With so many amazing containers and varied ways to create them, terrariums are standing the test of time. Today I’ll show you another fun way we’ve come up with for creating sand terrariums—these adorable table-top gems.
Succulents.
Typically, we don’t recommend succulents or cacti for terrariums. They don’t like being wet or cooped up inside a glass house. But everyone loves them, they look great as specimens (as opposed to leafy ferns and other plants that thrive in terrarium conditions), and they’re really easy to plant.
So, if you’re going to use them, only water the actual plant in small amounts (a turkey baster is a great tool for this), never cover the terrarium or put them in a cloche, and accept this simple philosophy: You might kill the plant, but remember how much fun you had making your terrarium.
Things you’ll want for making your terrarium.
After you’ve picked the succulents you want to use, you’ll need to gather a few other items to begin. Using moss and little bits of driftwood for decorating can be a great accent with the plant.
Buy sand from a craft store.
Craft sand comes in many colors and you can have a lot of fun with this. Get at least three choices that complement each other and make you happy.
Start layering your sand.
Find a glass container that you like. (We prefer one that has a top large enough to work with and sides that are straight so you can really see the sand design.) Lay down your base layer of sand evenly across the bottom.
Building the layers of sand by pouring the different colors of sand in piles all around the sides of the terrarium. Be careful not to fill up the center. When you’ve got the sand to a height you’re happy with, lay down a layer of pebbles to help with drainage and to keep the sand stable for when you add your plants.
Then you want to add your soil. Always use cactus mix as it’s much looser than normal potting soil and works better for succulents. You don’t need much; just add an inch or so and then make a little hole in the center. Do this by pushing the soil down (and maybe taking a tad out). This is why you don’t want too much sand in the middle.
Pull your succulent out of its container (2″ varieties work best) and shake off as much soil as possible without damaging the roots. Place it into the hole in your soil. Do this with as many plants as you can fit (or just use one if you’d prefer). Don’t worry about the plants being crowded… most succulents actually like that. Add another layer of pebbles to finish the top. Here’s where a paint brush comes in handy. It helps even everything out. Now you have one very cute terrarium that you made yourself. Soon you will be able to purchase terrariums at our Gardenocity Shop and you can find succulents to purchase there as well.
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