DIY – How to make your own terrarium in 5 easy steps

Looking for an easy way to bring a little greenery into your home? Making your own terrarium is a simple and affordable DIY project that can instantly add a touch of nature to your space. Whether you’re a complete beginner or already love houseplants, a DIY terrarium is a fun way to create your own miniature indoor garden.

Terrariums come in all shapes and sizes and can be made using a variety of glass containers. They make beautiful decorative pieces for shelves, coffee tables, desks and windowsills, and, once established, they are relatively low maintenance. Best of all, you don’t need to be an expert gardener to make one.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to make a terrarium in 5 easy steps, from choosing your container and creating the drainage layers to planting and decorating your miniature garden.

Terrariums are an easy way to bring a little green into your home. They are used as decorative pieces and come in all shapes and sizes. As well as being relatively low maintainence they are really easy to make. Here’s how to make your own terrarium.

What you’ll need

– A glass jar or pot to house your plants

– Potting soil

– Activated charcoal (about a tablespoon)

– Sand

– Gravel or small stones or pebbles

– Terrarium plants such as succulents or air plants

– Decoration pieces such as moss, pebbles, shells, figurines (optional)

Choosing the right terrarium shape and container

One of the nicest things about making a terrarium is choosing the container. There are so many different shapes and styles available, from simple glass jars to geometric designs and miniature glass houses, so you can choose something that works with both your plants and your home décor.

My favourite style is a geometric glass terrarium. I love the way the unusual shape turns the terrarium into a decorative piece in its own right, rather than simply being a container for your plants. A brass frame can also add a lovely vintage feel and works particularly well with the natural greens of succulents, moss and other plants.

If you’re looking for something to make a real feature of your terrarium, this Vintage Pyramid Shaped Brass Framed & Glass Indoor Terrarium is a beautiful option. The pyramid shape gives it plenty of visual interest, while the brass frame adds a warm, classic touch. It would look lovely displayed on a shelf, side table or windowsill.

Terrarium ideas at different price points

If a pyramid isn’t quite your style, I’ve found a few other options that show just how much you can vary the look of your DIY terrarium.

• Juhani Handmade Glass Terrarium – $59: This clear blown-glass terrarium has a wide diagonal-cut mouth and a low-profile silhouette, complete with a glass tray. Its minimalist shape would suit a contemporary home and is particularly nice if you want the plants themselves to be the main focus.
• Glass Terrarium Jar with Cork Lid – £31.57: For a more traditional look, this glass jar with a cork lid is a great choice. The simple design has a lovely natural feel and would work well for creating a small, enclosed terrarium.
• Gold Glass House Shape Terrarium – £45: This house-shaped design is a fun alternative if you want something a little more decorative. The crafted open-door lid also makes it easy to access your plants when you’re putting your terrarium together or giving it a little care.

When choosing your terrarium container, think about how easy it will be to plant and care for your chosen greenery. A container with a wide opening is generally easier to work with, especially if you’re new to making terrariums. Narrower openings can create a lovely finished look but may require a little more patience — and a pair of long tweezers!

The shape you choose can also influence the overall feel of your terrarium. A geometric design can give you a modern look, a traditional jar feels more rustic and natural, while a house-shaped or decorative container can become a feature in its own right.

Ultimately, there isn’t a right or wrong choice. Pick a container that makes you smile, add a few plants you love and have fun creating your own miniature indoor garden.

Terrariums are an easy way to bring a little green into your home. They are used as decorative pieces and come in all shapes and sizes. As well as being relatively low maintainence they are really easy to make. Here’s how to make your own terrarium.

How to make a terrarium

Measurements vary depending on size of container.

Step 1 – To start, mix the charcoal into the sand. Then add about a 1 inch thick layer at the bottom of your terrarium.

Step 2 – Next add a layer of small stones or pebbles on top of the sand, again about 1 inch thick.

This will help with drainage and ensure that excess water doesn’t stay in the soil and cause root rot.

Step – 3 The next stage is to add about a 2 inch layer of potting soil on top of the stones.

Step – 4 You can add your plants. Make a hole in the soil big enough for the plants roots, pop it in, then cover back around with the soil.

Think about where you want to place the plants. It’s usually best to put the biggest plant in first and usually near the back. Make sure the plants aren’t touching each other or the sides of container.

Step 5 – You can now dress your terrarium. Creating a mini landscape. You can place pebbles on top, moss, mini figurines or shells. Play around and create a look you love.

You can use tools such as spoons, tweezers, chopsticks to help you place items if you have a narrow or small container.

Lightly spray the soil with water. It should be damp but not wet. Do this every 1-2 weeks or once the soil looks like it has dried out. Display your terrarium in a room that is bright but that receives indirect sunlight.

If you are doing a closed terrarium you will need a little more charcoal and you will hardly need to water it.

Choosing the right plants

When choosing plants for your terrarium, it’s important to think about the type of terrarium you’re making. Succulents and cacti are a good choice for an open terrarium because they prefer drier conditions and plenty of airflow. For a closed terrarium, look for plants that enjoy humidity, such as mosses, ferns and other small tropical plants. Try to choose plants with similar light and watering requirements so they can happily live together.

Open or closed terrarium?

One of the first things to decide is whether you want an open or closed terrarium. An open terrarium has an opening at the top, which allows air to circulate and is generally better suited to plants that don’t like lots of moisture. A closed terrarium creates its own little humid environment, with moisture evaporating from the soil and condensing on the glass before returning to the soil. It’s almost like having a tiny ecosystem sitting on your shelf.

Don’t overwater it

One of the easiest mistakes to make when caring for a terrarium is giving it too much water. It can be tempting to give your plants a good drink, especially when you first make it, but terrariums don’t need much. Too much moisture can lead to mould, unhappy plants and root rot. Start with a small amount of water and keep an eye on the soil and plants. You can always add more water later, but it’s much harder to undo overwatering.

Give it the right amount of light

Terrariums love bright rooms, but that doesn’t mean they should sit directly in strong sunlight. Glass can magnify the heat from the sun and create a surprisingly hot environment inside the container, which can damage your plants. A spot near a bright window where the terrarium receives plenty of indirect light is usually ideal. If you notice the plants becoming pale or stretched, they may need a little more light.

A little creativity goes a long way

One of the things I love most about making terrariums is that there really isn’t a right or wrong way to style them. You can keep yours simple with a few plants and stones or create a miniature woodland, beach or fairy garden. Natural materials such as bark, moss and interesting stones can make it feel like a tiny landscape. Just make sure anything you add is clean and suitable for use around plants.

Terrariums make great gifts

If you’re looking for a homemade gift, a terrarium is a lovely option. You can choose a container and plants to suit the person you’re making it for, then personalise it with stones, moss or a little decorative figure. They’re also a fun project to make with children, as they can get involved with choosing the plants and creating their own miniature landscape.

More examples

Upcycled empty candle jars

A few final tips

Don’t worry if your first terrarium isn’t perfect. Part of the fun is seeing how it changes over time as the plants grow and settle into their new environment. Remove any dead leaves when you spot them, keep an eye out for mould and rotate the container occasionally if one side of the plants isn’t getting enough light. With a little care, your terrarium can become a beautiful little piece of greenery that brightens up your home.

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