probably provide more nutrients for a longer amount of time.

Potting soil mix should work fine.  The peat moss retains moisture - which works great for a potted plant that might not get watered as frequently but can contribute to problems in smaller terrariums.  As long as you have the one part sand in there it should all balance out.  I'd also stress to build a large drainage level with pebbles and charcoal.  I'd make it at least an inch deep or more in a 10 gal terrarium- it'll help give water space to "breathe" at the bottom of your contained environment and should prevent root rot from standing water, etc.

Modern Macrame Terrarium

Nothing quite says "70s" like a macrame'd terrarium overflowing with lush ferns.  I'm not talking from experience here, I was born in the 80s.  With that said - I'd love to have a living room full of macrame'd hanging terrariums.  And 70's print sofa.

If you prefer your hemp on the skimpier side, check out this hanging terrarium from needsupply.com.  It is a cute idea and I daresay you could mimic this look for pennies on the retail-priced dollar.  Go forth crafters!

10 Terrariums to Check Out Today

HomArt Pierre Faceted Glass Terrarium from Amazon.com

inthralld.com shares ten terrariums to get your creative juices flowing!  Who's up for a geometric terrarium?

1012 Terra Terrariums Operate Without Soil

Image via Gizmodo

If you'd prefer the pristine view of your terrarium plant sans soil, check out these fascinating hydroponic terrarium vessels from 1012 Terra.  I wonder if the plants would survive for long?

Q & A Update: Ant Invasion Reversed

Photo by Natalie K.

You may recall reader Natalie sharing a plea for advice on how to best deal with an infestation of ants in a large succulent terrarium.  I am happy to report that Nat has reported apparent success with some of the treatments that you, fellow readers, suggested.  Awesome!

"Thank you for your help with my ant infestation for my desert terrarium! A good soaking and light application of a pesticide got rid of them! The terrarium is now outside on the sunny days which my succulents are enjoying a lot!"

Lime Deposit in a Terrarium: a Tip from Chill Designs Terrariums

Photo courtesy of Chill Designs Terrarium

Chill Designs Terrarium offers a detailed terrarium care information via their ebay account.  I found this tip on how to clean lime deposit from a terrarium very informative.  This method would also be useful to clean bits of soil that cling to the glass as the layers settle in a jar.

"Terrariums are prone to developing a white line of lime-scale just above the soil line. To keep your terrarium looking like new, you'll need to clean this every now and then. How much lime-scale forms will depend on your water supply. To clean lime-scale from your glass container, take a wood satay stick and wrap a piece of moist kitchen paper (either moisten with water or a little non-toxic cleaner) and wipe around the inside of the container, cleaning away the lime-scale."

Q & A: Ants in Terrarium

Image from Wikipedia Commons, by Fir0002/Flagstaffotos

I've never had the misfortune to find ants in a terrarium - let alone an entire colony moving in!  Does anyone have any ideas for Natalie K.:

"I have a 2.5 gallon desert terrarium that sits on my window sill It has a screentop lid to keep the humidity low and allow an extra light to sit on top. Ants have moved in though and are nesting in the soil. I don't know how long they've been there but I just noticed them moving pupae in. I dumped a bunch of water in(there's a layer of marbles and moss to allow drainage) and that seems to have scattered them out for now. How do I get them out for good??? Short of dumping the entire thing and starting over?"

See the solution to the ants in a terrarium.

Floating Terrariums by Katie Scott

Floating Terrariums by Katie Scott

London-based artist Katie Scott mixes old-fashioned medical and botanical illustration sensibilities with modern topics.

Terrariums in Montreal

Peter McCabe , The Gazette

The Ottowa Citizen shares this lovely photo of a peperomia terrarium,

Build a Balloon Terrarium

Image by Comita,
from commons.wikimedia.org

A terrarium craft is a great way to introduce children to the idea of an ecosystem.  Terrariums illustrate the cyclic movement of water and air through a contained system.  If you're hesitant to hand your small child a glass bottle or jar for a terrarium craft, why not try a balloon?

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.

Cascade of Moss

Photo from slugandsquirrel.blogspot.com

Using Mesh as a Barrier for Terrarium Soil Layers

This idea is rather ingenious and I can't believe it hasn't dawned on me until recently.  Rather than using sphagnum moss as a filter barrier between soil and drainage layers, why not use a disc of fabric mesh?  Photo from the My Chicago Botanic Garden blog.