“Jar”spiration: The Miniature Marvel of Terrariums

Gardeners can get really impatient this time of year. Your garden is sleeping peacefully, but you are not. If you have the indoor space and are able to start seedlings, your inner gardener can be somewhat assuaged. The rest of us read about gardens and overwater our indoor plants.

This winter, I got inspired by a really cool looking jar and I decided that a terrarium would be the perfect activity for a cold winter day. It turned out that I was right!

My miniature marvel has inspired me and I am already planning terrarium gifts for a multitude of occasions in the coming year. I’ve been visiting second hand stores for jars and reading up on suitable plants for terrariums.

Creating your own terrarium is a relatively easy task and it’s a great activity for all ages. Here are the basic steps for making a terrarium...

• Start with a clear glass jar that is big enough to hold the layers of planting material and the plants. If you are making a closed terrarium, your jar will need a lid. A wide mouthed jar makes planting easier. 
• Place a layer of washed 1/4” decorative stone in the bottom of the jar. Marbles, beach glass or aquarium gravel will also work. 
• Then, lay down a thin layer of washed activated charcoal followed by a thin layer of sphagnum moss. The charcoal layer will help to filter the air in the closed environment and the moss will help to prevent the soil from settling down into the stones. Use gloves when handling the sphagnum moss.
• Next, add two to three inches of soil, depending on the size of your jar. Use potting soil that is for indoor plants. If you are planting African violets, use African violet potting soil.
• Place your plants in the terrarium and firmly press the soil around them. 
• Add small decorations or accents, if you wish. 
• Water lightly and cover with the lid. 

A closed terrarium only needs to be watered every few weeks/months. An open terrarium will need watering more frequently. If the soil gets dry, water sparingly. Keep your terrarium out of direct sunlight or it will become a solarium and you’ll bake your plants. Condensation is a necessary part of the water cycle that occurs inside your closed terrarium. If a lot of condensation forms on the inside of the glass, you have over watered and you will need to tip the lid for a day or two to let the excess water evaporate. Remove dead or damaged leaves from your terrarium.

There are lots of options when it comes to choosing plants for your terrarium. African violets, begonias, peperomias and ferns are great choices, but many other types of house plants can also be used in terrariums. Succulents and cacti should only be used in open terrariums.

The Spruce has a great page in their container gardening section called “Getting Started With Terrariums”. It is an excellent resource with lots of ideas and suggestions.

If you get inspired and want to try something different, you may want to have a look at Tovah Martin’s book, The New Terrarium: Creating Beautiful Displays for Plants and Nature. It’s filled with amazing photos, great ideas and lots of excellent information about creating and caring for terrariums.

Making a terrarium is not only a great activity for a cold winter day, your finished miniature marvel is also good for your health. All of the traditional benefits of having plants in your living or work space can also be attributed to your terrarium...stress reduction, improving mental focus and lowering blood pressure. If you're looking for a winter pick-me-up, a terrarium might be just what the doctor ordered. How could enjoying nature inside not be good for you?

It also turns out that terrariums are trendy. Yes, indeed, they are back in a big way and these are not your '70s terrariums. It seems that I'm not the only one who's experienced "Jar"spiration. Terrarium parties and Terrarium Nites are very popular. From millennials to baby boomers and beyond, terrariums are providing an opportunity to be creative with new and interesting materials in new and interesting ways.

You don't, however, have to be on trend to make or enjoy a terrarium. Check your basement, under the kitchen sink or in the back of your closets and cupboards. You've probably got a glass jar somewhere in your home that would make a great terrarium. Get it out and get busy. It's time for you to experience "Jar"spiration and the miniature marvel of your very own terrarium.


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