TERRARIUMS
Petals & Paper Botanical Studio Terrariums are beautiful planted landscapes magically displayed through glass vessels. There are four main plant
systems that work well in terrariums-succulent, cacti, foliage and tropical plants. Succulents and cacti will require an open vessel or container because they need air and lots of it! Foliage or tropical terrarium plants can go in either open or closed glass containers.
Terrariums, depending on the size they are and plants they contain, require different types of care, which can seem overwhelming at first. However, with the right steps and care, you can have a healthy flourishing terrarium that can lasts for many years.
SUCCULENTS:
These plants hold their water source in their leaves. They have shallow root system making them fantastic terrarium plants that don’t need a lot of soil to survive.
LIGHT: Succulents love a lot of light, but in a terrarium the containers can act like a magnifying glass. A nice bright sunny space that isn’t hit with direct sunlight will help your succulent terrarium grow.
WATER: Succulents can be prone to root rot. Although your terrarium has drainage medium on the bottom, there is no drainage hole. Minimal watering is needed for succulents. Water around the base of the plant. Let the soil dry between watering and in the winter ease up even more as most succulents go dormant in the winter. Succulents tend to be slow growing and can thrive in terrariums for many years.
WHAT TO DO? Wrinkled leaves, time to water. Black mushy leaves, you may be over watering a bit. If there seems to be no hope for saving it, I suggest taking the succulent out and replacing it with a similar looking one.
CACTI TERRARIUMS:
Follow the same directions as for succulents except cacti can withstand more direct light and lots of air. They also require less water than succulents. There can be exceptions so check the kind of cacti you have to make sure you are caring for them the right way. Jungle cacti, which generally do not have spines and are freely branching, require more watering and less light.
FOLIAGE AND TROPICAL TERRARIUMS:
Foliage and tropical plants thrive in warm humid environments and require the soil to remain moist to help nourish their bodies. Found mainly on the ground in the woods or in a tropical environment, they tend to like to be in damp, low light environments. They can survive and support themselves in closed vessels. Make sure to air them out every week.
LIGHT: These plants like low to medium indirect light in a warm environment. Too much light from direct sunlight, and they will burn through their glass vessel.
WATERING: Keep your plants happy by watering the soil around the base of your plants regularly, not allowing the top layer of soil to dry out. Misting or spraying these plants can also help to promote humidity and moisture.
WHAT TO DO? Dry foliage is not good, so make sure you water if you see any browning or crispness in the leaves.
TIP FOR WATERING: Using a long necked small watering can can help you get closer to the soil and give you more control over where you are watering.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions at Petals & Paper:
tracy@petals-paper.com or 978-853-1643
