I came across a post about
Terrariums on the Life in Sugar Hollow blog, which got me thinking about how a Terrarium would make a great indoor winter gardening project.
Terrariums seem to beg for decoration, like this bird's nest terrarium:
Everyone loves a gratuitous unicorn. I'm thinking of creating a badge for people who find good unicorn iconography and post it to
The Grow Spot. Wouldn't you post to have a cool 'unicorn' badge associated with your profile
A cactus Terrarium:
I love the tiny mushrooms in this one:
That's a filbert shell decorating this one:
Building your own Terrarium is pretty simple.
This article tells you how to do it, but basically, you start with any old interesting glass or pyrex container.
Quote:
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The next step is to begin building your terrarium. First, place a layer of pea gravel or aquarium rocks in the bottom of your container for drainage. Over that, put about 1/2-inch layer of horticultural charcoal to keep the soil from developing a rotten smell. Over the charcoal, you have the option of placing Sphagnum moss to keep soil from getting into the drainage area. Now add about 1/2inch of relatively dry soil to your terrarium, dry enough so that it won't stick to the sides. You might want to add hills or slopes to add interest to your terrarium. The easiest way to add these materials to your terrarium is with a large kitchen spoon.
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As described in a
National Geographic piece for kids, it's even easier:
Quote:
- Wash the glass container in hot, soapy water. Rinse and dry completely.
- Create a one-inch (2.5-centimeter) layer of stones on the bottom of the jar.
- Add a half-inch (1.3-centimeter) of charcoal.
- Spoon in a two- to three-inch (5.1- to 7.6-centimeter) layer of potting soil. (Pile soil higher on one side to make plants visible from a side view.) Dig small holes for the roots.
- Take plants out of their pots, remove extra soil from the roots, and trim damaged leaves. While the roots are still moist, place the plants in the holes and pat soil over the roots. Place taller plants in the back. Dampen the soil. Do not overwater.
- Decorate with pretty rocks, animal figurines, or a garden gnome. Place in indirect sunlight. Add water when your terrarium gets dry.
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For more inspiration, I recommend also checking out
Sarahivy's Terrarium page on Flickr.
What do your terrariums look like? Post pictures below!
11-26-2007, 09:19 PM
#1
Terrarium Inspiration - Indoor Winter Gardening!
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