Want to build your own ecosystem? Well, here is a simple and easy technique. Make a terrarium in just few steps!
A terrarium is basically a miniature world!!! In here you can grow whatever plants you like and you can choose to have animals too and call yourself the creator of a whole new world! It is a great way to contribute to nature and help maintain its diversity. It brings immense happiness and encourages others to protect nature.
A terrarium can be made in minutes with minimal requirements. And the best part is, it requires minimum maintenance and care. It functions on its own and requires absolutely no attention from you.
Things you will need:
To make a basic terrarium, all you need is:
- A container
- Soil
- Stones
- Water
- Plants of your choice
- Moss
- A place to put it in
Yes, it is that simple!
Pick up a clean and fresh glass container and you are ready to go. It can be of any size and shape you like. Feel free to make your choices and change about this guideline. Remember you create and you care! To make yourself a basic terrarium which requires absolutely no maintenance what so ever, just put in a layer of rocks, cover it up with some soil and then plant in your seeds or already grown plants. Just put in some water and seal it up forever. It will sustain by itself even if you never care to glance at it. That is the magic of nature.
Principle:
The terrarium is a world of its own. When sealed, it can sustain as an individual world. This is because it consists of all the five elements of nature- water, earth, air, space and light. It acts like a green house and builds up its own climate. The water accumulates in the container and falls off, almost as if it would rain in that little planet. A complete water cycle is formed inside there and it keeps everything thriving. As leaves of the plants grow and then die, they fall off. This provides nutrition and necessary gases like carbon dioxide. So it has its own seasons, its own temperature, its own nights and its own days.
Just like the earth atmosphere absorbs sunlight and traps it in, the glass container lets the light enter in , the plants use it to photosynthesise and the soil traps in the warmth.
What plants can one use?
Frankly speaking, any plant will do the job. But if you want to customise it and you wish to put in some work then there a wide variety of options that you can choose from. Plants that can tolerate and survive in humidity and low light conditions are most favourable.
Succulents- these are most commonly used as they require minimal watering. Just as the name suggests, they have a very succulent look. These come in different sizes and shapes and can provide great aesthetic values to your terrarium.
Ferns- they provide a dense and fuller look to your terrarium and are available at affordable prices. They like a moist climate so terrariums suite them very well. They will make your container look like a really dense rain forest!
Moon valley- this is also called the friendship plant. This suits a terrarium container best, as they are usually not more than 12 inches tall! They have a great texture and provide a neat and clean feel to your containers. They might even flower sometimes. These flowers are extraordinarily pretty pink. They require minimal light so they can be put into nooks and corners of the house.
Baby tears- These are sometimes also called angel tears, as their leaves are like tiny tear shaped spikes. They grow abundantly, this is advantageous as growth is made easy and they make tightly filled terrariums.
Miniature or dwarf trees- These are beautiful additions to your personal terrarium. They give a more nature like feel and they look too cute to exist. Try plants like creeping figs that require less maintenance and grow very quickly.
Mix up your plants – try two to as many as you want. They look amazing and can complement each other. To do this, be wise in choosing what plant can go with which, sometimes this can prove to be a destructive idea. Mixing up a fern and a cactus will not be very favourable as one of them might not survive when toghether.
There are lots of plants to choose from and deeply researching, before you decide what you want can be highly beneficial.
If you want to make a good and well maintained terrarium then here a few additional tips that require just a conscious effort to make glorious terrariums:
– Try using a layer of activated charcoal. This will help filter water and prevent the growth of any unnecessary plants and fungi.
– Sterilised potting soil will provide great fertility and hygiene in your container. This is best if you wish to keep your terrarium clean and open. It will prevent foul smell.
– Use colourful and decorative rocks to make it look attractive.
– Place in little ceramic or glass items such as animals, toys, bridges, etc to customise it.
– If you are putting in cacti, then use sand instead of soil to add to looks and provide it the natural feel.
Terrariums are a great way to preserve a part of our nature, because nobody has seen the future. By making one you are helping nature, you are multiplying its existence! It is a great way to teach children and spread awareness about how an ecosystem functions. They make beautiful and carefully thought gifts for people. Make them in very small containers and tie them up into threads and strings to gift your friends and family a part of nature in the form of necklaces or bracelets. Make one today and feel what it is like to be a creator.
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