Terrariums are most of the time very low-upkeep and require far less maintenance than other plants. However, they do require occasional help to keep them thriving so take a look at the guide below which should help you avoid making mistakes.
Too little light
Like most plants in the world your Terrariums plants need light! It’s important to balance the light in your home in conjunction with the placement of your Terrarium too little light means they wont stay healthy and will stop growing. Our plant selection all need a light source, ideally a well lit room with indirect light.
To much light
The vast amount of plants suitable for a terrarium do not require intense sunlight, so if you place your terrarium in too much direct sunlight the glass can act as a magnifying glass and cook the plants within. This can also affect the temperature inside which can result in a rise of steam (similar to a sauna), in essence these are mini greenhouses so be careful to keep them near light but not direct.
Then how much light?
From personal experience find a spot that has good natural light but not direct sunbathing light in a room which can get as high as 20c this should be the perfect conditions for your terrarium to thrive!
Growing
First off! Congratulations if it’s overgrown then it’s doing well! However this probably means you can no longer see the figures within! You can purchase a terrarium pruning kit which will give you a selection of tools to maintain your plants (But an old pair of scissors will work just as well) Keep your plants trim and tidy by snipping off excessive leaves or prune the roots to keep them tiny.
RIP Plants
If you spot a plant that looks like it might be diseased then make sure to take it out as soon as possible, these plants can infect the other plants in the terrarium and can quite quickly ruin your garden. Do your best to gently remove the plant (You can use a teaspoon to do this) Be sure to replace the plant to continue your garden. If you’re not sure what plants to buy check out this article.
Over watering
The best way I’ve found to water your terrarium is to use a spray bottle, this saves you accidentally tipping more water than needed in. I water my terrariums every two weeks and enough to moisture the plants and the soil. If you accidentally throw a bucket of water over it then remove the glass lid and leave out to dry.
It’s getting hot in here!
Similar to direct sunlight, make sure you’re terrarium isn’t perched above a radiator, this can obviously dry it out far faster than wanted
Dirty Glass
Like all windows, over time they can get dirty, foggy or show sticky fingers, this can look gross but also if the dirt and fog build up it will affect the sunlight reaching your plants, be sure to carefully remove the lid and gently clean, try to avoid using any chemicals inside the glass as this could affect the plants health. I use an old tea towel and water.
Thank you for telling me this! My terrorium is coming and it was good to read this early! I’ll try my best for my terrorium with these ideas!