Friday, June 24, 2011

How to make a terrarium

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 In my post this week where I let you all have a sneak peak at our new place I promised to show you how to make a terrarium. Well here is my tutorial on how to make yourself your own terrarium.

Step 1:
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Gather your materials. You will need:
  • A glass vessel of some kind, we went with a classic round fish tank from the local $2 shop. Ours cost $15.
  • Plants. We chose succulents which are known for their robust survival skills. Our local nursery had them for $3 a pot.
  • Stones for drainage and decorative purposes, you can buy them at garden supplies stores but we found our stones for free.
  • Potting mix.This bag was $4.
  • Gardening gloves as its a messy job.
  •  Total Cost: $22
Step 2:
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Make your drainage layer by adding stones of your choice. Some people add charcoal first as it aids drainage but we have skipped this step as we couldn't find any and have read mixed reports on whether it is really necessary.

Step 3:
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Add your potting mix to the desired planting height.

Step 4:
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Plant your plants, trying to make it a visually pleasing arrangement. Keep in mind they have more chance at survival if you plant them at the same level in which they were originally planted in their original pot. We also planted a succulent cutting we let dry out for the last month allowing for new roots to appear.

Step 5:
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This step is optional, but we decided to decorate the top with a layer of rocks. So there you have it, 5 easy steps to make a terrarium for your house for a total of $22. I remember being fascinated as a kid by my Nana's terrarium, imagining little forest creatures living in the glass box having a fantastic time, its nice to have this little reminder of those times looking pretty in my home. I'm hoping to have more DIY style posts over the coming months, some fashion and some interior themed DIY's as I'm always making and creating but never documenting the process. xoxo

6 comments:

  1. haha $15 bowl at a $2 shop....thats made me giggle! I love this its super cute! I just planted some succulents into a vintage tea cup!

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  2. I want to do this for the outdoor area at my house we are renovating - I have added this post to my favourites to remind me when the time comes. I'm hoping for my renovation to be done before Christmas.

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  3. What a fantastic tip Haley. I don't have a green thumb though.

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  4. Very cute. I've had my eye on these for a while, thanks for the tutorial!

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  5. superb tips to make terrarium..
    i have same pt in home in which i put fish..i will try it..

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  6. Love this post! You must be really resourceful to keep the total cost at only $22! I love your combo of green succulents and rocks. Maybe a little gnome or forest creature would finish it off? Or a plastic dinosaur? You can get them at the Reject Shop for next to nothing.

    Rat in my Kitchen's handmade terrariums

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