Terrarium Lyfe

Terrariums? Terraniums? I dont even know. I just know I was gifted this cool glass vase over a year ago and am finally doing something with it. So here’s to tackling that to-do list!Terrarium /təˈrerēəm/ noun: A glass thing filled with plants and soil and other cute shit. (Ex: Terrariums are one of the hottest decor items these days, and I'm totally here for it).In order to create your own terrarium, find a place for it to live. When deciding this, consider the amount of light your plants will need. I’ll go with the bottom shelf of our TV console, which gets the perfect amount of low light. Not to mention it can cover up those ugly wires!I actually purchased a literal terrarium kit from amazon. And yes, amazon delivers LIVE plants! (How cool is that? Living in an urban jungle is more accessible now than ever). You can of course purchase the items separately, especially if you have a certain vision. Feel free to get creative with it - sea glass, air plants, painted rocks, figurines colored moss, etc. There are NO limits to what you can put in your terrarium!My kit contained:

Sheet moss
River rocks
Charcoal (carbonized)
Potting soil (with peat moss)
4 live mini plants (make sure they vary in height & shape to create a nice composition)
Glass vessel

Step 1:Add the rocks to the bottom of your pot in a single layer. These act as water drainage. Note: Make sure you have enough for the size of your pot - my pot was huge and I didn't have enough rocks to cover the bottom, so I had to run to my local gardening store to get more. You'll also need more rocks later for the last step.Step 2:Add a thin layer of activated charcoal. This keeps water fresh and fights off bacteria.Step 3: Realize you're making a huge fucking mess in your apartment and move everything outside.Step 4:Add a layer of potting soil. Make sure you have enough so that it's deep enough for your plants. 2-3" should be fine.Step 5:PLAN! Arrange your plants BEFORE you put them in your pot. Plan out your arrangement so that it works spatially within the vessel. Pay attention to placement, space, height, and color. My plants fortunately had varying heights and shapes, so it was easy to make a nice composition. I put the tall skinny one in the back so that it wouldn't block the other plants. Then I put the smallest one in front, with the other 2 on each side.Step 6:Add the plants! Remove them from their containers, make a hole in the soil large enough to fit each one, and nestle them in.Step 7:Add the rest of your rocks, and whatever you may have to complete the look. I realized I didn't love the color of the moss, so I just placed small bits of it sporadically.Once I was finished, I put my new creation on the console, and I must say I'm really happy with how it turned out! And I think it covered up that outlet pretty well.I absolutely adore my new lil' terrarium, and I love the way it looks in my apartment. And once again, creating things yourself is much more fulfilling than buying them. Oh, and don't forget to keep your soil moist.Abby

Things don't go as planned. That is the plan.

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