In the final week of my learning project I finally have put my work and knowledge all together to make my terrarium. First I grabbed a clear jug I have used from an old homemade brew. While I rinsed out the jug and let it air dry I had started to get my materials ready. Next I got my drainage rocks, charcoal, and soil. I put them in the bottle in layers, first I laid down rocks about an inch thick, then I laid down an inch of charcoal, finally I laid down about two inches to three inches of soil. After that I sprayed the bottle to moisten the soil for prepping the plant to be safely placed inside of the terrarium. Finally I used long skewers to poke holes into the soil to plant the plant into the dirt. I placed the pathos plant into the soil, placing it how I want it to grow. After placing the plant in the glass jar I spritz the bottle to start the humidity process of getting the environment consistently moistened. 

Building the terrarium took longer than I thought it would. It took me an hour just to put the soils together in layers. I found it was hard to keep the layers separate from one another while putting the layers in. I had to dump out the layers a couple times as they kept combining. The hardest part was trying not to tip it to the side while doing the layers. The funnel I used at the start was clogging and nothing was working to keep it going at a good pace. Once I used a piece of paper as a bigger area to funnel the soil in it was working a lot better and I could keep it straight up and down.

Putting the plant in with long skewers worked really well. It was easy as it was used like really long sticks to place the plant cutting in gently. It was really fun and enjoyable to put it all together. Making a terrarium has been an activity I have always wanted to do. I had never known how to put it all together to make a successful terrarium. I had also never known how to propagate and that was what was really holding me back. I could not use a plant from a store as it needs to be a little plant to use with healthy and strong roots. Building terrariums will definitely be a new hobby I will be sticking with!

Aquatic terrariums are a hobby I have been fascinated with for years. I enjoy real plants in aquariums. This is a way to keep nitrates and ammonia levels down. The water oxygen in stable conditions for the fish to strive off of. Stable water conditions are important for the fish and plants for survival. Plants are a great natural filter for any bad enzymes in the water. Plants in aquariums create a healthy and safe environment for the fish.

The first step is to figure out if your fish is a freshwater fish or a saltwater fish. Setting up the rocks, and sand is the first step and then adding the water and water primer is the second step, adding decorations like hiding spots is important for fish to hide when they feel vulnerable. Adding different types of aquatic plants is best for a diverse and healthy environment. It is important to cycle the tank before fish are added to the tank. The art of an aquatic terrarium is fascinating and a hobby that makes the area the tank sits on colorful. 

Fish need a healthy diet, and they strive better when it is a tank with real plants for the water and air to breathe and filter through.  Creating a healthy environment for the fish is a great way to keep the fish alive and well. Even if fish are not something you are interested in an aquarium filled with plants can also just be something pretty to look at. Aquariums with plants needs quite a bit of light unless the plants say otherwise or if they are a sturdy plant that does not need many sources to live it can just be in natural lighting.

 

 

https://www.liveaquaria.com/article/101/?aid=101

 

A terrarium is its own ecosystem that takes care of itself. Terrariums grow and change at their own pace. Terrariums can be sealed or unsealed containers that hold an ecosystem of its own. Terrariums are living art, it is a way for people to create art with real living items that can grow and show changes. When a terrarium is built it is man made. The terrarium settles over time and it grows and can move the objects inside settling where the ecosystem wants it. 

Terrariums do not have to be something we only look at. Building terrariums can also be used in environments for, Lizards, Spiders, Snakes, fish and other bugs or other reptiles. Environments for the reptiles and bugs are important for them to breathe healthy air, they are able to bury themselves into the sand and dirt. While the pet is living in its habitat, giving the terrarium the appropriate care just like the pet is very important to keep the environment happy and healthy. 

Terrariums are a great learning experience and a way to experiment on how to keep the terrarium up and living. Terrariums are great to monitor while on the other side of the glass, watching the humidity levels, and monitor how the plants are doing. Root rot can be a big factor when it comes down to humid environments. It is very important to make sure you do not spritz it too often to the point it rots. 

What is a Terrarium?

In this week’s learning post I have been observing my propagation cuttings, I now have roots that are developing! I have finally propagated cuttings successfully. I have been trying for years but I never knew where the nodes were on the plants I have been cutting, causing the cuttings to rot and not grow. I have now started buying the supplies I will need to put the terrarium together. I have bought dirt, and drainage rocks. I am still deciding what shape of glassware I want to use. I have been thinking about a closed container like a bottle or if I want a container with a wide opening to make the terrarium easier to make.  I have really been enjoying this learning project. I feel so proud now that I have propagated successfully! 

I have found some of my supplies to build my terrarium! I have found the dirt and rocks. I still need to buy active charcoal. That is the last thing on the list! I have bought my glass container. It is a clear cookie jar, I bought it so I can focus on how to really dig and apply all the techniques I have learnt. It is very important for the roots to be fully covered by the dirt. Using chopsticks, or skewers and tweezers to get into the dirt with the roots without breaking off any of the healthy new roots. If the roots get to disturbed the cutting may die due to the trauma it encounters from the broken root. If this were to happen the cutting could be useless to this project and I will have to try a different cutting.

Essential Terrarium Supplies for DIY Projects (+ Examples)

In this week’s learning post I have looked at new sites that are giving me ideas on what type of terrariums I might want to use and how to give the terrarium character and uniqueness in the room to make it stand out. It gives pros and cons with the different types and shapes of the terrariums and the pros and cons of what plants are the best to use in the closed terrarium. Terrariums are used for many different usages, such as terrariums being extremely low maintenance making these easy care plants for different locations in your house or work space, these types of plants are extremely good for air purification plants absorb carbon monoxide and then releases oxygen in the air in the environment,plants are good for personalised decor plants can be away to express oneself by decorating their house or work space to fit their personality and needs for calmness, and therapeutic benefits as plants can be a way to release stress by the purified oxygen.

The benefits of plants are tremendous for humans, the environment and animals. We rely on plants to filter our air and keep it healthy for us to inhale and breathe. Many plants are beneficial for everything living in our environment. Having house plants help mental health, and overall health of people who have house plants. Many plants are easy to care for and do not take much attention to keep living and healthy. Plants are good for all types of workplaces and different types of homes. Many house plants are non toxic for cats and dogs. As we want to enjoy plants we also want to make it as least stressful for our furry friends. In case a plant may be ingested by any point it is fully 100% safe for animals if they decide to be trouble.

https://www.thespruce.com/gallery-of-terrarium-pictures-4121856

In week four of the learning project I had begun to look up plants that would thrive in a humid environment that would excel in this wet environment.  Common plants such as succulents, peperomia, moss, pathos, prayer plants, and air plants. These plants thrive in damp ecosystems, these plants should be no larger than 3” each. Using these plants will be beneficial to the terrarium keeping a healthy and happy environment for the plants. While creating the terrarium three plants are recommended at a time for space for the plants to grow. Certain other plants can be used for a terrarium if there is no lid for the terrarium for a dry ecosystem for the plants health as they need a dryer environment. 

Many plants thrive in wet and damp environments. Tropical work very well as they are used to humidity in the rain forest. Tropical plants have stiff and strong roots as these plants need to so they do not develop root rot in wet environments. Tropical plants need humid environments to thrive as their leaves are used to the humid environments. In our houses tropical should be misted twice a day to keep the health of leaves at their very best. Once the tropical is in a terrarium it holds the moisture like if it were to be in the rain forest. 

Using proper plants gives the terrarium a better chance to thrive. If using the wrong plant the leaves will end up rotting and not surviving due to the rot of the plant and its trauma it will not come back. Using proper dirt for drainage is important as it is the power and energy for the root of the plants. 

https://www.gardenersworld.com/house-plants/best-terrarium-plants/

In week three of the learning post project I discovered a new app called “DIY Mini Succulent Terrarium”. This app was a way to create an idea of what I might want my terrarium to look like when I go to build my terrarium. This is a way I can look at different styles of glass containers for my terrarium when it comes time to assemble it. This app also helps me know what plants I can use in the terrarium for an aesthetic look. For my terrarium I am using plant cuttings that I have propagated as well as other plants that I have not propagated. This app helps create an aesthetic look when it comes to details. Using driftwood, fairy garden objects, such as fairies, mushrooms, fairy houses, lady bugs, bees, rocks, and wildlife animals. Adding detail to the terrarium helps make it look like a tiny ecosystem or a fairy garden aesthetic.

Terrariums can be a cute way to tie in an aesthetic look to tie a house together. Terrariums can have colour coordination by using colorful sand and different colours of plants. Terrariums can go with any type of house aesthetic. Terrariums do really well with an ethereal aesthetic with a fairy garden look. Using moss and fairy like objects to tie it all together in the terrarium to make it an official look. Using terrariums to lighten up spaces in houses that may feel overwhelming or too dark. Terrariums need a light source to stay happy but not direct light. Plant lights or a south facing window work great for terrariums to stay healthy and consistent to thrive in it’s self growing environment. 

Creating your own fairy garden decorations can make it a personal touch using personal names on signs or family logos and nicknames. Attaching a personal touch can make wonderful gifts or decorations in your own home. They can also be memorial pieces for family and friends that have passed on. It can be a way to keep their spirits alive through the energy in the environment as it thrives to be happy. Terrariums can be a great way for people to express themselves. 

 

https://terrariumtribe.com/fairy-garden-terrarium/

For my second week of the learning project I have started to look at what types of terrariums I want to create! There are many sources to use to gain ideas from terrariums that can be many different shapes and sizes. Terrariums can be big and fun shapes or they can be small and simple shapes. I really enjoy terrariums that are in glass bottles with cork lids. While creating a terrarium it is very important to let the plants still breathe in oxygen with a loose lid to keep the humidity inside the glass bottle or jar. 

 For a healthy terrarium I need to know what materials I will need for this project. I will need a glass container of my choice, I will need draining stones for any extra water my terrarium does not need, I will need activated charcoal for filtering the water, preventing mold, and absorbing toxins. It all helps clean the ecosystem for maintaining a healthy environment. Any driftwood or decorative wood, Potting soil and a propagation cutting I have successfully rooted or any moss. Using tweezers to help place the cutting or moss in the glass container. Misting the terrarium once a week keeps the ecosystem moist and healthy. Using a plant light also is a very important step to keep the ecosystem alive and healthy. 

Terrariums are an easy way to keep a little ecosystem alive without having to have a watering schedule. Terrariums can usually go a couple months without any spritzing from a humidifier. I love watching terrariums thrive in the humid environment I have created. Even when terrariums are looking unhealthy they typically just bounce back once it gets the right level of humidity and attacks whatever toxins are trapped inside the bottle causing it to be unhealthy. Terrariums have no plant inside due to it dying then months later bounce back. Terrariums are great first plants for someone who is scared of killing plants as it is a plant that has a mind and ecosystem of its own!

 

https://www.ambius.com/resources/plant-care/ultimate-guides/terrariums#supplies-you-need