This is what we did on a HOT Monday morning…
MAKE TERRARIUMS!
I’ve been wanting to make one for the longest time, and I’m so happy we got around to creating these beauties. Big sis and I were saying how great these would be as house warming gifts or birthday presents. The big plus is that they are sooooo easy to make!
Materials:
- Cactus/Succulent Potting Soil
- Rocks – Purchased Mosser Lee Decorative Rocks which only allowed us to make two terrariums. I had to resort to some Pottery Barn rocks which I already had and some rocks from my backyard.
- Succulents
- Glass Container
- “itty bitty” figures for decorative purposes(as my niece would say). This is optional!
Close up of our succulents:
Ok, so here we go.
Pour a layer of rocks into the glass container. I had a cute lil helper handy too!
Break up the roots from the succulent pots . We think it looks better to have a variety of succulents in one container. Prettier.
Pour a layer of potting soil on top of your rocks. We also mixed in some of the soil from the pots.
Tip: Do not over do it with the soil. Once you arrange the succulents, you will need to pour more soil to keep the plants in place.
Scatter some more rocks on top of the soil. If you have moss, you can add that as well. I just purchased a small moss bag at Wal Mart for $2. I decided to add moss in the smaller terrarium.
Darn! I knew I should have bought another bag of the decorative rocks. I had to use some black rocks for this terrarium because I ran out.
Top View:
Top view of the bigger terrarium:
My niece was so nice enough to give me her plastic ducky because my daughter absolutely ADORES duckies!
Top view of big sis’ terrarium:
Easy, right? Did I mention they only need to be watered once a month. Another plus!
-lil sis
Edited to add big sis’ tips 
1. pour a bit of activated charcoal before the soil to prevent your terrarium from stinking! this step is completely optional and from what I’ve read, it really is only a necessity for closed terrariums
2. use your bare hands or a spoon to shovel the dirt in. Gloves…way too difficult!
3. if you get dirt on your succulents and start to panic (like me), just get a straw and blow the dirt away
Edited to add FAQ’s
Q: What kind of lighting do they require?
A: Terrariums require bright, indirect sunlight!
Q: How frequent do i need to water the plant.. how long will the plant live?
A: They only need to be watered 1x a month. Be careful not to water the actual plant but around it, if that makes sense. Sorry cant say how long they live…it all depends on the conditions of the plant, environment, so forth. Mine have lasted 6+ months.
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10 Responses to How to Make a Succulent Terrarium
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[...] how succulents got so popular over the years! Ever since big sis and I made those succulent terrariums, I’ve always kept an eye out on finding pretty vases or containers to make [...]
two questions: if you are planting these terrariums in glass containers with lids like in your photo, do you follow the directions and snap the lid shut with some charcoal in as well? Also, can you advise me on what to do if taking cuttings from existing succulents?
hi m! our glassware did not have lids. but from what i’ve read, you def want to add the charcoal for closed terrariums. in regards to taking cuttings: in my experience, succulents are very resilient. i have removed old stems and moved plants around after being in the same spot for months and they still survive. hope that helps. good luck!
Great work. The terrariums look good. Instead of charcoal, you can use sand/rock to help with the water and for any smell put peppermint in a spray bottle with water. Watering your plants with that will prevent over watering, make them smell better, and act as a natural insect repellent.
Thanks for the tips! Your terrariums are beautiful!
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This is so awesome. I totally need to try this. Where did you get your glass containers?
Thanks! They are so much fun to make! These are recycled glassware from a wedding but I’ve seen some at our local arts/craft store. Do you have a Michael’s or a Joann’s near you? You could also try a nearby flower mart. Hope that helps! -big sis
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