Home How-To: D.I.Y. Terrariums

by Alisa Gould-Simon (L.A.)

My personal creation—and it took less than two hours!

As I’ve mentioned here before, I’m not a fan of fickle plants. I love succulents for this very reason: They require little water, not a lot of sunlight and are generally pretty difficult to kill. Plus, housing them in a glass terrarium can cost less than $35 but will impress everyone. Want to recreate this easy yet awe-inspiring D.I.Y. project? Here’s how.

1. Buy a glass container. (I opted for one with a larger opening, but everything from a fish bowl to a random vase works.)

2. Fill your container with 1½” to 2” of perlite, charcoal, rocks or pebbles (or a combination of the four). This helps create a drainage system for the layer of soil that will be piled on top.

3. Add a thick layer of organic soil for the roots of your plants to be submerged in (3” to 5”, depending on the length of the roots). Feel free to mix in pebbles or sand, which will also help with drainage and add some aesthetic appeal.

4. Pat down the soil.

5. Choose your succulents and gently rub off excess soil from their roots.

6. Use a spoon or your fingers to dig a small hole, then place your plant inside, packing the soil around it to keep it upright. Repeat this until all your plants are potted.

7. (Optional) Lay moss on the exposed dirt around your plants to help dress up the scene. (Feel free to add action figures or anything else your heart desires.)

8. Keep the container near sunlight and spray your plants with water once a week.

Ta-da, you’re done!