DIY Terrarium Tutorial: Reuse, Recycle & Regenerate

its the perfect tuesday
for a little dose of terrariums

i've got a huge thing for terrariums

they're adorable and pretty stinking cool
and they make my heart flutter all over the place

 you can find them just about anywhere now
i found these in a clothing boutique on pier 39 in san francisco for $20
{which is a bit steep if you ask me...}

i also have a mini obsession with glass jars
they're just so nifty

maybe its because you can use them for anything

{drinking, crafting, q-tip holding...literally anything}

and sometimes it's that olive jar, jam jar, or pasta sauce jar sitting in your recycle

that will make the perfect terrarium

 no need to spend your life savings on a crate and barrel apothecary jar

{though i wouldn't mind owning one or two of those...}

when you can just reuse use what you already have

 i also have this soft spot in my heart for reject plants

you know
the ones that sit on the clearance racks in garden sections

waiting for their imminent death
they're just so sad

i always do a quick walk by just in case i can save a plant or two

and bring them back to health
and sometimes a terrarium is the perfect place
for a helpless plant to regenerate and make its comeback
and on occasion there will be a very sweet guy working in the garden department 
who will just give you clearanced plants for free
{a smile may increase your chances}

so here's a little DIY terrarium tutorial for those of you
 that like to reuse, recycle and don't want to break the bank

my materials

olive jar, pasta sauce jar, baby food jar, kerr jar, all from the recycle {$0}
irish moss Sagina subulata purchased with a home depot gift card {$0}
a rescued zebra plant Hawthornia fasciata {$0}
a rescued echeveria hybrid Echeveria 'Perle von Nurnberg' {$0}
soil from a potted plant in yard {$0}
rocks from yard {$0}
bark and twigs collected from yard {$0}

the moss terrarium

1. begin by placing a layer of rocks in your container

2. add a layer of soil

3. remove moss from container and break up rootball

4. place moss in container and press down gently to nest it into the top of the layer of soil

5. add rocks, bark, twigs, or figurines for embellishment

{if desired}

6. water enough so things are moist but do not saturate 

7. place lid on container

{lid will need to be removed occasionally for air flow}

8. enjoy your creation!

the succulent terrarium

1. place layer of rocks then a layer of soil

2. remove succulent from container break up root ball

3. place succulent{s} in soil

4. use a spoon to add soil around the succulent

5. add embellishments 

{i added some moss and bark}

6. water but do not put a lid on the container

{succulents need air circulation}

7. soak up the cuteness!

follow same steps for these smaller plantings

for $0

i recycled 4 glass jars

saved two succulents

 made 4 terrariums

and had an absolute blast doing it

terrariums are perfect for table tops

bookshelves

window sills

and make great gifts

{housewarming, get well, birthday, just because...}

i'm currently keeping these little guys all to myself though

as they've now made their new home on the dresser in my bedroom

DIY SucculentTerrarium Tutorial

I love Terrariums.
I love the oohhss and  aahhss I hear when people glance at them.
I love the wide eyes kids get as they inspect
 the tiny, magical, enclosed garden.
I love the smiles they bring people.
I love that they can spruce up a bookshelf, coffee table, desk
or even add that perfect touch to a windowsill.
And I love that I can bring my oh so favorite outdoors indoors.

Another thing I love?
How incredibly easy they are to make.
Here is a little tutorial on how to make your very own succulent terrarium.

Materials:
any glass jar
{found mine in the cupboard}
potting soil and assorted Aloe plants
{great prices and selection at my local Wal Mart}
rocks and twigs
{from around my apartment complex)
moss
paintbrush
big bowl
spoon

{1} place a layer of rocks at the bottom of your glass container,

this helps with drainage.

{2}cover rocks with a layer of your potting soil,

as much or as little as you desire.

{3} remove your succulents from their containers,

break up the root ball and get rid of excess soil.

{I actually split my larger Aloe plant into three}

{4} Use your finger, a spoon, etc. 

to dig and make spaces in the soil for your plants.

{5} place plants in desired locations.

{6} after plants are placed in the container,

add more soil to cover any exposed roots 

and to help secure the plants in place.

{7} When you're plants are planted and you're done adding your soil,

use a small brush to brush of excess soil that may be stuck in the plants crevices. 

{8}now it's time to add those personal touches!

add twigs, moss, rocks or whatever tickles your fancy to give your terrarium some character.

{9} enjoy your new little, bitty garden

{10} enjoy your new little, bitty garden.

Happy terrarium building to you!

When Life Gives You Plants, Make A Terrarium.

I'm slightly obsessed with terrariums, which probably stems from my horticultural tendencies. I just think they are so neat!  A couple weeks ago I was having some fun Google imaging terrariums and came across some pretty awesome ones. Here are some I loved...

You can reuse old light bulbs!
{via}

A modern look.
{via}

I'm making this next Christmas for sure!
{via}

Fun for a fiesta.

This is a great jar!
{via}

These next pictures I found are from a couple of weddings. I absolutely LOVE how they incorporated terrariums into it all, and the jars they use are fabulous! 

This is my kind of style!

Loving all the different containers (and moss).

I decided I needed to make one! Christmas was just around the corner so I decided to make a few and give them as gifts.  I suggest if you make one yourself, to do so outside or somewhere you have plenty of space and can allow for a little bit of a mess. It was extremely cold and rainy outside the week of Christmas, so I covered my bathroom floor with newspaper and made do with the space I had. 

The Making of My Succulent Terrariums

I choose 3 different glass containers (bought at Wal Mart).  For succulents you will need open containers that will provide good aeration. 

You'll need pebbles, succulent soil (both bought at Home Depot) and activated charcoal (carbon) found at pet stores in the aquarium section.

My little succulents from Home Depot (and my mom's garden).

To get started, put a small layer of pebbles at the bottom of your container, this helps with drainage.

Add another small layer of activated charcoal. This will also help with drainage and to keep the terrarium fresh.

Add a top layer of your succulent soil.

After the soil layer is in place and you have planned the arrangement of your plants you can use a plastic spoon to dig a small hole. Next, remove your succulent from its growing container and loosen up the root ball a tad. Once removed, you can now plant your succulent where you want it in the terrarium. When your plantings are finished you can add a finishing touch of bark, rocks, miniature figures, etc. I choose to add moss and some of the extra pebbles I had.

 Here are my three finished products!

When the terrariums were complete, I used a spray bottle and just slightly moistened the plants and the very top of the soil.

This was tons of fun, and I would highly recommend making one of your own. They are great to have around and can add a lot to a table, desk, shelf, counter etc. I hope to acquire some apothecary jars in the near future and maybe make some terrariums with ferns, moss and coleus plants. The types of jars I like tend to be pretty pricey, so I'm just going to have to keep my eyes peeled.

I may sound a little nerdy for saying this, but I don't care. 

Plants rock!