DIY Terrarium Tutorial to Freshen Up Your Home
Mar 31, 2023 / Alyssa Duranty
Spring is here, and so it’s time to brighten up your space with some greenery!
If you’re looking for indoor plants, ones that don’t need a lot of work to keep alive and that will likely live for multiple seasons, here is a DIY terrarium tutorial from Public Storage experts to help you create a lasting, appealing houseplant storage environment!
What You Need to Build a Terrarium:
Start to Build a Terrarium with a Layer of Rock
Add a one-inch layer of small rocks or pebbles at the bottom of a glass vase or jar (recycle empty ones from the refrigerator!), so your plants’ roots will get some air, and water has a place to drain. For the container, there are so many colors and shapes to choose from!
You can also add some extra pizazz by visiting your local pet store to pick up fun-colored fish-tank rocks, which would work perfectly.
We opted for earth tones this time and used inexpensive pebbles purchased at a local hardware store. You can also look around your neighborhood and find something for free.
Add Soil for Terrarium Plants to Grow Strong
Place an inch or so of dirt on top of the rocks – enough to securely plant the greenery inside.
Succulents need soil, while air plants do not, so your process and materials may vary depending on what vegetation you choose to use. We grabbed a variety of succulents from a local nursery, along with our well-drained soil.
Be Creative When Landscaping Your Terrarium
Plant a variety of shrubs in your planter to create a fun landscape, and place them about an inch apart, so the roots have room to live happily.
If your green thumb is a little dull, faux plants will work too and you can skip the previous soil step!
Finish Building a Terrarium by Adding Sand and Décor
Sand is a common soil-cover decoration found in terrariums and can be found at most nurseries or craft stores. Add other embellishments like seashells or decorative rocks.
Whatever you choose, just make sure it fits in your environment without harming the plants, to make your planter unique!
We used sea glass to add some additional color to the very green scenery before hanging the planters in a nearby window.
Place Your Terrarium in a Sunny Area
In order for your plants to look happy and healthy, most succulents need at least a 6 hours of direct sunlight, so find a place in your home that gets a whole lot of sun.
We found glass bulbs with strings attached, so we attached them to a curtain rod. An appealing look for us, and a happy, sunny environment for them!
Win, win!
Don’t forget to water succulents twice a week during hot months, and cut down to once a week when it gets cooler. The less humid your home, the more you should water.
Determine how much moisture your plants will need by waiting until the soil is completely dry before watering again.
And last, but certainly not least, have fun finishing your new terrarium with our tutorial!