Terrarium care

Caring for your terrarium can be daunting if you’re new to the hobby so read through this page and familiarize yourself with some fundamentals.

To help you get started with setting up a terrarium, but also to take care of it, we have combined our knowledge in this guide.

Sometimes referred to as a "garden under glass," terrariums make wonderful and impressive gifts, even for people who consider themselves plant-challenged.

Terrarium Care

What is the best location for my terrarium?

A terrarium likes to be placed in a location with enough indirect sunlight. A location facing north may not provide enough light for a terrarium. Avoid a spot next to or above a central heating system. The ideal temperature for a terrarium is between 15 and 25°C.

What are signs of too much water?

Even though a terrarium doesn’t have a weekly watering schedule, there can be too much water in a terrarium. If there is too much water in a terrarium, you can see this by the condensation on the glass. Normally there is only condensation on one side of the glass. Is the entire glassware condensed? Or is it even covered with drops of water? Then let the terrarium air for 12 hours. You can remove the lid of the terrarium and remove any excess water with a paper towel.

What are the signs of too little water?

Is there little condensation on the terrarium glass? Then it may be a good idea to give a little water once every six months. We recommend between 5 and 10 cl of water. However, first feel whether the soil is indeed dry.

Help! There is mold in my terrarium.

Mildew may occur in a terrarium if the humidity is too high. This is not a problem! It can also occur in nature. Do you want to remove mold from the terrarium? Please read our blog on how to remove mold from a terrarium.

What can I do if the plants get brown leaves?

It is not a problem if the plants in the terrarium develop brown leaves. Especially if it is only a single brown leaf. As in nature, a plant often sheds older leaves to grow new leaves. The brown leaves fall to the bottom of the terrarium and are used as food in no time. Do you want to remove the brown leaves anyway? That is possible too! Then cut off the entire leaf at the stem of the plant.

What are the slow flies in my terrarium?

If slow-moving flies form in the terrarium, they are usually mourning flies. Mourning flies occur when the soil is too moist, or when an older leaf decays. Open the lead for 1 hour in fresh air to let flies go away.

Why are mushrooms growing in my terrarium?

The formation of mushrooms is completely normal! Mushrooms are a fungus formation and arise in the environment of a terrarium, just like in nature. If you do not like mushrooms In your terrariums, remove them from the soil.

My terrarium is fogging. Is it normal?

Terrarium is a closed self-sustaining environment which does not require too much maintenance once settled. Fogging up in a terrarium is normal. In winter, if you open a door or window the room gets cold and your terrarium will steam up. If your plants have been fine throughout the season then leave it alone and the fog will naturally clear up when the room temperature rises to equate the temperature of the trapped air inside the jar.

How often should I open my terrarium lid?

Open the terrarium at least once in two weeks for roughly 20-30 minutes to allow for some air circulation.

How do you build a terrarium?

Step 1: Add drainage layer

Cover the bottom of your terrarium with a 4cm thick layer of small stones or pebbles. The bottom layer of small pebbles will act as drainage for your terrarium.

Step 2 (Optional): Add charcoal

Add a very thin layer of activated charcoal. The activated charcoal will keep water fresh and fight off any bacterial growth in your terrarium.

Step 3: Add potting soil

Add a layer of potting soil mixed with pumice (optional). Any potting soil mix will do, however, if you’re planting succulents or cacti, use special cactus and succulent soils. You’ll want to add enough potting soil so that it’s deep enough for your plants to root into it. We recommend a layer that’s about 2 ½ inches. For this particular terrarium, we used 2 inches of potting soil.

Step 4: Add moss and plants

Now it’s time to add your plants. Place the moss on the soil. The best place for moss is around the edges, leaving room for plants in the middle. Start by planting your largest plant first. Remove the plant from its container and prune the roots as you would when repotting any plant. Then, make a hole in the soil large enough to fit the plants’ roots.

Next, nestle the plant into the soil. It’s easiest to work your way from the back to the front of your terrarium. There’s no rhyme or reason to the design of your terrarium, play around with the arrangement and don’t forget to have fun!

Step 5: Final look

After all your plants are arranged in your glass vessel, complete the look with a layer of pebbles.

You can also opt to add some personality to your terrarium with miniatures. Once your terrarium is complete, you’ll need to take proper care of it. Sunlight and water are two essential items for the success of your terrarium.- Be sure to lightly water the base every two weeks or once the soil looks like it has dried out.

You should also display your terrarium in an area that receives a lot of bright, indirect sunlight.