How to Create Your Own Succulent Terrarium

Succulent terrariums are a modern twist on the more traditional closed terrariums that date all the way back to 1842. This was when a Victorian chap made a discovery that some moss and ferns were thriving inside of a sealed glass jar where he was raising some moth larvae (there is a lot more history which you can check out here if it interests you).

Terrariums are a fantastic way to not only showcase some of your favourite succulents, but to create an arrangement that is a truly unique piece of art, and it only takes a few simple steps to create your very own! I offer a variety of DIY terrarium kits on my Etsy shop which make for a perfect relaxing afternoon, family/date activity or for beginners who are looking to get their hands dirty.

Below, I'll walk you through every step of the process to build your own terrarium. From choosing the right succulents/cacti and substrate, to the crucial planting advice that will really make the whole thing sparkle.

(1.) Open Terrariums

So you've decided that you want to build your own succulent terrarium, you've gone off to The Range or some other homeware shop and begin to browse some glass, and you spot a really cute jar that you think would make the perfect terrarium. But, you might want to reconsider this, as succulents in a closed terrarium DO NOT WORK as the high moisture and humidity quickly leads to the demise of these arid desert plants.

There are a couple of exceptions where almost closed terrariums can work, such as with jar terrariums similar to this Cabin In The Woods design. But these terrariums NEED proper ventilation in them so you'll have to get a bit crafty if you're going down this route, or make sure you're buying a kit that's all ready to go. Drill some holes into the lid of your jar and keep the lid off for around 4 days a week. But honestly, it's so much easier to just avoid this completely, ditch the lids and go au natural!

Glass can come in all kinds of wild shapes and sizes so there really is endless options for you to choose from. Take a look in places you might not usually venture to such as antique shops, charity shops and car boot stalls to find more obscure shapes and designs that you likely won't find anywhere else.

You're always guaranteed to find the classic glass fish bowl designs in shops so why not go for something a bit more unusual and unique such as a recycled tea pot?

(2.) Drainage Layer

Ensuring your terrarium has adequate drainage is definitely the most important aspect when creating a terrarium. If you get this wrong then you are GUARANTEED to kill off everything inside of it fairly quickly. Especially as succulents are more sensitive to overwatering than even your most particular house plants. Succulents must dry out completely between waterings and hate to be sat in a soggy soil substrate which will lead to rot. This is why it is always recommended to add a drainage layer (which is often known as a false bottom).

To do this you need to add a layer gravel, perlite or "river rocks" along the bottom of what will be your terrarium (but be careful when doing this so that you don't chip or damage your glass). In doing this, you are creating a mini reservoir where any excess water can drain away, stopping the substrate from over saturating and harming your succulents.

Typically a layer between 2.5cm and 5cm should be enough to do this, but you also need to remember efficiently; if you water this like you do your Swiss Cheese Plant then you'll still be saying "bye bye" to your succulents in no time.

It's worth adding that there are some other things you can add into your succulent terrarium to help your terrarium thrive. The first being Charcoal which has strong anti-oxidant properties that assist in keeping mould and mildew at bay; which is especially useful if you want to create a semi open terrarium. The terrarium's water will be filtered by activated charcoal's purifying abilities, which will eliminate any impurities.

Another thing that I've discovered in the past 12 months is the usefulness of Coffee Grounds in succulent soil, which is something you can put in both your ceramic pots and also in terrariums (it's also great on your gardens and flowers!). You might be surprised to learn how valuable coffee grounds are for plants. Coffee is useful as an organic fertiliser for plants since it is rich in micronutrients (but I'll pick up on this in a future blog!).

(3.) Substrate & Soil

As I've already been on and on about, drainage is incredibly important and therefore making sure you're using the right soil and substrate is vital to a happy terrarium. This is super easy to tackle though, you can either buy some ready made cactus/succulent soil or even make your own, I've attached a link here to a "recipe" that I have always used when making my own soil.

(4.) Hardscapes & Statement Pieces

Now this is the part where things start to get really interesting... When I talk about hardscapes, I don't mean arid dry landscapes, this simply refers to any natural structural elements that you might add to bring in a whole new dynamic to your terrarium.

These natural elements and other statement pieces can help construct whole new worlds and you can make them as unique to you as you would like. The example shown here using the driftwood combined with the light coloured pebbles helps to create an arid desert atmosphere which is natural to cacti. Driftwood is the most popular natural feature to be added into terrariums, due to their unusual shapes and colourings. It's also worth noting that driftwood and bogwood is typically well dried out and therefore carries very little bacteria which is also good for your plants going forward.

My top pick for natural hardscape pieces are:

• Driftwood

• Bogwood

• Statement Rocks (think Stonehenge kinda vibes)

• Bones (Yes bones!)

Moving onto less natural statement pieces... these are items that you can add to your terrarium that are manufactured but help create a big wow moment when people see your terrarium. These can literally be ANYTHING you want them to be. I've worked on everything from giant statues of Julius Caesar, UFO's, shipwrecks (pictured), graves and even Marvels very own Groot!

Statement pieces are arguably the most important aspect of any good terrarium and without one, terrariums run the risk of either looking too overcrowded with no purpose or barren and unloved. One good place to find great statement pieces is Pet Shops and Aquatic stores, check out the fish and snake sections to find decorative products; it is here you will find different wood and rocks alongside other items that might tickle your fancy!

(5.) Time for Plants!

So you've got all the bits ready now, but you just need to get some succulents or cacti to complete this. The choice is really up to you and what is available to you at the time. Most succulents have similar needs so don't be too alarmed in choosing the 'wrong' ones as their needs usually overlap between species (you would be unlucky to choose two that don't have similar needs). If you enjoy a surprise or don't know what to get then why not purchase one of my random succulents from my Etsy store.

Okay, now you've finally got your succulents; let's get them prepared for your terrarium! It's useful to start off by removing a lot of the excess soil and substrate from around the roots of the succulents that you are going to put in the terrarium. This is because you can't always be sure of what substrate the succulent is currently in, it could be unsuitable or lacking in nutrients so it's best to just remove it (plus it is easier to plant with a small root ball underneath). Just gently poke around the roots either with your fingers or something delicate to remove excess soil.

Depending on the succulent(s) that you have chosen for your terrarium, you might be able to separate some of them into smaller plants. This is especially useful if your succulent is sprouting out new babies, as you can use the main plant as a focal succulent and the babies as extra assets that spring up in other places and create an encompassed feeling.

(6.) Let's Plant!

If you like, you can lightly mist your substrate with a spray bottle. This can facilitate planting by enhancing the substrate's malleability. The next step is to make a dip in the substrate that is just big enough to fit the plant's root ball, this can be done with your fingers, a trowl, spoon or anything else you wish to use. I'd recommend starting with the largest succulent first and saving the smallest succulent till last, just to make things easier for yourself. Depending on what decorative pieces you're adding to your terrarium, you might want to add these in before or after adding your succulents.

(7.) Decorative Touch

Woohoo! You've managed to plant your succulents and you have your own miniature Eiffel Tower as the centre piece (c'est si beau!). Now is the time to ensure that everything comes together. by adding some finishing touches. You might have some space that you weren't anticipating or feel that it doesn't quite look finished yet, but now is the time to add the last few decorative touches. This is entirely down to personal preference but some things you can add to help complete your terrarium include:

• Rocks, pebbles, smaller branches

• Baby succulents

• Preserved Moss

• Shells

• Figurines

• Crystals

Well done! You've managed to do it, it wasn't that hard now was it? Please send me some photos of your terrarium as I would love to see it!!!

You can find details on how to care for your terrarium and succulents in my other blogs, but if you have any questions or queries you're always welcome to reach out!

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