Tiny Terrarium: A How To

I've become a little bit of a plant hoarder over the last few years. It started with our very small back deck and the success we had one summer growing flowers, lettuce, and some herbs. Then I saw a cute fig plant in a silver pot when we were at Trader Joe's, and something about watering it every couple weeks and seeing it thrive made me so happy. 

Then, I read that plants help people with anxiety to feel a sense of calm. Now, not only do I have a porch full of darlings, but there is a fern in my office, a fiddle leaf fig and a pothos in our bedroom, a hanging grass plant in the hallway, the original fig is in our living room along with another pothos, some succulents, a snake plant, and a couple other lush looking ones for which I have no name. 

Recently, we put up a shelf in our living room (more on that later), and I added some ivy (RIP), a maiden hair fern, and this adorable succulent terrarium. I actually saw this container on Amazon when I was browsing pottery, ordered it, and then let it sit in my office for a couple months. 

Shelley & I went to Lowe's and I got the necessary supplies-- they have a great selection of the tiniest succulents I've ever seen, as well as the moss, soil, and pebbles needed. 

The heavenly lighting and rainbow over these succulents couldn't have turned out better if I tried. 

I loved my terrarium so much that I actually made one for my mum for Mother's Day, and since it's so easy I figured I'd share a little how to here in case you want to make one too. It's a great gift because it's simple but it adds a nice touch to a home/office space, and succulents only need to be watered every couple of weeks! My mum warned me she notoriously struggles with plants but the minimal effort of succulents is perfect for that. 

I love all the color options you get with succulents. 

1) The first step is to gather your supplies:

• a glass container (there are so many options on Amazon, Etsy, or any home store)
• moss 
• potting soil 
• some pebbles for draining (they come in a variety of colors-- I went with the white/blush package)
• succulents (you can use as many as you'd like, but I try to stick with the rule of three)
• a shovel (if desired-- I find using my hands to be very grounding)

2) Start by putting pebbles in the bottom of your container. I used a small handful and filled the bottom diamond of the container. 

3) Place moss over the top of the pebbles. These two combined will aid in drainage and keep your plants watered without oversaturating them. Succulents do not thrive well when watered too often. 

4) Add a couple inches of potting soil over the top of the moss layer. 

5) Use your fingers to create holes for your succulents. 

6) Remove the succulents from the plastic pots, loosening the packed soil and roots before placing in the terrarium container. 

7) Work from the back of the terrarium to the front, placing your succulents in there and being sure to give them enough room to thrive-- try not to overcrowd. 

8) Add in moss and pebbles on top of the soil to fit your aesthetic preference.

That's it! Super simple and it took me probably 5-10 minutes to make one. 

tiny terrarium treasures

The finished product

If you make one, I'd love to hear how it went! I might make another one to put in my office this fall-- one of my least favorite parts of work is the lack of nature, so the more greenery in there the better!