Closed Terrarium 101 – 7 Easy Steps to Build Your Glass Terrarium
I love succulents, cacti and air plants and this is the reason why I learned all about Closed Terrariums!
I own quite a collection of miniature succulents, and while I was researching and exploring options to build an Open Terrarium, I came across the Closed Terrarium concept, despite the fact it’s not suitable for succulents! It fascinated me right away, so I kept reading and researching about it.
There are several aspects of these Sealed Terrariums that intrigued me; the fact they are pretty much independent living systems, they can be built with different types of glass containers, (including Apothecary Jars, which I particularly like), and they can be assembled with very interesting tropical plants you probably wouldn’t buy just to display in a pot at home and creativity is required to come up with beautiful and tasteful compositions!
Before we get into the details of Closed Terrarium, I want to share the technical aspects of Closed Terrariums. They are a kind of beautiful home decor experiment for your home.
As the words describe it, Closed Terrarium, or Sealed Terrarium or Glass Terrarium or Plant Vivarium, is a sealable glass container for plants that can be periodically opened for watering, pruning and cleaning purposes. The glass wall(s) of the container allow heat and natural light to access the terrarium, creating very humid air and moist soil. The combination of heat and moisture, create the perfect conditions for a small water cycle! The moisture from the soil and the plants evaporates, creating condensation on the glass wall(s) of the container. This condensation falls back into the plants and soil, maintaining the plants always moist. This almost constant supply of water, prevents the plants from becoming dry.
In addition to the water cycle, the transparency of the the glass wall(s) allows the plants to photosynthesize, which is a critical process for the life of plants.
It is however recommended that you open and air your Glass Terrarium periodically for at least 20 minutes! The aeration and watering frequency depends on where you live and where you place your terrarium. It is recommended you place your terrarium in a bright spot without direct sunlight! In broad terms, you should water your Glass Terrarium when you notice the condensation is diminishing and when the soil feels dry. If you live in a dry climate, you should open your terrarium once or every two weeks. For more humid areas, once a month is recommended. You will learn to know your Closed Terrarium requirements with time…
There are different types of Closed Terrariums; they can be categorized by the type of plants used or by the type of container used.
Generally speaking, the most suitable plants for Sealed Terrariums are plants that love and thrive in humid environments, such as; orchids, ferns, mosses, ivies and air plants.
Some Closed Terrariums only contain air plants, others may exclusively focus on orchids and mosses, others may be a composition of tropical plants.
Here are some examples of different plants and compositions that can be used.
Photo Credit: Vivadecora
Photo Credit: Pottery Barn
Photo Credit: ArchZine
Photo Credit: Jalon Burton
Different types of glass containers with lids can be used to assemble a Sealed Terrarium. The choice of container makes a huge difference in the final look of your Closed Terrarium. Some containers, based on the shape and size can determine the type of plants you will be using.
For example, if you like tall glass containers you may want to use an orchid. The long stem will take advantage of the tall container shape.
I have categorized them here below to give you some ideas on how to assemble your Closed Terrarium.
bottle terrarium
Photo credit: Drink Milk in Glass Bottles
Photo Credit: Growing Spaces
Bottle Terrariums are quite fascinating as they connect to the concept of “message in a bottle”, “genie in in the bottle” or anything that is preserved in time as a treasured possession.
Among the many varieties of bottles available for re-use, carboy bottles seem to be the most common ones re-purposed as closed glass terrariums. Because of their large volume, different types of plants can be planted together to create an interesting and complex composition.
Even though Bottle Terrariums are very popular, I consider them the most complex to assemble as the access to the container is quite small, especially to insert plants and to be able to mix all the different layers of drainage, charcoal, soil and decorative rocks evenly, both underneath and around the plants.
apothecary jars terrarium
Photo Credit: Pink Serissa
Unfortunately, this item is no longer available but very similar items can be purchased by River Rocks Terrariums on Etsy
Apothecary Jars are probably the newest type of container used as Closed Glass Terrarium. The beauty of these jars used in the past to contain herbs and pharmaceuticals have inspired people to come up with alternative uses for them, and Closed Terrariums is one of them. If you want to learn more about different uses for Apothecary Jars, read my blog on 5 Ways to Decorate with Apothecary Jars.
Generally speaking, there are two type of Apothecary Jars; the simple amber bottle with a flat glass lid, (that can also be found in a transparent glass version), as shown in the picture above, and the more complex curvy shaped jars.
The first bottle shaped type is more complex to assemble into a Closed Terrarium as it presents the same access issues as the Bottle Terrarium type, while the second type is very easy to assemble as its opening is wide enough to allow for hands access to do the finicky work!
wardian case terrarium
Photo Credit: Pinterest
Photo Credit: Pinterest
The Wardian Case is the first type of Closed Terrarium, created by Dr. Edward Ward in England in 1829. Dr. Ward was inspired to build this enclosed glass container after an accidental discovery he made in his own lab. He accidentally left one of his experiments jars unattended for several months. Once he found it, he noticed that a fern spore had germinated into a plant. This was a revelation as it demonstrated that a sealed environment containing soil and plants creates its own water cycle. DR. Ward went on to assemble a glass case, (the Wardian Case) to replace the jar. This type of case was extensively used in the 19th century to transport botanical specimens to Europe from overseas.
These days, miniature versions have been created in different design styles to suit different type of interior environments within our homes. These cases have become quite popular home decor objects mostly used to assemble Closed Terrariums.
glass dome terrarium
Photo Credit: Gardenista
Photo Credit: HobNob Design
There are two types of Glass Dome, (or Glass Cloche), on the market; the ones with a deep base and the ones with a flat base.
There are three different ways to assemble a Glass Dome Terrarium;
1) The first picture above, shows Glass Dome Terrariums with a deep base, in which all the layers or drainage rock, charcoal, soil, plants and decorative rocks are placed within the deep base. You assemble this terrarium the same way you would assemble any other terrarium.
2) The second picture above shows a Glass Dome Terrarium in which all the layers of soil, moss and plants are sitting on top of a the container flat base and they are held together by the glass dome. There is a way to hold all the components together so that the composition stays in place when the glass dome is removed for maintenance purposes. This is definitely the hardest type of Glass Dome Terrarium to assemble.
3) The picture here below shows a potted plant placed under a Glass Dome. While this is the easiest way to build a Closed Terrarium, having a plant under a Glass Dome brings a beautiful decorative element to your home without having to fuss about all the right layers and the building of a typical terrarium. This is the shortcut people!!
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7 easy steps to build your closed terrarium
Now that I showed you the different types of Closed Terrariums, it’s time to learn how to build one by following the 7 easy steps here below.
1. gather all the required material
Before you even start assembling your Closed Terrarium you need to make sure you have all the required materials not only to build your terrarium, but also to make it practical and easy!
Here is what you need!
1) Select your Glass Container with a Lid. Your container is everything in this process as it determines the types of plants you’ll need for it, the location for it, and ultimately the finally look of it! For the purposes of this blog I am using an Apothecary Jar, since it has an easy way to place all the layers and plants in it! (Here’s a great option to start with!)
2) Select your plants! Remember to choose plants that thrive in humid environments, such as ferns, mosses, and orchids. For this Closed Terrarium I have used: Golden Clubmoss, Buddist Pine Podocarpus and Silver Inch Plant, (Tradescantia Zebrina). It’s nice when the different plants contrast in colours rather than being all of the same tones.
Selecting the right plants for is key for the success of your Closed Terrarium! Not all plants are suitable for Closed Terrarium.
Read my Blog on What Plants to Use in a Closed Terrarium to learn more!
3) Drainage Rocks. I like to use these recycled plastic ones!
4) Activated Charcoal to prevent the roots from rotting when excessive water is administered.
5) Soil. The ideal soil is for tropical plants if you are using plants that thrive in humid conditions.
6) Decorative rocks or shells or glass for the top layer once the plants have been planted.
7) Moss if you want to wrap some of the soil.
8) Terrarium tools to help you layer, plant and decorate your terrarium
9) A plastic tub to contain your plants and the dirt once you remove the plants from their original pot.
10) Handmade cork and long skewer tool to tamp down soil.
2. place drainage rocks
Start by placing a good layer of drainage rocks at the bottom of your container. You can choose two different types of drainage rocks to add some accent layering but it is not required. Refer to the picture to gauge the quantity.
As an optional step, I added a band of moss all around the glass walls to hide the charcoal and part of the soil I am going to put in the container in the next step. Charcoal is quite dirty and it may shows black dust on the glass walls so I just covered it with moss!
3. place activated charcoal
Your second layer, before you place the soil, is the activated charcoal. Don’t skip this layer as it is quite important to prevent roots rotting when there is too much moisture in the soil!
4. place your plants in the container
Remove your plants from their original pot, and, depending on the size of your plants, you may have to break your plants into a half or a third or even smaller part to make it fit into your container. Remember you should allow room for growth so don’t crowd your terrarium too much! You will have to shake off as much dirt around the roots as possible without compromising the integrity of the roots.
Place the plants, one by one, on top of the charcoal layer in your terrarium. Once you’ve placed the first one, add some soil all around it to stabilize it in the container, then do the same with all your remaining plants.
My most useful tool to tamp down the soil around the plants is the one I made myself after looking several tutorials; it’s a simple long toothpick or skewer with a cork at one extremity. The cork side tamps down the soil where my hands can’t reach and the toothpick side helps me lifting up the smallest and lowest leaves when adding soil! Give it a try!
5. add soil
Now that your plants are in the container, add enough soil to cover the remaining roots and gaps between the plants themselves and the plants and the glass walls. Make sure your soil layer is levelled on all sides by tamping it down with your hand made tool!
6. add decorative rocks
Once your plants are all in place and the soil has been distributed evenly, you can choose to add decorative rocks, glass or shells to create the top decorative layer of your Closed Terrarium!
7. water
Give your new Closed Terrarium a bit of water until you see water slowly draining down to your first layer of drainage rocks!
Now you just need to place the lid on top of your container and your Closed Terrarium is done!
Congratulations!
As always, I hope you found this blog inspiring and informative!
I would love to see your creations posted on My Tasteful Space Group on Facebook!
Don’t hesitate to leave a comment or a question here below and I will love to provide you with an answer!
Cheers!
Cecilia
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How much plant growth typically occurs in the jar? If I were to plant a tree would it create a bonsai if I were to prune it?
Hi Andrea!
I am so sorry it took me so long to get back to you…Somehow, I never got a notification for your message!
The growth that occurs inside a close terrarium really depends on the plants you use. Some grow really fast and some are slow. You need to do some research on the type of tree you want to plant in your terrarium. I had to pull some plants off the terrarium as they were growing too fast. Others are very slow and ideal for this type of terrarium.
What type of tree were you thinking?
There’s nothing sadder than seeing a terrarium full of succulents that’ll hang on for a few months and then rot away D:
My family are probably sick of getting plants as gifts (I have the somewhat misplaced belief that everyone wants q00+ plants like I do) but I think my 7 year old niece would love a terrarium. She’s doing a great job of keeping her cactus alive, and you’ve got to start them young!
You are right Caroline!
Start them young! You don’t have to make it a big deal or force it upon them. Just lead by example and they will naturally absorb the love for plants!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Thank you so much for all the useful information! I’m about to take a lamp base and turn it into a terrarium, and I didn’t know where to start. Now I have too many ideas. (I might need to make a few.) I was wondering what type of moss you used. It’s beautiful, and I think it would work well for my project.
Thank you for your nice words!
I used Club Moss. I need to worn you it doesn’t tolerate the humidity of a closed terrarium well. I ended up removing it from both my Terrariums. This type of moss works be in semi-closed terrariums; which are terrarium with small openings that help maintain the humidity but also aerate the terrarium much faster.
Good luck with your project! I can’t wait to see pictures!!
Can you tell me how much activated charcoal you used, thank you!
Hi Cassie!
Thank you for asking! I generally create a full layer that completely covers the bottom of the pot. Depending on the size of charcoal pieces, I’d say 3/4″, (2cm).
I hope this helps
can you use POWDERED activated charcoal?
Hello!
I have never used POWDERED activated charcoal. I believe the powdered activated charcoal has a different use, like skin care and it is also used as a digestive remedy. The activated charcoal used for terrariums is quite messy, as it leaves a black dust in your hands, so I can only assume that the powdered version is even messier and it might compromise the layering look of your terrarium, (if that is something you are even considering).
Hi, do you mind sharing where you purchased your aquarium and its overall height. Thx. Doris
Hi Doris!
Thank you for asking! I bought my glass jar at Home Sense and it’s 16 1/2″ (42.5 cm) tall.
I hope this answers your question.
Cheers,
Cecilia
I want to create a terrarium for my childcare center. I need to make sure all the plants are non toxic. Are their certain non toxic plants that will thrive better in a terrarium? Also, do I need a light for a closed terrarium? Please help, I’m new to this.
Hello Katie! Thank you for reaching out!
It’s so cool you are planning a terrarium for the kids! You can do so many fun things with cars and dinosaurs!
It’s a little hard to find non-toxic plants that are also ideal for closed terrariums…
Avoid succulents, even the non-toxic ones don’t do well in highly humid environments.
I can only think of 4 plants that can handle the humidity of closed terrariums and are non-toxic to humans at the same time:
– Mini Orchids
– Aluminum Plants
– Chinese Money Plant
– Wandering Jew
However, it is always recommend that neither kids, nor adults, or pets, ingest any parts, of any plants!
You don’t need a light for the terrarium. Make sure it is exposed to bright indirect light, but absolutely, NO DIRECT sunlight, as the glass walls of the terrarium act as magnifying glass, and they would burn the plants inside it!
I really hope this helps, and I am truly looking forward to see what you come up with!!
Cheers!
Hi Cecilia,
Your blog about terrarium plants really gave me inspiration. I wanted to do a DIY terrarium but I am worried that I would not do it right. Thank you for sharing
Hi Genevieve!
Thank you for your nice words! I am sure you’ll do a great job! Keep me posted!
Great information and photos. Thank you!
Hi, can anything glass cloche be used as a terrarium?
Hello Fiona, yes, I believe so. I haven’t seen your particular container but anything glass can work, as long as you have the right plants and you don’t place your terrarium under direct sunlight. I hope this helps.