Artist Highlight: DIY Terrarium

by Aria Stiefelmaier

Materials needed: A terrarium (open or closed), pea gravel, sheet moss, potting soil, and decorative trinkets.

  The first step in creating a terrarium is choosing if it will be open or closed, there are different aspects to each. A closed terrarium is low maintenance and consists of plants which love constant moisture (such as ferns). An open terrarium requires watering/misting when the soil is dry and plants that thrive in arid climates (such as succulents and cacti). I chose to create my terrarium as an open one.

The second step for both types of terrariums is pea gravel. You should add 1-3 inches of gravel to your terrarium. I used about 2 inches in my terrarium of two different colored gravel varieties

If you chose an open terrarium I suggest you add sheet moss now. This moss should be laid down as one single layer across the whole of the terrarium. I chose a purple colored moss to add a pop of color.

The next step is to add soil. You should add enough soil so that ¼ of the space in your terrarium is soil, pea gravel, and/or sheet moss.

If you chose a closed terrarium the final layer should be sheet moss on top of the soil.

Now you can add plants of your choice to the terrarium. Keep in mind which plants thrive in different conditions and which will suit your style of terrarium the best. For my terrarium I added 3 succulents since mine was an open one.

After you have added the plants feel free to add stones or extra little trinkets to your terrarium to personalize it. I used a beautiful, handcrafted, purple rhino that accented the purple moss I added earlier

Now that you have completed your terrarium don't forget to care for it. Find the right amount of sunlight and the right amount of water in order to keep your terrarium thriving and happy!