Plant terrariums, that green touch that your house needs. Treat yourself to a piece of nature
More and more people live in cities and our contact with
nature is more limited than when we live in towns or in the mountains or the
countryside, so why not bring a piece of forest home through a terrarium of
floors? They are decorative pieces that adapt to any style of decoration and,
in addition, offer the advantage that they hardly require maintenance.
These miniature gardens contained in glass containers are so
attractive that they conquer more and more homes. If you still do not have one,
discover how to do it and what plants are suitable for your terrarium. It can
be a good start to start giving a green touch to your home.
What is a terrarium?
A terrarium is a container that tries to artificially
reproduce the conditions of a specific habitat, thus allowing you to enjoy a
small natural oasis in a limited space. Creating microcosms full of magic and
very personal is within your reach! They were born centuries ago, although not
for the same purpose, since the origin dates back to the need to transport
plants from one place to another.
Among the different styles that you can give to the
terrarium is the desert, which is reminiscent of a dry garden with its cacti or
succulents and is very easy to maintain, the one that simulates a green forest,
decorated with moss or the one that looks like a jungle and tropical corner.
Such attractive and unusual compositions are definitely worth finding a niche
for at home, don't you think?
Open or closed terrarium?
First of all, when you consider incorporating a terrarium
into the decoration of your house so that the plants are the protagonists of
your home, you must decide if you want it to be open or closed, since the second
offers an extra advantage.
The open terrarium will require, although not much, periodic
watering; while in the case of the closed one, you will not only have to
monitor that the interior humidity is maintained. A sign that the environment
inside the container is too dry is that the plants begin to have yellowing
leaves. It will be enough to be attentive to this to keep it healthy and vital.
In this proposal from La Green Touch, the closed terrarium
is 30 x 39 cm and includes a bonsai of a 6-year-old ficus retusa with plants,
such as moss and fitonias.
What about the container?
The terrarium container can have a round, oval, square,
rectangular triangular shape or show off other more imaginative geometries,
such as rhombuses. In fact, apart from the tabletop ones, there are also narrow
designs that can be fixed to the wall forming an original wall decoration.
Keep in mind that the size of the container should match the
scale of the plants and allow room for them to grow. Another aspect to consider
is how the glass should be. It is usually transparent for two reasons: to let
the plants receive as much light as possible, but also to better enjoy the
views from inside.
If you care about ecology...
Think that you can take advantage of any forgotten glass
vase that you have at home or, if you are going to buy a new container, there
will always be more ecological options, such as those that recycle glass, as in
this Habitat proposal, the Sam model, which is easy to maintain thanks to the
natural condensation of the plant and sunlight.
Of course, rule out very low containers, as they must be
deep enough to contain the roots of the plants.
Terrarium Elements
As we mentioned at the beginning, each terrarium is a world,
but they are usually made up of these elements:
- The container glass that can be shaped like a bottle, as long as it has a wide mouth.
- Gravel or sand. It will act as drainage and is placed at the bottom of the container with a thickness of between 2 and 5 cm.
- Activated carbon. Only if your terrarium is closed. It prevents the terrarium from filling with mold and helps keep the plants healthy and beautiful, since it regulates the level of humidity in an airtight container.
- Earth. It must be 5 to 10 cm high and be suitable depending on the selected plant species.
- Botanical Selection. Those plants that you want me to incorporate.
- Assorted decorations. Sea shells, coniferous cones, pebbles, other stones, tree bark...
If you are afraid of not getting it right when selecting the
most correct composition, you can go to the terrarium kit where they sell you
everything and they explain how to assemble it. In this case, La Green Touch
proposes an oval glass container with a ficus microcarpa and a mini fitonia,
decorated with natural moss and small pebbles.
What plants to choose for my terrarium?
The botanical selection goes to taste, although the rule
must be followed that the different species must live in harmony together and,
therefore, require the same conditions of light and humidity.
For example, succulents are ideal for growing in an open
terrarium, as they are plants that require very little water. Of course, plant
them separately so that they can grow and place them in such a way that they do
not touch the walls of the container. Within the family of succulents, some of
the favorites are the Echeverias (like the ones we see in the photo), with
beautiful rosette shapes, and the living stones ( Lithops ), succulents native
to Africa with the appearance of stone.
In closed terrariums, it is advisable to select plants that
are comfortable with a high degree of humidity, such as tropical plants, ferns,
ivy or mother-of-pearl (Pilea implicata), among others. Keep in mind that,
because the entire construction is airtight, the outside weather does not
affect them.
As we have seen, if desired, the composition can also be
completed with a miniature tree. If you have doubts about the most appropriate
botanical selection, consult a garden center you trust.
Steps to create your terrarium
As we have said when explaining the composition, first you
have to bet on good drainage, otherwise your plants will rot. Next, place the
potting soil that should go depending on the selected plants. Also in these
layers you can play creating beautiful compositions with sand, which draw
attractive lines.
Opt for a light composted substrate, make the holes for the
plants and place them delicately. Then have fun with the most imaginative
decorations and sprinkles. In the case of open terrariums, you should only
water again when the soil is dry.
If you are a beginner, it is best to opt for a container
with a very wide mouth that allows you to work comfortably. On the contrary,
those who have already perfected the technique can bet on less open ones and
place all the elements delicately with tweezers.
Where to place the terrariums in the house?
Once you have created and customized the terrarium or
several of them, it will be time to find their ideal location. As a general
rule, a place with light will suit them but never exposed to direct sunlight,
as these could burn the plants.
Do not place the terrariums near a heat source, such as a
radiator, and in the case of open ones, not exposed to drafts. By following
these tips you will have your precious plant ecosystem ready to live for many
years.
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