Recently, a lot of beautiful photos have appeared that depict terrariums with plants. Most of them recall works of art. Many even have tiny copies of objects and figures of fairytale characters. At first glance, it may seem that they are very difficult to perform and require painstaking care. However, in reality, everything is much simpler. After reading this article, you will learn what a terrarium for plants is.
What is a similar product?
Just note that they can be of any size. Some can be put on the floor, others are placed on the windowsill without any problems. Those who do not know what a terrarium will be interested in, that in large containers all plants can be planted in separate flowerpots, arranged in numerous shelves.
Flowers placed in a bottle with a narrow neck look no less original. Soil and drainage in such a container can be poured through an ordinary funnel. The plants themselves will have to be planted using long metal or plastic tweezers.
If desired, you can try to create a composition on a given topic. As an illustrative example, let’s give a desert in a bottle. To create it, you need to pour sand at the bottom of the tank and artistically lay out beautiful stones. From plants, euphorbia or cacti is the best fit here.
Mountain lovers can take advantage of a tall glass jar. It needs to be filled with a thick layer of soil, a large number of stones and pebbles. In such a floraruium, you can plant plants used to equip the alpine hills.
To create the jungle, you will need mixed soil, consisting of sand, decayed foliage and peat. In the foreground, you need to plant stunted vegetation, in the background you can place higher specimens. In this case, it is appropriate to use asplenium, coleus and palm trees of Liviston.
Recommendations for the selection of plants
Those who want to understand what a terrarium is, a photo of which will be presented in this article, will not hurt to understand what factors should be considered when choosing suitable colors. First of all, you should focus on the size and location of the container. So, for florariums installed in a dark corner, where the sun's rays practically do not penetrate, ferns, a Decembrist plant and some varieties of cacti are suitable. In well-lit places you can plant orchids and thermophilic flowers that require high humidity.
Those who are often absent from home but want to acquire a florarium are advised to opt for agave, succulents and cacti. In addition, do not forget that in one container you can place plants of the same species. It is strictly forbidden to plant moisture-loving and drought-resistant specimens together.
What is a terrarium for flowers: determining the location
Many people pay attention to these products due to the fact that they do not require complicated maintenance. However, to preserve the beauty of plants planted in the florarium, it is necessary to install it in the right place. All plants need sunlight. However, glass has the property of enhancing the lighting effect. Therefore, do not put the container where direct sunlight falls. If necessary, you can purchase a fluorescent backlight. But when working with such devices, it is important to strictly adhere to all the manufacturer's recommendations.
Plant terrarium should be located in a warm, well-heated room. However, it must not be installed in the immediate vicinity of an air conditioner or battery. It is also important to ensure that there are no sudden temperature changes in this room.
Those who already understand what a terrarium is will be interested to know that it needs to be placed on the correct surface. It is undesirable to install it on fragile and unstable furniture. It is also important to avoid places that children or pets can reach.
What will be required to create a florarium?
Having understood what a terrarium for flowers is, let's try to figure out how to design it at home. To work you will need:
- glass open sphere, which can be purchased at any pet store;
- large pebbles sold in garden centers;
- decorative soil;
- ready-made soil for planting succulents;
- any suitable decor;
- succulents for terrarium. It can be sedum, thick-leaved, Kalanchoe, Krassulartulakaria afra and Echeveria.
If desired, you can pick up other types of vegetation. It is important that they harmonize in texture and color.
How to make a plant terrarium: sequence of actions
You need to start by creating a three-centimeter drainage layer laid on the bottom of the glass sphere. It is necessary because succulents do not tolerate stagnation of water. As drainage, you can use multi-colored glass pebbles, expanded clay or small pebbles.
On top of it, you need to pour a three-centimeter layer of soil for succulents. If necessary, it can be replaced with a universal soil mixture supplemented with sand. After this, you can proceed to planting plants. Many garden centers sell special succulent kits, the height of which does not exceed ten centimeters.
So that the composition does not turn out boring and monotonous, you need to focus on one of the plants. And the rest should be a harmonious addition.
After this, you need to pour decorative soil into the container, which is often used in aquariums. This element will prevent the shifts of the lower layers.
Recommendations for the care of florarium with succulents
Having figured out what a terrarium for plants is, you need to understand how to properly monitor it. Succulents do not require abundant and frequent watering. The level of water flowing down should not exceed the height of the drainage layer.
Do not install a terrarium with succulents in a place where direct sunlight. Otherwise, you will not be able to avoid overheating of the stems and roots of plants. Such a florarium does not need special care, so it can be a great gift for beginner gardeners.
General Plant Care Tips
Do not be scared when you notice that condensation has appeared on the walls of the terrarium. This is completely normal. If through it it is impossible to consider the contents, then it is necessary to reduce watering. In open florariums, the level of humidity normalizes faster.
Seeing that a fungus has begun to spread on the surface of the soil, you need to also reduce watering. You can use tweezers or a wooden stick to remove some of them. It is important to remove dried leaves and inflorescences in a timely manner, as they often lead to the formation of fungus.
Once every six months you need to apply a little granular fertilizer to the soil. So that the growing plants do not interfere with each other, they must be periodically thinned or trimmed.
Conclusion
The glass container into which the plants suitable for this planted can be turned into a kind of independent ecosystem. The owner of such a miniature garden does not have to make huge efforts to care for these flowers. But they will delight him with their beauty. In addition, it is not necessary to spend colossal amounts on the purchase of a finished florarium, since it can be built with your own hands.