How to Make a Terrarium in a Jar

As the weather warms up and the natural light pours in through your windows, now is the perfect time to build your own terrarium that takes advantage of all the sunlight that the spring season brings. Your terrarium can be as complex or as simple as you prefer. Building a terrarium can be a fun springtime activity that can be done either indoors or outside. It is a great activity for children and the entire family because it can be customized for any age and the result is a craft that everyone can be proud of. Our team at Perry Homes has some tips to get you started on how to make a terrarium in a jar.

Choosing Your Jar

When choosing your jar, you will want something sturdy with an opening large enough for easy access for routine maintenance. It is recommended that you use a glass jar so that light can pass through to your plants easily and so that mold and bacteria cannot infiltrate your jar easily. You will also enjoy being able to see your plants grow when it is in a clear glass container. A Mason jar is a popular example of a container used for terraria. It has a good size opening for planting and watering, and you can also keep the lid for when you want to safely transport your terrarium to a different location.

Selecting Your Plants

There are a variety of options when choosing which terrarium plants you would like to display. Small plants that you know will stay small or are already full-grown are the best option for your terrarium. Moss terrariums are becoming popular because of how simple they are to care for and how much green they can bring to a room. Moss only needs to be watered once a week and does better in indirect sunlight. Small ferns are also often found in terrariums due to their size. While ferns require regular waterings and evenly moist soil, they do well in the shade and do not need large amounts of sunlight.

How to Care For Your Terrarium

Once you have your plants and jar selected, you need to figure out how to maintain your terrarium so that it can thrive and last for a long time. You will need potting soil, activated charcoal and a spray bottle. Your potting soil may vary depending on the types of plants you have chosen. The soil that comes with your plant when you buy it at a garden store should work just fine. Before adding your soil, lay down a thin layer of activated charcoal (about 1-2 inches). This layer will act as a “drainage” layer for excess water. When watering your plants, using a spray bottle to water your terrarium will allow for even distribution of water within the soil. Remember that you are watering the soil, not the plants themselves. You will want to leave the foliage untouched.

Displaying Your Terrarium

Lastly, depending on the type of plants you choose, your terrarium can be kept near a window or in indirect sunlight. You can choose to leave your terrarium on your porch outside or indoors. Often times, a terrarium is hung from the ceiling or shelf so that it is floating and can be viewed at eye-level. You can also choose to stand your terrarium on a shelf our counter as you would a potted plant. The unique thing about owning a terrarium is being able to see the soil and the roots of your plants, which can be an educational experience for children to learn about nature and how plants grow. As long as the room the terrarium is located in has plentiful natural light, you can display your jar almost anywhere. The kitchen or a reading room is a great place to display a terrarium so that it can bring in elements of nature, curiosity, creativity and color.

Plant, Craft and Create at Home

Visit Perry Homes and explore listings for homes that you can see yourself planting, crafting and creating in. Now that you know how to how to make a terrarium in a jar, check out our design tips blogs to get an idea of where you can best display your beautiful terrarium.