DIY mini terrariums. How to make a terrarium step by step algorithm DIY home terrarium for plants

Despite the fact that the melon is a "purebred southerner", summer residents grow it not only in the south. And all because this culture is exceptionally tasty and very healthy. Yes, and varieties "for the market" are not always distinguished by high palatability, not like the fruits from your garden or greenhouse. True, the melon has its own "secrets", but they are not particularly difficult. Therefore, if you have not yet grown a melon on your hundred square meters, you must definitely try it, at least once!

Salad "Red Sea" with squid, crab sticks and red caviar is a light and healthy snack that is suitable for a pescatarian menu, it can also be cooked in fast days when fish and seafood are allowed on the menu. The salad is simply extremely tasty and it is prepared easily. Buy frozen squids. I do not advise you to cook a dish with giant squid fillet, although it looks appetizing and tempting, it has a sharp ammonia flavor that is difficult to get rid of.

From ordinary fruit trees columnar are distinguished by a compact crown, low height, and the absence of lateral branching. With a slight habitus, these miracle trees are distinguished by their ability to form large crops of large, tasty and beautiful fruits. On 1-2 acres, up to 20-25 columnar trees can be placed - varieties of apple trees, pears, plums, peaches, cherries, apricots and other crops of different maturity. Our article will tell about the features of creating a columnar garden.

August can be a little sad - autumn, followed by a long winter, is already on the threshold. But the flower beds are still full of multicolor, and their colors create an atmosphere of warmth and joy. The rich palette of August flower beds mainly consists of yellows, oranges, and crimson tones. And it seems as if the garden has become warmer and the color of the sun has increased. What flowers should definitely be planted in flower beds so that they brighten up the inevitable departure of summer with flowering?

Peach jam with bananas is fragrant, thick, healthy and, most importantly, it has half as much sugar as ordinary jam. This is a quick jam with pectin, and pectin powder is known to reduce the sugar content in jam, or even make it without sugar. Sugar-free jams are fashionable sweets nowadays, they are very popular among supporters healthy lifestyle life. Peaches for harvesting can be of any degree of maturity, bananas too.

Coriander is one of the most popular spices in the world, and its greens are called cilantro or cilantro. Interestingly, cilantro leaves no one indifferent. Some people adore it and are happy to use it in any salads and sandwiches, and they love Borodino bread for the special flavor of coriander seeds. Others, referring to the smell that evokes associations with forest bugs, hate coriander and flatly refuse to approach bunches of cilantro even in the market, let alone plant it in their garden.

Saintpaulias are making a comeback and redefining the cute blooming violets that love to live on any windowsill. Trends in the "market" for uzambara violets indicate a rapid increase in interest in plants with unusual leaves. More and more admiring glances are attracted not by unusual colors of flowers, but by exotic variegated colors of leaves. Variegated saintpaulias are almost no different in cultivation from all the others.

Sweet and sour pickled cherry tomatoes with red onion and basil marinated with balsamic vinegar and mustard. Such pickled vegetables will decorate any festive table They are very tasty and fragrant. Marinade filling is a completely different story: it turns out a delicious brine, the only drawback of which is a small amount of. Onions choose sweet, red. Cherry - strong, slightly unripe, the smallest. Fresh basil is suitable for both green and purple.

My first acquaintance with hydrogel took place a very long time ago. Back in the nineties, my husband brought funny multi-colored balls from Japan, which greatly increased in size if they were filled with water. They were supposed to put bouquets or use them in some other decorative purposes. Of course, at first it was funny, but then I played enough and abandoned them, I don’t even remember where they went. But I recently returned to the use of hydrogel. I will share my experience in this article.

Watermelon and summer are inseparable concepts. However, not in every area you will find melons. And all because it African plant takes up a lot of space, is quite demanding on both heat and the sun, and also on competent watering. But still, watermelon is so loved that today not only southerners, but much more northern summer residents have learned to grow it. It turns out that this capricious plant you can find an approach, and if you want, then get a decent harvest.

You can cook red gooseberry jam in 10 minutes. However, it should be borne in mind that this is the time required for cooking jam without preparing berries. It takes a lot of time to harvest and prepare berries for processing. Cruel thorns discourage any desire to harvest, but you still have to cut off your noses and tails. But the result is worth it, the jam turns out to be excellent, one of the most fragrant, in my opinion, and the taste is such that it is impossible to tear yourself away from the jar.

Monsters, anthuriums, caladiums, dieffenbachia ... Representatives of the Aroid family are considered one of the most popular categories indoor plants. And not the last factor of their wide distribution is diversity. Aroid presented aquatic plants, epiphytes, semi-epiphytes, tuberous and lianas. But despite such a diversity, because of which it is sometimes difficult to guess the relationship of plants, aroids are very similar to each other and require the same care.

Salad "Donskoy" for the winter - a savory snack from fresh vegetables in sweet and sour marinade olive oil and balsamic vinegar. AT original recipe regular or apple cider vinegar, but with a combination of wine vinegar and light Balsamico, it turns out much tastier. Salad can be prepared without sterilization - bring the vegetables to a boil, put them in sterile jars and wrap them warmly. You can also pasteurize blanks at a temperature of 85 degrees, then cool quickly.

The main collected mushrooms: porcini, boletus, boletus, chanterelles, boletus, mossiness mushrooms, russula, milk mushrooms, volnushki, saffron mushrooms, honey mushrooms. Other mushrooms are collected depending on the region. And their name (other mushrooms) is legion. As well as mushroom pickers, which are becoming more and more every year. Therefore, there may not be enough for all known mushrooms. And I know for sure that among the little-known come across very worthy representatives. About little-known, but tasty and useful mushrooms I will tell you in this article.

The word "ampel" comes from the German word "ampel", meaning a hanging container for flowers. Fashion for hanging flower beds came to us from Europe. And today it is very difficult to imagine a garden where at least one hanging basket was not found. In response to the growing popularity of container floriculture, a large number of ampelous plants, whose shoots easily fall outside the pots. Let's talk about those that are valued for their beautiful flowers.

If you want to have something plant-living at home, but you don’t have enough strength or conditions to keep flowers, you can try unpretentious terrariums. A terrarium is not necessarily a glass box inhabited by snakes and frogs. In this case, it is any glass vessel, the more interesting the shape, the better, filled beautiful materials. Plants play the main role: mainly succulents and moss.

Choosing a capacity

There is only one rule for a container: one must be transparent. Preferably glass, but plastic will work too. The container can be either with a hole or hermetically sealed, it will depend on which plants can be placed inside and whether the composition needs to be moistened.

In any case, a non-standard vision in choosing a container is welcome. You can take not just a jar or a vase, but a bowl unusual shape, light bulb or Christmas ball.

Terrariums in glass teapots look charming.

Terrariums - interesting way use of magnetic containers from IKEA. In this case, the lid will need to be replaced with a film half covering the front of the container.

Collecting everything you need

What materials will be needed to create a terrarium?

• gravel
• fertile soil, soil
• charcoal
• pebbles
• plants
• decorations (stones, figurines, other interesting elements)

It is worth dwelling on plants in more detail. Since we are considering "mini" terrariums, the plants do not have to be tall. Another important point is unpretentiousness.

Moisture-loving plants are suitable for a closed terrarium, the best choice there will be various types of moss and fern. Like the conditions and plants of the bromeliad family from the rainforests. Soleirolia, which is called baby's tears (English baby's tears), is another option.

For an open terrarium, the variability increases. Size and variety appearance succulents and cacti are in the lead, especially since they are unpretentious. Some types of plants absorb moisture from the air, they do not require watering - only spraying. For a terrarium, this will be the most convenient option.

Filling the terrarium

In the smallest terrariums, only gravel or only soil can be used as a base, but we will consider the classic and most effective option. Moreover, the materials laid out in layers look beautiful.

Fill the terrarium in the following order:

• 2-3 centimeters of gravel,
• 1.5 centimeters of coal (it will purify water),
• a layer of sphagnum moss so that the soil does not sag (you can skip it, or you can put this layer under the gravel),
• about five centimeters of soil.
• plants

Change the amount of materials in this proportion for smaller or larger terrariums.

The areas of soil remaining open after planting can be covered with moss. Add models, figurines and other decorative elements to the terrarium according to the idea, if any.

In closed terrariums, water is poured during filling and does not evaporate due to tightness. Such terrariums do not need to be looked after at all. The main thing is to choose the volume of the container with a sufficient amount of air, otherwise it is better to periodically open and "ventilate" them.

Open terrariums should be sprayed with water from a sprayer 2-3 times a week. Do not put the terrariums in direct sunlight, but at the same time, make sure that the plants have enough light.

Photo: betterhousekeeper.com, frugalmaterialist.com, ispydiy.com, ragstocouture.com, pinterest.com, gavethat.com

Terrariums do not require frequent watering, special care and take up little space. But the plants look great, it is interesting to watch them as they live their lives behind transparent glass.

For the first time, terrariums gained immense popularity in the Victorian era after Nathaniel Ward, a biologist and inventor, grew heat-loving and moisture-loving plants in closed glass containers that simply could not grow in an apartment or house under other conditions. The mass fashion for such home greenhouses came into our culture in the 70s of the last century, although the works of those times differed significantly from modern ones. These days, they have gained sharper lines and look more sophisticated. Many shapes, sizes, as well as the ability to close inner world containers with a lid are increasingly finding their admirers.

To create your own living miracle covered with glass, you need to prepare not so much.

To create a home terrarium you will need:

Transparent glass container;

Decorative or river stones;

Charcoal;

coffee filter or sphagnum moss;

Substrate for growing plants (soil for growing cacti is perfect);

Miniature plants and live moss.

When choosing a glass container, you should pay attention to the fact that the glass transmits light to the maximum. You can choose any form. Just keep in mind that the container must be at least 15 cm so that there is enough space in it for laying layers of drainage and soil.

Note: To keep the creative process simple (for beginners), get a container with a wide opening - bigger than your palm.

So, actually the process itself.

Making a terrarium with your own hands

Carefully make a 3-5 cm flooring of stones at the very bottom of the container. This is drainage.

Lay on top of a layer of stones thin layer coal. The charcoal here will serve as a filter to prevent the appearance of an unpleasant odor.

To prevent soil from getting into the gaps between the stones, you need to make a barrier. For this purpose, a filter for a coffee maker or sphagnum moss is a good fit. What type of filtration you will use in your glass plant house depends on your preferences, the size of the container itself and the availability of the listed materials. For example, if you are thinking about it, then most likely you will soon have coffee filters in your house, so there will be no need to buy sphagnum moss.

Note: Before choosing between moss and a coffee filter to install in a terrarium, keep in mind that moss takes up more space than a coffee filter. The coffee filter must be precisely cut to the size of the container. Moss also needs to cover the coal, laying it in a thin layer.

After the barrier is in place, add a layer of moistened soil 8-10 cm thick.

Note: Use a tube from a newspaper or magazine, through which you can accurately pour wet soil into the right place in the container, while not dirtying the glass once again.

Now the most interesting part master class - planting. Their choice depends on what type of container you have: closed or open. Before making a terrarium, consider the following factors. Closed glass containers are loved by those plants that need in large numbers moisture. Since such a container cannot be placed in the open sun, otherwise you will cook green soup, you are perfect shade-loving options. Among them, the following options are very popular among those who are fond of homework:

strawberry begonia;

Fern;

live moss;

Soleyroliya ("children's tears");

Arrowhead.

When buying plants, pay attention to the fact that there are no insects on them. If you find any bugs crawling, be sure to get rid of them before placing the plant in a glass container. If you need to treat the plants with some kind of agent, consult the seller about this.

The open version of the terrarium provides more possibilities, because you can put plants in it that tolerate both shade and direct sunlight, and also like both moisture and dry soil. Almost all miniature forms of houseplants will be able to exist in your tiny plant paradise. Below is a list of the most popular ones:

succulents;

Usambara violet;

Hypestes;

Hemigraphis;

Cryptanthus.

To plant your chosen plant, simply make a hole in the soil large enough to accommodate its roots. When planting plants in your terrarium, be careful not to let the leaves touch the glass as this will make it difficult for the plant to grow - when you see this, correct the plant with your hand. If the space of a glass container allows, you can plant not one plant, but several. In most cases, exactly one is planted, central plant that draws the most attention. But this decision is up to you.

Want to create a landscape effect? You can add a few crushed stones to the composition, resembling large cobblestones. Some, creating a terrarium with their own hands, use miniature figures of people, railway or buildings. In this case, whole mini-worlds are obtained.

Once you've finished creating the composition, you can sprinkle the soil with small pebbles or leave everything as it is.

plant care

In closed terrariums, a certain ecosystem is created, so plant care is a little more complicated here. If the plants look slightly wilted and the soil feels dry to the touch, watering is a must. A kitchen douche is perfect for this purpose.

As soon as you see that the water is running down the rocks at the bottom, stop watering. The most common cause that kills plants in a closed glass container is an overdose of water. Therefore, follow the rule: it is better to underfill than overfill.

Note: good signal high humidity in a closed vessel is the appearance of droplets of water or steam on the glass. If you notice this, open the lid for a while (several hours) until the condensation disappears.

Caring for an outdoor terrarium requires just as much effort as your other indoor plants. Keeping in mind that excess water does not flow out of a closed vessel, follow the same rule: less moisture is better than more.

Note: To know for sure whether a plant needs wet or dry soil, find out more about it from the seller in the store (when buying), in special journals or on the Internet.

Remember the watering rule: pour in small portions until you see water flowing over the stones of the lower layer.

These plant terrariums have become a great alternative to traditional flower pots. And if you want to have such a miracle at home or use it as a gift, do not be upset if the price for it in the store seems too high for you.

Today we will learn how to make a terrarium with our own hands. And as plants for the terrarium, we will use succulents.

• open glass sphere (available at pet stores, garden centers, or flower shops)
• glass or other large pebbles (found in garden centers or craft stores, packed in small nets);
• decorative soil (except for garden centers, it can be found in aquarium departments as a soil for aquariums);
• ready soil for succulents;
• any decorative elements to your taste (use if you are going to give a terrarium and decorations will be thematically related to the holiday);
• succulents for the terrarium: Echeveria (1), Portulacaria afra (2), Crassula Hobbit (3), Crassula Schmidt (4), Kalanchoe (5), thick-leaved stonecrop (6).

You can pick up other types of succulents, the main thing is that they are small size and varied in texture and color. One of the plants should be the "main" - in our case, it is echeveria, which will become the center of the composition.

2. The sequence of making a terrarium

We start with a drainage layer about 3 cm high, which we lay on the bottom of the glass sphere. Succulents do not tolerate stagnant water, so they simply need drainage.

In our case, we created it from colored glass pebbles. For these purposes, any small pebbles, expanded clay, etc. are suitable. We took colored glasses solely for aesthetic reasons.

Sprinkle the drainage layer ready ground for succulents 3-4 cm high. You can use a universal soil mixture, but in this case sand is added to it.

We transplant succulents into our terrarium. Try to pick up various plants. In garden centers, you can now find whole sets of succulents about 10 cm high. We will opt for them.

Now add a layer decorative soil. Often similar fine and medium gravel is used in the aquarium trade. It is found in a variety of colors and is sold either by weight or in various packages - from small to large.

Buy the smallest package, because we will not need very many of these pebbles. In our composition, they will serve as a decorative element and keep the lower layer of the earth from shifting.

To give the composition a complete look, we place some decorative element in the terrarium. It can be something contrasting, like this heart-shaped decoration. Maybe a beautiful stone or shell. If you are a nature lover, then decorative elements may not be added.

First of all - succulents do not need abundant and frequent watering. Water that has glassed down after watering should not rise above the level of the drainage layer. Keep in mind that there is no drain hole in the container, and stagnant water is detrimental to succulents.

You can read more about watering succulents in my article Watering Houseplants.

And second - do not place the terrarium in direct sunlight. In the glass sphere, the stems and roots of plants will quickly overheat. It is best to place it in a sunny room with shading from direct rays.

In general, such a terrarium requires minimal maintenance, so it can be recommended both as a gift and for growing by beginner growers.

4. Examples of terrariums with various plants

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In pet stores, as well as other specialized retail outlets, there is always a wide selection of terrariums. However, none of them can fully satisfy all the requirements of the future owner. Therefore, it is better for a reptile lover to build a pet room himself. How to make a terrarium with your own hands?

Material selection

The easiest way out is a house for reptiles from improvised materials. For example, from an outdated aquarium. If the aquarium holds water, it is quite suitable for an aquaterrarium. To create a corner of the swamp, a slightly leaky vessel is needed, and reptiles will feel comfortable even in a leaky dwelling.

If only the frame remains, glass can be inserted into it - this can be done with an ordinary sealant. The frame is also made of wood.: glasses in this case are inserted as in a simple window frame. For lizards, it is better to build shelving from metal corner and glaze them. In this case, the bottom must be made of tin, covered with plywood or board.

It would be useful to arrange boxes covered from above with a lid with a fine mesh. Finally, with your own hands, it is easy to make a box of tin and four glasses glued at the corners with special glue or liquid nails. Glass is cut to the size required for the owner with a conventional glass cutter. There is a special glue for aquariums; you will also need adhesive tape and ordinary tools.

Requirements and features of terrariums

1. Keep in mind that many amphibians need a very humid atmosphere. The room in which they are located must be covered with glass.
2. Other animals are more demanding on the influx fresh air- they should be covered with a net.
3. Lizards, adapted to moving along vertical planes, require keeping in a ventilated and tightly closed room.

You should be extremely careful when keeping snakes that are able to crawl out through the slightest gap. Snakes are designed in such a way that they can climb up vertical wall while standing, they can lift the lid, for example, of the basket where they are kept. Some snakes can even push back badly closed door. So cages for these reptiles must be tightly fitted in every detail, the doors are not skewed. On large snake cages, it is better to have several locks and hooks.

The dimensions of the terrarium are selected based on the size of their inhabitants..

1. For example, for monitor lizards and snakes of two meters in length, the dimensions of the room should be 150x100x60 cm. Animals must move freely.
2. AT recent times very small, do-it-yourself decorative terrariums have become widespread. For them, household items made of glass are used: glasses, teapots, jars.

Arrangement

Having made the main structure, you can begin to equip a new house for animals. Sand is usually used as the soil. It should be small, clean, without any debris and dust. If there is a stone trifle, it must be sifted, and large stones should be placed on the surface. Loose sand every 5 – 6 months to change. The newly laid sand should not differ from the previous one either in humidity or temperature.

Water is an indispensable element of the ecosystem, even for representatives of the desert fauna. It can be in a decorative reservoir made of glass, faience, plastic and other materials. The option with a natural reservoir in the corner is also convenient. For this, the structure must have a slight slope. Consideration must be given to the need various kinds wildlife in the water. For amphibians, its constant presence is mandatory.: the slightest interruption in moisture, dry air or soil leads to their death.

Reptiles only need water to drink. A container of water for lizards should be dug into the ground: vivo they look for moisture below. If the rim of the container protrudes above the surface, the reptiles may not find water. Separate types desert lizards do not drink from standing water. To water them, you need to spray plants and stones. Reptiles will lick water droplets.

For snakes, turtles and some amphibians, water is of paramount importance. From the secretions of these inhabitants and from the remnants of food, which they often take directly in the water, the latter loses its transparency. It acquires a brown hue and begins to emit a characteristic smell. This cannot be allowed.

In order for the water in the pool to remain fresh, you need to remove all organic matter from it. Special devices are not required for this. Cleaning can be done by hand. If size permits, it is advisable to run aquatic plants - duckweed, fern, hornwort. Warm, clean and clear water odorless should always be in animals. To make the pool convenient and effective is quite within the power of even a beginner.

Ecosystem features

The inhabitants of the terrarium are cold-blooded animals. Their body temperature is only 1-3 degrees higher than the temperature environment. To properly contain representatives of the herpetofauna, it is necessary to organize a suitable regime.

The easiest way is to put the structure at the south-facing window. If a sunny days little, need to arrange" artificial sun"in the form of a light bulb. Incandescent lamps, special ultraviolet lamps are suitable for lighting. A device with dimensions of 40x35x30 cm can well illuminate and heat a 40-watt lamp. If the value is larger, a ninety-six watt lamp is used; best with opaque glass.

The lamps are hung inside the terrarium, the wires need to be insulated. To do this, they are removed in special tubes. The height of the lamp above the ground may vary, but the average value should reach 15-20 cm. It is best to use flexible insulation: in this case, the height can be changed by hand as needed. Strongly heated lamps should be covered with a grid. They need to be placed in the corner where there is no reservoir.

AT small corners for amphibians, lamps should not be hung inside, as they will quickly dry out the air and kill the amphibians. In this case, the light should be behind the glass and obscured by a reflector so that the heat flow goes down. Without "upper" light, animals can get beriberi and get sick.

The temperature of the ecosystem should be even, without drops. Its value must be kept in the range from 20 to 27 degrees. If the temperature becomes lower or higher, the animals will be susceptible to disease. In this case, it is better to arrange a system with automatic switching off of the light with photocells.

If you made a terrarium with your own hands, the functionality of such a room will be much higher than a standard, made-to-measure product.