Tam-Tam's Blog
Tam-Tam's Blog
Last Post 107 days, 22 hours Ago
Jan 26, 2008 | 2:01 PM PST
Tags: terrariums , other uses , seeds , cuttings , propagation , forcing twigs
Some more ideas on how you can use a terrarium, especially the tank style.
1. It can baby-sit your smaller houseplants while you're on vacation.
2. You can use it to over winter some of your plants that can't tolerate the dry heat provided for wintertime use.
3. Start seedlings. Sow seeds in flats and lay on wet pebbles in bottom of tank. Once germination occurs, uncover the tank during the day for ventatlion, and put the cover back on at night to keep the young plants warm. If you are providing a grow light in the cover, then prop up the cover during the day.
Keep the young plants out of the direct sun and if tropism occurs, turn the flats from time to time. Make sure to water seedlings from the bottom (immersed) in room temperature water. When two sets of leaves have developed, transplant them into other flats at least two inches apart or into individual pots. Make sure to ventilate, the plants can rot due too much moisture.
Some glass gardeners use the molded peat pellets which expand with water. They put two -three seeds in each pot and then thin to the strongest seedling. There is no transplanting shock when the pellet is lifted from the terrarium, as the roots will penetrate the pellet and extend into the soil after final planting.
4. Stem propagating. If you plan on taking cuttings or slips, you can use the terrarium. Start with about 4 inches of clean sharp sand, (not from the seashore, too salty) or sterilized soil or vermiculite or perlite. Follow the basics for preparing the slips. Place cuttings an inch deep and about two inches apart. Poke holes in the rooting medium with a pencil to make it easier on the stems. Although the cover should be on the terrarium for rooting cuttings, it will need to be lifted for a short time every day to provide ventilation.
5. Softwood cuttings. Slips from annual or perennial vegetation taken during the growing season can also be propagated in terrariums. These cutting should be six inches or less in length. They are prepared the same way as slips are, but they must be placed in a tightly sealed container which should be shaded for a week. Then give the cuttings dim, indirect light and slightly elevate the cover with something flat like a wooden ruler or tongue depressors.
To tell if the cutting is ready for transplanting, gently lift the cutting. If there are roots you will notice some resistance. If the are no roots, or the roots are not formed well enough to support the cutting, then put the cutting back into the growing medium.
While the roots are forming, make sure to water the growing medium with a hand sprinkler whenever it is dry. Once the cuttings are well-rooted they can be transplanted into individual pots or set outdoors. Keep moist and shaded from the sun until established.
6. Forcing twigs. You can enjoy the beauty of spring during the gloomy cold days of winter by placing budded twigs of deciduous shrubs and trees in the terrarium. Deciduous vegetation lose their foliage in the fall and form their buds as well, shrubs like forsythia or lilac. Branches cut after a good freeze will respond to the heat and warmth of the terrarium and will bloom within two to six weeks.
Cut the twigs about eight inches long. Store them overnight in a cool place. The next morning, plunge them into cold water and keep them submerged for a day. This fills their tissues with water. Next, remove about one inch of bark at the base of the twig and pound the peeled area with a hammer to stimulate the swelling of growth cells. Now the twigs are ready to be planted in the container.
Make sure the container has about four to five inches of aquarium gravel or shredded sphagnum moss to hold the twigs upright. Make sure there is enough room between the twigs for the blossoms to develop, and to arrange the twigs in an attractive display. Loosely cover the container to keep excessive humidity in check to prevent mold. Water the forcing medium when it begins to dry out with a hand sprinkler.
Remember you are trying to reproduce spring like conditions in the terrarium. The terrarium so be placed where it receives little light and the temperature stays between 50 to 70 degree F. When the buds begin to show some color, they should be exposed to more light. Keep it out of direct sunlight, it will make the blossoms fade quicker. If you have used a small container to force twigs in, and it is small enough to put in the refrigerator at night, it can lengthen the flowering period. By the way, African violets raised in the terrarium hold their blossoms for a longer period if treated in this same fashion.
7. Dried arrangements. You can keep your dried arrangements dust free in the terrarium setting. If you are using dried naturals, they will retain their natural color longer if not set in the direct sunlight. If you are using dried naturals in your arrangements, make sure to add a teaspoon or so of silica gel over the clay or flower holder before you cover it with moss and bark. If condensation does fog up the inside of the container, remove the cover and set the container in a warm dry location for several days.
8. Holiday Terrariums. You can make centerpieces and room decorations with any holiday theme by using holiday decor inside your terrarium, as long as it can withstand the humidity. Also, the holiday shaped plastic or glass containers, like hearts for St. Valentines day, or eggs for Easter, can be planted and make great conversation pieces. Use the basic principles to plant the holiday terrariums as you do the with the other styles of terrariums.
9. Growing your own food. Have you ever heard of sprouting alfalfa or wheat seeds in a wide mouth quart jar? That is one way to use a terrarium type container to grow food. You can grow garden cress for your salads in a tank type terrarium. A few flats planted at ten day intervals will provide a continuous supply of peppery cress. Cut the plants with sharp scissors when about two inches high and after two or three crops, pull up the plants and replant the flats.
You can use the tank type to grow mushrooms. Sow mushroom spawn over moist, rich, fertile soil and keep the container somewhere where the temperature will stay about 55 - 60 degrees F. and the light is dim. In about three weeks the first "flush" (tiny mushrooms) will appear. They will be ready to pick when the veil connecting the bottom of the cap to the stem breaks off. You will get successive flushes in three week intervals until the soil is exhausted. Remove the top layer of soil and replace it and start over with more mushroom spawn. Remember, mushrooms don't produce flushes in warm weather.
10. The zoo. When a terrarium becomes a home to a critter it becomes a habitat, or a vivarium. Several conditions will have to be met in order to construct a happy and healthy habitat. There is a wealth of info on this subject and you will have to research the particulars for the proper habitat for your pet.
11. The terrarium hospital. You can use a terrarium to help perk up a sickly houseplant. The humidity and constant temperature will help your ailing plant feel better. Keep in mind that if your plant is suffering from some type of disease or pest infestation that a trip to the hospital is not going to cure it. However, isolating the ailing plant might be helpful in keeping the other plants safe while you are determining what is wrong or treating it.
Well that is all I have, for now. I hope there is enough information here to help you get started in this neat gardening form, if you decide to do so. Remember, you may not have success with each project, but with patience and some experience you will be able to turn your creativity into beautiful living works of art. If you decide to create a terrarium, please post your progress, I would love to see it. I'm hoping that I will be able to start on mine by next fall. We are in the process of some much needed remodeling, so it will have to wait. One of the problems I'm now facing is too many ideas or glass garden themes! :)
Jan 23, 2008 | 5:50 PM PST
Tags: terrarium , maintenance , pruning
The theory is, with the ideal conditions met, the average plant could survive in a terrarium for up to fifty years without attention. This means you would have to have the ideal growing medium, the ideal amount of light, and a constant ideal temperature. Chances are that any given terrarium may have one or more of these conditions that are out of sync with the "ideal" recommendation. So if you decide to become a glass gardener, realize that varying degrees of maintenance will be involved.
Moisture:
Possible signs of insufficient moisture: no condensation on the walls of the container. Plants are drooping. The foliage is becoming brittle. Dried up moss or parched-looking soil.
Possible signs of too much moisture: Decaying foliage and plant rot. Extremely heavy "rain clouds" on the container walls. Remember, too much sunlight can cause excessive condensation to form.
If you have a tank style terrarium, you can check the moisture level by feeling the soil about one inch below the surface. Although there is no real way to accurately check the moisture in narrow-neck containers, experienced glass gardeners say they can tell by the weight of the narrow-necked containers. If the container seems light, they add water with a hand sprinkler or a long spouted watering can.
Light:
If you are using natural light for your glass garden, keep in mind that the amount of light the terrarium receives can change at any given time, especially with the seasons. This means that vegetation can get too much sunlight at times and not enough at others.
If the leaves of the foliage turns yellow or look "burnt", this may be signs of too much sunlight. On the other hand, if the blossoms on flowering vegetation seem to retard, this may be a sign of insufficient light.
If the terrarium is exposed to too much light, it needs to be moved to a shadier spot, or sheltered from the direct light or the heat from the spotlights. Sometimes the intensity of the sunlight is less in the wintertime months and the terrarium may need to be moved to a sunnier location or provided with the aid of artificial light.
Unless the terrarium plantings are receiving evenly distributed light from an overhead light source, the terrarium vegetation may experience tropism. This means that the plants will twist and lean toward the light source. If your cylindrical containers are experiencing tropism, you can turn the container a half turn. For oblong (tank) containers you can turn them completely around. When the plants straighten up, (may take a day or two) you can turn them back to their normal positions.
Pruning:
Keep in mind that you want the soil to have just enough nutrients for slow steady growth in the terrarium. If the soil is too fertile it causes lush, rampant growth that takes over the design elements of the garden. Extra growth can be kept in check by pruning the overgrown branches and excess foliage, or removing the plant once it has become too large for the container. Make sure you know how each plant will need to be pruned because some plants can be killed by cutting the tops off, while others like spreading plants can be kept in check by removing unwanted growth. Removing fading or spent blossoms, yellowing or dead leaves and stems, and side shoots helps to maintain the beauty of your glass garden.
When trimming plants in a wide mouth container you can use grabbers or tongs to hold the plant while using the pruning shears made from the wooden dowel with the razor blade, to cut away overgrowth and unsightly foliage. Then use the grabbers or tongs to remove the pruned material. Narrow-neck containers are usually to difficult to prune, thus it is usually easier to just reconstruct the entire planting.
Pruning Tips:
Trailing plants like ivies can be pruned by simply shearing off unwanted growth. Strawberry begonias and other plants that send out runners can be pruned by cutting off the offshoots.
Cutting the tops off of coleus and impatiens can stimulate growth along the main stem.
Pruning a fern by slicing some of the outside fronds (leaves) below the soil line with a single edge razor blade will encourage additional new, low growth. One of the best ways to trim a fern is to remove the plant from the container and separate it into smaller individual plants. If you plan on trimming the outside fronds make sure to do it a little at a time, otherwise you may injure the plant.
Insects:
Your first thought may be that the plants in a terrarium will be protected from insects. This is true, that is if there are no hitch-hikers. Harmful pest can hide in the root ball of potted plants and live moss may be hiding eggs of harmful species, especially if the moss is collected from woodland areas.
Try spraying the plants with a houseplant insecticide before planting them in the terrarium, making sure to follow the directions. It may seem neat to watch these little critters in the terrarium, but remember, these pests will strip down and destroy your glass garden in no time. As soon as you see an insect in the terrarium, you should spray the plant(s) with a general-purpose insecticide. Make sure to follow the directions for the insecticide you are using and be careful of over spraying the plants.
Don't forget to remove all traces of the spray from the inside walls as soon as possible. Depending on the size of the container, you may be able to place pieces of paper against the wall of the container to help with overspray. The walls of a narrow-neck container may be cleaned off with a piece of lint free cloth wrapped around the end of a dowel and fastened with a rubber-band.
Make sure to leave the cover off the container after spraying, to allow the fumes to evaporate. It may take several applications sprayed three or four times at weekly intervals to get rid of pest infestations such as whiteflies.
Mold:
The humidity in the terrarium provides an ideal environment for mold. Mold is the most common disease that glass gardeners have to deal with. The wooly looking growth that spreads over the soil is produced by a variety of gray fungus. Although the mold may be due to an infected plant, the usual case is too much moisture. Mold will develop very quickly and will destroy a planting in a very short time.
Hopefully, removing the infected plant will stop the growth of mold. Make sure to properly destroy the infected plant and that it does not come in contact with the new plant that will replace it. If needed, dust the garden with a general-purpose fungicide being sure to follow the directions. If the dusting does not alleviate the situation, the terrarium must be dismantled and replanted.
There is no guarantee, but...
hopefully with regular maintenance your terrarium will function properly for a long time. But as you can see, sometimes things go wrong. Maybe the plants are growing to fast and need to be replaced, or there is some kind of problem that makes it necessary to just empty the container, wash it out and start all over. Try not to let this get you down or frustrated. Like any other form of gardening, learning how to do it is part of the fun. Good Luck!
Next up: Other stuff you can do with a terrarium.
Jan 16, 2008 | 11:02 AM PST
Tags: tank terrarium , bottles , jugs , planting
The Tank Terrarium, Bottles & Jugs:
The tank of course, is an aquarium tank. Aquarium tanks come in several sizes and you have the options of using glass or acrylic. The information that I have is for the glass. If using acrylic, note that it scratches easily, and is known to hold in heat better than glass.
You can buy a new tank or use the old tank that is packed away in the garage. Just note that once you use the tank for gardening, it will not be suitable for fish keeping again. So make sure this is what you want to do with your tank.
Before you begin to plant a tank terrarium you will need to have all your materials ready and organized. You also need to have your plants ready and know where the terrarium will be placed when completed. Make sure to set aside a decent block of time to complete your project. Even if all goes well, you may find it will take longer to complete the project than you expected. You can't do a little here, and come back later, this gardening project has to be completed from start to finish, so try to do it when you know you will have no distractions.
One more thing I would like to mention here is activated charcoal. The kind that is used in aquariums. A thin layer of this charcoal, over the gravel layer, can help keep the terrarium 'sweet', in other words it absorbs odors. More is explained about charcoal below.
1. Clean The Tank.
The tank must be thoroughly cleaned with hot soapy water, then rinsed several times to remove all traces of soap. Next, let the tank dry completely. This is very important because if the sides of the tank are wet or damp the soil may stick to them and it can be a job to try to clean them up after planting.
If a used tank is being reused for the terrarium, there may be stubborn stains that will not clean up with just soap and water. If you use a glass cleaner or household ammonia to remove these stains, make sure to rinse well and do not plant the tank for at least three days. This will give the noxious fumes time to disperse before planting.
2. Bottom Layer.
If you have decided not to line the bottom of the tank with dry or live moss, go on to step 3. Otherwise, line the bottom of the tank with a layer of dampen, and rung out Sphagnum moss, or use sharp scissors to cut live moss into manageable strips and lay them down, overlapping the strips in the tank, moss (green) side down. Depending on the size of the strip of the moss and the size of the tank, you may be able to lay down just one or two strips of the live moss to cover the bottom of the tank.
The thickness of the liner layer will depend on the depth of the soil that will cover it. If the soil slopes up from the front to the back of the tank, the layer of moss will be less in the front and thicker in the back. For instance, less than an inch in the front to several inches in the back. If the garden plan contains a "hill" in the landscape, put extra moss under it.
3. Gravel Layer.
Spread the gravel evenly over the moss or unlined bottom of the container. The terrain in a terrarium is created by the soil, not the gravel. Don't forget to use one-eight of an inch of gravel for every inch of soil depth. This would also be a good time to add a thin layer of activated charcoal. You can find it in the pet section of your favorite department store or at any pet stores. The charcoal acts like a detoxifier, helps to keep the soil from smelling bad. If you did not use a layer of moss for a bottom layer, you may want to use it as a thin layer between the gravel and the soil so the soil does not seep into the gravel layer. This layer should be the dry Sphagnum moss, which has been dampened and rung out. Personally, this is where I would put the moss layer, but that is just me.
4. Soil Layer.
Cover the gravel (or moss layer) with the amount of soil required by the size of the tank. One inch of soil for every four inches of container height. If the soil is dry and dusty, you can sprinkle it lightly before moving it into the tank. Dampened soil can be kept in a plastic bag.
Once you have added the soil to the tank you can build the terrain. The basic design is usually high in the back and gently sloping to the front. Once you have your terrain designed you can start landscaping and planting.
5. Planting The Garden.
When you remove the plants from their pots, try to keep the soil ball intact. Set the plants as deep as they stood in the their pots and tamp the soil around them. When placing the plants, gently spread out the root system and try to dig the holes large enough to accommodate the root system. If you are planting ferns, remember to set fern crowns just above the soil line.
6. Watering In The Plants.
After the plants are in place it is time to water. Use a hand sprayer to water them and then cover the container. If you are using tap water to water in your plants, let it set for several hours ahead of time to reach room temperature. African violets and woodland plants could benefit from being watered with rainwater.
Do not drench the soil when watering. Excess water can't evaporate in a sealed container. If there is too much water in the container the soil will become soggy and the roots will rot, but you do need to apply enough water to start the rain cycle. If condensation doesn't form on the sides of the closed container, one of two problems may be occurring. One, not enough water has been applied to start the rain cycle, or two, the cover is not completely sealed. Make sure the cover fits snugly. Gaps between the cover and the tank can be sealed off with transparent tape.
7. General Tank Clean Up.
You will want to clean any mud or other stains off the inside walls with a lint-free cloth. A vegetable brush may come in handy to work on areas where the plants have rested against the sides. A clean make-up brush would be ideal for cleaning off the foliage. Very carefully use a window cleaner to remove fingerprints and smudges on the outside of the container.
8. Finally...
move the terrarium to a cool shady location for two or three days to help the plants adjust to their new environment then place the terrarium in its permanent location.
If heavy "rain clouds" condense on the sides, lift the cover and ventilate the plants.
Extra Stuff:
If you plan on planting a desert terrarium which contains cacti or succulents, remember that these plants will not benefit from a sealed container. They will need the cover ventilated for air circulation. You may want to add some more drainage material and make sure the soil mix you choose is appropriate for the plants. When planting cacti, it might be safer to leave them in their pots.
Bottles And Jugs:
Bottles and jugs must be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed well before planting. Like the tank terrariums, they need to be completely dry inside before adding any of the materials. This can become a bit of a chore because it is sometimes hard to get all the moisture out of a bottle or jug. One idea is to carefully direct a stream of air into the neck of the bottle, using an electric fan or hair dryer.
It is also more difficult to add the moss layer into the bottle or jug because a specific amount of moss must be used. You will need to make a paper pattern that is equal to the circumference of the base of the container plus one fourth of the bottle's height. For example, if the base of the container is eight inches around and its height is twelve inches, the pattern should have the circumference of eleven inches (base measurement plus one-fourth of the container's height). Check the measurement of your paper pattern by inserting it into the container before cutting a one piece liner from a sheet of moss.
Before placing the one piece liner into the container, cut several one inch slits along the edges so it will not bulge up. It will help the liner to conform to the shape of the container. If the opening is not large enough to get the one piece liner in the container, then cut the liner into individual sections, like cutting a piece of pie and add them to the container individually. When using live moss make sure to put the green side down against the bottle's bottom.
Multi-gallon jugs like the five gallon carboys that are used to hold spring water can make beautiful terrariums. They also allow the glass gardener to use taller plants because of their height and their capacity makes it nice to landscape. They are also easier to landscape if they have wider openings that you can use tools like the grabbers in.
Use the regular procedure to plant the carboy, but if you are planting taller plants, remember to add more soil for plant support and to accommodate the taller plant's root system. Keep this in mind for all containers where taller plants will be planted. Before planting tall containers make sure your tools will be long enough to reach the soil level. If they don't, you can always extend the length of your tools by attaching them to dowels with electricians tape to secure it.
Next: Terrarium maintenance, and other handy ways to use a terrarium.
Jan 10, 2008 | 2:54 PM PST
Tags: terrarium , planting techniques , tools , landscaping , soil , ideas
Planting Techniques:
Gather your materials:
Before you begin your terrarium project, gather all your materials. Beginners usually make the mistake of planting right away. Take time to make sure you have everything. A good way to do this is to make a checklist. Some of the items on your checklist-- the container, the location the container will be when planted, the plants, tools, soil, gravel or any other items you will need.
Tools:
You can find tools designed for terrarium gardening, including small rakes and spades. You can also use children's toy gardening tools, iced-tea spoons, long handled forks, chopsticks, ice-picks, anything that can be used to make holes, move and arrange soil and lift plants.
Different sized dowels are great tools for the glass gardener. A dowel with a sharp pointed end is ideal for planting in bottles. You can use dowels to dig holes, move rocks, even prop up plants. Secure a cork on the end and you have a soil tamper. Insert a razor blade in the end of a split dowel and secure it and you have a long handled pruner.
A long piece of coat hanger wire with an open loop at one end makes a handy plant hook that can be slipped around a plant to lower it into the container or into a prepared hole. The plant is held in place with a dowel and the loop is released from the plant. You could also use grabbers or tongs. Don't forget to check out the tools used for planted aquariums, some will work well for the glass gardener.
Other tools to think about would be scissors, funnels, a mister, a watering can with a long spout and a kitchen bulb baster. When watering bottles or containers with small openings, use the long spout of the watering can, to let the stream of water run down the sides of the container. This cleans the side of the container as it breaks the force of the water stream. A kitchen bulb baster really helps when you need a large amount of water in a specific area of the terrarium.
When collecting tools, think about the tools you use in the garden, now mentally shrink them down to a size to be use for terrariums and then think about how you can make your own. It's part of the fun.
Soil:
Commercial potting mixes is the easy route to go at first. You can match up the soil mix to the plant's needs. These potting mixes will be free of the undesirable things like diseases and insects etc. They also include sufficient nutrients to meet the demands of terrarium plantings. As you gain experience you can create your own general purpose mix.
Use the container's height to determine how much soil should be placed in it. The rule is: an inch of soil for each four inches of container height. When applying this formula include the material used for drainage----one-eight of an inch of gravel for every inch of soil. Thus five inches of soil required by a planter twenty inches tall incorporate 1 &1/8 inches of gravel.
Wide mouthed containers can be filled easily by pouring the soil in or using a trowel or large kitchen spoon. You can use a funnel for the bottles or containers with small openings. A piece of heavy paper rolled up into a cone can also be used.
Gravel:
Drainage material is a must for all terrariums. Otherwise the soil becomes water soaked and the roots of plants will rot. When the soil is saturated, it blocks out the oxygen that the roots need, it can lead to disease and have a bad odor.
You can use crushed rock, pebbles, or even pieces of broken clay pots. But aquarium gravel is best when working with containers with narrow openings. Using a tube attached to a funnel makes it easier to spread the aquarium gravel in containers with small openings. Just make sure the aquarium gravel is not wet, it will clog the funnel.
Moss:
A layer of moss soaks up moisture, which helps the lower section of the container from becoming mud stained, but this is not necessary. You can use living or dried moss as a lining but the live moss is more attractive peeking along the edges of the container, living moss would be put in the container with the green "living" side down. You can find moss in damp wooded areas or around half buried rocks and boulders. You might be able to find a source online.
Sphagnum moss comes dried and sterilized. It must be saturated by soaking it overnight, then squeezed damp dry, before placing it in the container. Besides being a liner, moss is very helpful as a layer between the drainage material and the soil, it will keep the soil from sifting down through the drainage material. Sphagnum moss is the best choice for this layer.
Plant Placement:
Once the container has been chosen, and the plants have been selected, and all the tools and materials gathered, you can work on plant placement.
If the selected plants are in individual pots and the pots can be easily set inside the container, you can simply move the plants around until the arrangement suits you. If the container has a smaller opening or a narrow neck, you can move the plants around on the table to get a general idea of how to place them. If the plants are not in individual pots, sketching a few garden designs to help you decide how to plant your garden would be better than removing the plants from the container and moving them around, losing the soil around the roots, and possibly damaging the root system as well.
First decide on a focal plant. This plant will be the focal plant for the terrarium, and since it will be centrally located in the container and will tie the garden together, it should have very colorful or interesting foliage or blooms.
After setting the focal plant in place, arrange the other plants around it to create a desired effect. You may want to try keeping all the vegetation in proportion to a container's size. Don't forget that you may have to prune some of the plants and you will need to leave some gaps in between them to let them grow. If the gaps feel to big in size you can temporarily fill them with moss, pebbles, or bits of redwood bark.
Remember that the tallest plant usually is planted first, in the back, and the focal plant and the others are then planted. A basic design is tall plants in the background. Mid-size plants and/or focal plant in the middle. Then accent plants along the sides with smaller plants in the foreground. Keep in mind that a more complicated landscape design might be easier to plant outward from the center.
Landscaping:
Driftwood, bark, pebbles, or stones can be used as the focal point instead of a plant in landscaped terrariums. Be very careful about what stones you use. Heavy stones can break the bottom out of your glass terrarium. Featherock is a great substitute for making "boulders" or ledges. Sold at gardening and landscaping centers, Featherock is a lightweight volcanic rock that can be broken into chunks, it splits easily, and can be hollowed out quite easily with a hammer and chisel.
I've used Featherock in my aquariums before and while it is easy to work with, it is also dangerous. Featherock breaks off into tiny shards of glass like splinters. Always wear work gloves, eye protection and a mask when working with this natural material. You can carve out a nice crater and add soil and plant a little plant in it and make a very attractive accents for your terrarium. Featherock is also used in water fountains and other features in the garden.
Also, don't overlook the manmade objects. Of course you have to make sure it can withstand the heat and humidity of the terrarium. Using a mirror or part of one can give the illusion that the landscape has a lake or stream. Any small container that can hold water will be even better. A rectangle container can be used and small pebbles can be placed along it to give the look of an irregular shoreline.
Use your imagination but keep your design realistic. That doesn't mean your landscape can't be whimsical or based on fantasy, just make sure that all the little do-dads and figurines don't overpower the final design. These touches should accent the landscape and make it feel magical, if this is the design you are going for. If you think about it, you wouldn't find a little lamb in a tropical forest, so why put a little ceramic lamb in the terrarium with tropical plants, or a figurine of a fisherman in a desert terrarium? You can also just keep the design of the landscape all natural, using natural materials. The possibilities are endless, as they say.
Basic Tool Checklist:
rake
spade
scissors
long spouted watering can; mister
long handled fork
long handled spoon
chopstick; kitchen bulb baster
ice-pick (remember to keep point covered when not in use.)
dowels
cork fastened to a dowel to tamp soil
razor blade secured into a split dowel for prunning
coat hanger wire hooked on one end to help with the plants
grabbers (like tongs)
funnels (might need some clear tubing to attach to the funnel for bottles)
Next: The Tank Terrarium- step by step
Jan 8, 2008 | 12:19 PM PST
Tags: terrarium plants , novice , foliage , blooms
The Plant List
Choosing the right plants can make the difference in whether or not a terrarium will be pleasing to the eye. This is a list of easy to care for and readily available plants that will help the novice in selecting plants. The species are divided into two lists. The first list consists of foliage plants, the second is a list of flowering vegetation.
Wild plants are mentioned in the list. There are laws protecting wild plants. Make sure you know the laws and how they are enforced in your area. A quick search on the web will probably help you find a suitable replacement.
NOTE: The plant's temperature requirements is noted by it with asterisks:
* Plants preferring cool temperatures (55 - 65 degrees F.)
** Plants preferring medium temperatures (65 - 75 degrees F.)
*** Plants preferring warm temperatures (75 - 80 degrees F.)
BRIGHT OR MULTICOLORED FOLIAGE PLANTS:
***ALUMINUM PLANT (Pilea cadierei) has oval, dark green leaves with blotches of silver.
**BLOODLEAF (Iresine herbstii) this is a bushy plant that will need to be pruned to keep it compact. Its translucent red or yellow foliage looks best in bright light.
**CALADIUM (Caladium bicolor) has arrow shaped multi colored leaves. This tropical plant is a tuber and must be removed from the terrarium when its foliage dies down. After a rest the tubers can be replanted.
**COLEUS (Coleus) this richly variegated, coarsely toothed leaf plant will do best in filtered light. You will need to pinch it back frequently to keep coleus within its bounds.
**CROTON (Codiaeum variegatum) this plant has bronze, green, purple, red, and yellow variegated leaves. The various species differ in structure but all are smooth and leathery.
**DEVIL'S IVY (Scindapsus aureus) keep direct sunlight away from the leaves of this trailing and climbing plant. Scindapsus is also known as pothos.
*ENGLISH IVY (Hedera helix) this easily grown evergreen thrives in terrariums. Keep the leaves out of direct sunlight, and for color you can try one of the variegated varieties.
*FERNS (Filicales) The majority of fern species require a great deal of moisture, making them outstanding terrarium plants. Tropical varieties can tolerate temps as high as 70 degrees F.
*JAPANESE SPURGE (Pachysandra terminalis) there are variegated forms of this ground cover, but the standard has a rich, dark-green rosettes of palmlike foliage.
**PALMS (Aceae) Neanthe bella, the smallest of all palms is idea for terrariums because it will thrive if its roots are crowded. It has dark green, frond-like leaves that droop in umbrella fashion.
**PEPEROMIA (Peperomia obtusifolia or Peperomia sandersii) peperomia will prosper in a terrarium with artificial light or shaded from direct sunlight.
**PRAYER PLANT (Maranta leuconeura kerchoveana) also called "rabbit tracks." The large green leaves have paired brown spots, at night the leaves fold together, resembling hands in prayer.
**SEERSUCKER PLANT (Geogenathus undatus) a native from Peru, has textured silver-striped leaves, which are purple underneath.
*SNAKE PLANT (Sansevieria trifasciata) also known by the common name "mother-n-law's tongue." Has long thick leaves and most of the varieties are known for tolerating abuse and neglect. Hahnii is best for glass gardens because it is low growing and its foliage is vividly variegated.
*SPIDERWORT (Tradescantia virginiana alba) also know as the "inch plant." A variegated, shade loving creeper which will need pruning to keep it from inching over the whole container.
**STRAWBERRY BEGONIA (Saxifraga sarmentosa) this misnamed plant is not a begonia, nor does it bear strawberries. It has round fuzzy, silver -veined leaves that sprout from pinkish runners.
**VELVET PLANT (Gynura aurantiaca) has a deep purple fuzz covering spear shaped, toothed leaves. Also know as "purple passion plant."
**WANDERING JEW (Tradescantia fluminensis) other tradescantias, like Zebrina pendula, are know as wandering Jew. They all have thick, somewhat hairy stems and oval leaves that may be green, mauve, pink, purple, or purple-red. They are fast growers and will need to be pruned frequently.
FLOWERING PLANTS:
**AFRICAN VIOLET (saintpaulia) very attractive plant with fuzzy foliage and colorful blossoms. Young plants of the miniature strains are best for terrariums. Try not let the leaves touch the sides of the glass, and make sure not to place the plant where the leaves will come into direct contact with water droplets that form with the rain cycle.
*BEGONIA (Begoniacea) dwarf varieties of the fibrous-rooted type do well in terrariums that receive filtered sunlight.
**CAPE PRIMROSE (Streptocarpus saxorum) has trumpet shaped blossoms in pink, blue, purple, red, and white set off by large velvety leaves.
**GERANIUM (Pelargonium) standard geraniums are too tall for terrariums so use the midget varieties and keep them pruned. Ventilate the container to reduce the humidity.
**IMPATIENS (Impatiens sultanii) smaller than the other members of its family, its bright green leaves and orange, pink, scarlet, violet, or white blossoms add color to any glass garden.
**LILY OF THE VALLEY (Convallaria majalis) lily clumps dug in the fall, kept in a cool place until midwinter, and then planted in the terrarium will soon burst into bloom.
**MINIATURE GLOXINIA (Sinningia pursilla) about two inches high and has small puckered olive-green leaves and long tubed lavender flowers. After blossoms have faded, dig up with as much dirt as possible clinging to the roots, store in a cool place for several months, then replant the tuber.
**ORCHIDS (Orchidaceae) several varieties of orchids will do well in glass gardens. The novice should have little trouble with Cypripedium hybrids and various wild orchids such as the lady's slipper. All do well in shaded containers. But remember, wild orchids are protected in most states and some are poisonous to touch. Get them from a horticulturist.
*SPATHE FLOWER (Spathiphyllum wallisii) this house plant is usually grown for its flowers rather than its foliage. The flower resembles the calla lily in shape and turns green at first, then turns white, then turns green again. Spathe requires strong light, but dislikes direct sun.
*VIOLET (Violaceae) both domestic and wild violets thrive in cool terrariums. They require a great deal of water but excessive moisture will cause them to rot. Ventilate the container frequently.
Jan 3, 2008 | 7:27 PM PST
Tags: tips , plants
Important Tips Before Picking Out The Plants:
Before going over a list of plants and their requirements for terrarium planting, it would be a good idea to go over some important points.
Unless a glass garden is provided with artificial light, its location is the main factor in picking out the plants. Also, only species with the same light requirements should go into the same garden. Therefore, it is very important to note each individual plant's needs and light requirements.
It doesn't matter if you choose plants that like full sun or partial shade, as long as they are planted in the right grouping, and given proper lighting. They should also be plants that like moist soil, constant temperature, and high humidity, remember this happens in the "sealed" terrarium. Although rapid growth is desirable in the outdoor garden, it is out of place in the terrarium.
Slow growing plants are better suited to the confined space of a sealed container garden.
The number of plants and the size of the plants will depend on the size of the container being used. If you are using a bigger container that can hold several plants, try to use plants that differ in color, form, height, and leaf structure. Just like in an outdoor garden, variety is important in your terrarium.
Basically there are two types of glass gardens. One is to display vegetation artistically. Anyone can set plants in a container in a way that showcases the beauty of the plants in a pleasing manner. The second way is to landscape the glass garden. In the landscaping technique, the plants are but one part of the total display. Creating a landscape involves some imagination and some skill to blend the plants, natural objects like rocks and driftwood, and any manufactured items into a pleasing display.
The size of the container's opening will be the deciding factor on whether to plant or to landscape. Besides mounding some soil to form hills, one can do very little landscaping in the average bottle, but in the tank style terrarium, the landscaping possibilities are almost limitless.
You can design very beautiful terrariums with vivid colors of foliage plants or with blooming vegetation, and while combining variegated foliage plants and blossoming vegetation can make a vivid, stunning design, it should not be your first attempt. Start out simple and gain experience in the art of terrarium design as you go.
Next we will go over a list of plants for the novice.
Dec 21, 2007 | 4:35 PM PST
Tags: terrariums , lighting , fluorescent , incandescent bulbs
Lighting:
We know that foliage plants need between ten and twelve hours of light daily, and flowering vegetation needs about sixteen hours of light daily. Deciding on what type of light source you will provide your terrarium is very important. If you don't have an ideal place for your glass garden to receive the amount of light it needs, then you have two options. Keep moving your terrarium around to optimize the natural lighting in your home or decide upon some artificial lighting assistance.
Artificial lighting is the more practical solution. Using fluorescent light fixtures with tubes that simulate sunlight and are designed for indoor gardening are a better choice than incandescent bulbs. They cost less to use, they are cool burning, which means the plants will not get scorched, and they emit various rays that the plants need to grow well.
Any fluorescent tube designed for indoor gardening will prove satisfactory. Many glass gardeners have their favorites, one being Sylvania's Gro-Lux. The Gro-Lux is considered to be one of the best all-around lights for seedling and houseplants because of its wide color distribution. The price runs about $20.00 for a package of two tubes. You may have to do a little research to figure out what would be the best type of lighting for your situation and product availability in your area, and of course you can always order on the internet.
If you have plenty of windows with good light, you may opt for making one of the smaller terrariums to place there. But for most people on their first try they usually decide on a small aquarium tank with its own light fixture. If you happen to have a aquarium hood that has a incandescent light you have two options. One- you can buy a new fluorescent light hood to fit the aquarium, or two- you can try one of the new screw in fluorescent bulbs designed to give an aquarium the benefits of fluorescent lighting. They are called Mini Compact Fluorescent Bulbs. They can run about $10.00 and have a long bulb life. In fact, if you are using an aquarium tank the local pet store may be the first place to visit to find your fluorescent tubes/bulbs because they usually carry the tubes/bulbs for vivariums--(basically terrariums with critters).
There are several types and sizes of fluorescent lighting fixtures and tubes. Some are designed to hang, some stand on legs and others can be placed on top of the container. Make sure to choose the best type and size fixture for your terrarium and location. Before you buy your fixture, double check the system. For instance, if you are going to use a hanging fixture, make sure it will not be difficult to hang and if it will detract from the room's appearance. As always, make sure to follow all the directions and use the proper size tube for the fixture.
A good rule for fluorescent fixtures: A fluorescent fixture should be placed a foot above the tops of foliage plants. If the terrarium contains flowering vegetation, the fixture should be two or three inches lower.
You will have to watch your plants to see if they are getting the right amount of light they need. If the vegetation is spindly, which is a sign that it is reaching for light, lower the fixture. On the other hand, if the leaves are turning slightly yellow, which is a sign of to much light, then raise the fixture.
One more note about incandescent bulbs: These bulbs generate a great deal of heat, this is one reason why they are not recommended for terrarium illumination. There are some incandescent bulbs that can be useful for the terrarium. There is a floodlight type bulb called "plant spotlights". These bulbs can be used to supplement natural light and to provide terrariums on a cool windowsill with heat in the wintertime.
These floodlights can also be used to "spotlight" your terrarium to bring attention to it, or to accent a flowering or unusual plant. The fixtures or "units" that are used with these plant floodlight bulbs can be fastened to a wall or set on the floor or a tall piece of furniture, or put on a shelf and decorative effects can be achieved. If you choose to do this, after highlighting your glass garden, make sure to check the temperature near the terrarium. If the temperature is rising due to the heat from the spotlight, make sure to move the unit farther away.
Dec 15, 2007 | 6:53 PM PST
Tags: terrariums , container ideas , basics
The Basics Part One:
Now that we know the history and the why and how of terrariums, we can move on to the basics.
Any transparent container with a tight fitting cover or lid can become a terrarium. It can be glass or clear plastic, and any size from very small bottles to very large cases with heating cables and special fluorescent lighting and sliding glass panels to control the levels of heat and humidity. You can even use the left over clear glass or plastic jars and bottles from your food containers such as your mayo jar or pasta sauce jar to old or new aquariums. Make sure the opening and the neck of the bottle or jar is big enough to gently push plants through, and the recycled containers are thoroughly washed out. Even the thick glass or lightly tinted clear jars and bottles can be used for shade loving plants. Just remember that a terrarium must be able to be sealed. If the lid or cover is left off then you basically have a Dish Garden. These can be really nice to, think brandy snifter. Without a cover it is a dish garden, with a tightly sealed cover it becomes a terrarium.
Before you decide what you will use for a terrarium take a moment to decide where you will be displaying it. You want to place your terrarium where it will look nice. Also keep in mind that the terrarium should not be put on or near a heating unit, or in an area where it will be subjected drafts,(warm or cool).
If you are not providing a light source other than the natural light in the room, make sure not to put the terrarium in direct sunlight. Doing so will cause the temperature inside the terrarium to rise and the plants will not survive it. North windows that do not receive direct sunlight would be a great location. Actually you can use any window sill as long as the sunlight is diffused by passing through a curtain or slatted blinds. All terrariums must get enough sunlight to stimulate plant growth and support photosynthesis.
Aquariums usually have a light source built into its cover, therefore you can place it anywhere you wish, depending on the size. Some of the smaller ones are ideal for book shelves. You may have to have a piece of glass cut for the top and put the cover on top of it if the light source/cover has holes or sections already punched out for the filters and heaters. Your local hardware store can help you with this.
Some Container Ideas:
aquariums
assorted shapes and styled bottles with a large enough opening for plants
brandy snifters w/ a cover of clear plastic or cut glass
glass domes
goldfish bowls w/ a cover
jars- glass or plastic-like peanut butter, mayo, pasta sauce, or mason jars w/lids
clear canister jars-plastic or glass
clear decorative vases that can be covered
thick glass or lightly tinted clear glass bottles or jars for shade loving plants
Dec 12, 2007 | 8:28 PM PST
Tags: Terrarium , Photosynthesis , Respiration , Rain cycle
If you think about the processes that take place during a plant's life, you can get an idea as to why this little glass case would work so well. The processes of Photosynthesis and Respiration, the refresher course:
Photosynthesis goes on in the presence of light, sunlight or the use of special growing lights for plants. It occurs in the green cells only and uses carbon dioxide and water, releases oxygen and the plants increase in weight and store food.
Respiration goes on all the time, in the light and in the dark, it occurs in every living cell of the plant, uses food and oxygen, releases water and carbon dioxide, and the plant decreases in weight. These two processes are interdependent, they happen at the same time. The material created by one process makes the other process possible. So these two processes is how the plant uses the energy of the sun to make their own food called plant sugars---from carbon dioxide in the air and from water in the soil. Some of these sugars are used as soon as they are made, while other amounts of the plant sugars are store in the leaves and stems and they are converted to food as the plant grows.
So how does the terrarium work? Basically it encapsulates the proper growing conditions. For instance, the high humidity that numerous plants need is maintained constantly in the sealed terrarium. It blocks off drafts and protects from excessive heat or cold, if positioned properly. The "sunlight" provided by the lighting system can be optimal for the process of photosynthesis. One key factor is moisture. Moisture has to be introduced into the terrarium, because it is a self contained unit. Once this has occurred, the process of photosynthesis can begin but this also produces the process of the rain cycle.
In the rain cycle, the water that is absorbed by the plants roots are released as vapor through the leaves, the vapor evaporates into the air and eventually falls back into the dirt through the process of condensation. As the moist vapors rising form the plants reaches the cooler glass, it condenses, dripping to the dirt like raindrops from the glass. Because the water is again absorbed through the roots, this becomes a never-ending process.
Once the rain cycle has been established, the terrarium garden has a constant supply of moisture. This means that the terrarium never has to be watered as long as condensation "fogs" the sides of the container. The tight fitting lid or cover allows this rain cycle to happen constantly, but it also keeps the gases needed for photosynthesis and respiration from escaping.
When thinking about terrariums two types come to mind--Tropical and Desert. Several tropical plants prefer humidity, this makes it hard to keep these plants healthy in the dry heat we use for the winter. This can make the terrarium a great idea for slow or low growing tropical plants. On the other hand, desert plants like the dry air and the terrarium can make an ideal place for them to thrive. Desert terrariums do not need the completely sealed covers. In fact they need to have a supply of dry air to benefit their growing conditions. Cacti and succulents make for a very interesting garden design. When you set up a terrarium for animals, such as some type of small lizard, it becomes a Vivarium.
Next...the basics. It's more simple than you might think.
Nov 28, 2007 | 5:45 PM PST
Tags: terrariums , history , wardian cases
"Terrarium" is derived from the Latin terra meaning (earth) and arium meaning (a container of), but sealed containers of earth date back to ancient Greece. The women of ancient Greece celebrated an eight day festival in honor of Adonis. Adonis was the handsome youth that was loved by Aphrodite, the goddess of love. In the legend, Adonis was killed by a wild boar and Aphrodite was so stricken with grief that the other gods took pity on her and decided that Adonis could spend one half of the year with her, but he had to remain in the underworld for the other part of the year. To the ancient people, Adonis' death and resurrection became the symbol of the appearance and disappearance of vegetation. So every spring, Greek women held the eight day festival, in which they would ceremonially mourn the dead youth and sang songs asking him to return to the earth. They planted the "Gardens of Adonis" with quick germinating seeds, during the festival and the gardens were thrown into the sea at the end of the festivities.
As the ancient people began to adopt Christianity over their pagan beliefs, the need for the "Gardens of Adonis" ceased to exist. Although the famous Greek philosopher Plato mentioned sowing seeds in sealed containers, there seems to be very little evidence that any kind of sealed containers of earth were used by anyone other than the ancient people of Greece, that is, until the early nineteenth century.
The modern terrarium, as we know it, was developed by an English Doctor, Nathaniel Ward. As a youth, Dr. Ward dreamed of becoming a famous botanist, and would collect plants to dry and mount when he was on holiday trips with his family. When he was thirteen, and on a trip to Jamaica, he became inspired to become an expert on tropical vegetation. His father did not approve and insisted that he studied medicine and become a medical doctor like himself. Nathaniel did study medicine and became a doctor, eventually taking over his father's practice in the Whitechapel section of London. Nathaniel never lost his love for botany and studied botany and gardening in his leisure time.
In the summer of 1829 Dr. Nathaniel Ward placed some damp soil and the chrysalis of a sphinx moth in a wide mouth jar covered with a tin lid with the idea of being able to monitor the moth as it emerged. He noticed that a small fern and some grass was sprouting in the jar. Although astonished by the growth, he expected the sprigs to wither and die, but they flourished even after the moth had been released. The fern and grass continued to grow unattended for nearly four years. The tin covering finally rusted and rain water leaked into the bottle and the plants died. Dr. Ward had tried to plant ferns and moss on an old ugly wall in his back yard earlier, and they all died. He believed that it had to do with the pollution in the air and rain. So he concluded that the reason why the fern thrived in its container was the fact that it was not subjected to the pollution in the environment.
Dr. Ward began to theorize that any plant that received sufficient light, warmth, nutrients, and enough moisture to maintain the rain cycle in the container, could be grown in a sealed container. After many successful experiments, Dr. Ward developed a closely glazed case that could be used to transport plants. This was something that was desperately needed. Nursery firms which imported plants would lose thousands of plants on the extremely long voyages from countries like China.
The Wardian Cases were basically portable greenhouses that enabled the shipping of both exotic and economically important plants around the world. These cases helped to ship thousands of wild rubber tree seeds from Brazil to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, England. Only two thousand of the seeds germinated. These two thousand seedlings were sent on to Ceylon without the lost of any seedlings, to help replenish the wild rubber tree population that had been destroyed by blight. The Wardian Case has a very prominent place throughout history. For instance, Wardian Cases were used to ship 35,000 tea plants that were imported by the Congress of the United States. It was hoped that a tea industry could be established but the project was abandoned due to the onset of the war between the states. The tea plants did arrive in excellent condition from the Orient.
In England the Wadian Case became elegant and ornate and found their way into the most beautiful drawing rooms, but the glass gardens also were practical enough that every home could have one.
Next up: How the rain cycle works.
Nov 16, 2007 | 1:56 PM PST
Tag: Fish Tank Terrarium
Actually, I'm thinking about my aquariums, which until about a year ago was my main hobby. It became painfully clear that I could not keep up with my tanks, financially or physically. Still holding out hope, I saved one 55 gallon complete set up and one 30 gallon complete set up, after giving away my fish. The thing is...when you have to give up something you love, not because you are bored with it, or you are tired of dealing with it, but because you just can't do it anymore...well it makes you feel bad, almost like a failure. Yes I know that it so completely silly, nevertheless it happens.
I had been trying to figure out what to do. Do I sell all the aquarium stuff that I kept? Do I just keep it in storage? I just couldn't decide. You don't really get your money out of it, that's for sure. I even went so far as to tell my hubby that he would have to make the actual sales transaction because I would probably be crushed and break out in tears. Pretty pathetic huh? I could tell by the look on his face he was not going to touch that one for a while. So I decided to follow suit and let it go. I have a tendency to dwell on something to long and it drives my family nuts.
So we had been having some very rainy and gloomy weather and the little stash of houseplants in the master bathtub just wasn't doing it for me so I started perusing the old gardening books that I bought when I was in school. One of the books was about terrariums. YES! I suddenly got giddy as I reread the pages about the history of "Wardian Cases". Why didn't I think of this before? Heck! I've done this before! I guess I completely forgot about it. Terrariums can be very beautiful and very practical. I've even read articles where people have used their old aquariums as mini green houses to start seedlings or over-winter cuttings till spring. In fact, I remember reading about it in someone's blog. I think it was Rachel, over-wintering her bonsai saplings or something. Why it didn't click then...I dunno, maybe I still had fish on the brain, lol.
My first thoughts turned to supplies. When I started thinking about it, I realized that I could do this with just buying the proper soil and plants. I have the light fixture, the bulbs, the gravel. the charcoal, even the tools that I used for the aqua-scaping would come in handy. So it's no surprise that I got really excited about this idea. If done properly, a terrarium is low key maintenance. Then it hit me! I started realizing how many really nice terrariums I could have had if I had thought about this before. Oh Well, just got to let that go I guess. It feels good to know that I now have an option for my favorite hobby. It really feels good to know that I can recycle something I so dearly loved into something that will, if I can do it right, be very beautiful and very rewarding.
So now I'm off to do more research. Hopefully I will remember to blog as I go. TTFN...Tam :)
