No, you will never get it truly clean, yes, your plants will suffer, and no, your terrarium will not survive. 6. Springtails (The Clean-Up Crew) Enter Springtails – tiny detritivorous bugs (meaning they eat decaying matter) that are pretty much essential if you wantyour closed terrarium to go the distance. I can get a bit creeped out by bugs, but Springtails are super tiny and very helpful! These days, I use a regular spray bottle.They’re cheap, sturdy, and get the job done – just don’t have it set to jet spray… Be attentive and trim overgrown plants, including their longer roots, to keep them small. Always remove yellowing and damaged leaves, as well as dying plants, to prevent the spread of disease and decay. Keep glass clean If you live anywhere half as gloomy as I do (the ever-drizzly North-East of England), grow lights can help your terrariums get through the harsh winter.

When watering terrarium plants, it’s essential that water is distributed evenly (and ideally) as delicately as possible. Unless you’re building in a big carboy or demijohn container with a big volume and narrow opening (in which case telescopic tools will be necessary), you don’t need anything specialist for this function. Brushes come in handy during your terrarium build when you’ve finished placing everything and need to tidy it up. Inspect your terrarium fortnightly and water when it starts to feel too dry. If you notice a build-up of condensation you may have added too much water, so remove the top until the condensation dissipates.

Making your own terrarium

Succulents and cacti need a well-drained, porous soil with a generous quantity of sand or grit. Ferns, meanwhile, require a medium density, loam-based compost. If in doubt, ask your garden centre for recommendations. Add activated charcoal If you’re using dried logs or branches in your build, you might need to get them down to size before they fit properly in a terrarium. It’s especially important for terrariums with narrow openings that you can’t fit your hand through (like super tiny terrariums). Still, even open terrariums are much easier with the added dexterity of a precise grabbing tool. The thing is, the best types of wood for terrariums are usually hardwoods. Meaning they’re super tough(like manzanita wood or grapevine wood). And to cut them, you’re going to need something more heavy-duty. Like the curved scissors, the angled head makes it great for reaching around corners and under branches in a terrarium –it’s very helpful.

airflow is particularly important for succulents and cacti, so make sure each plant has space to expand. Plants for terrarium colour Regularly remove dust from your terrarium’s glass to allow enough light in for your plants to flourish. Avoid harsh chemical cleaners as these can be harmful to all plants. Pest control Frilly Asparagus or Maidenhair ferns, both infuriatingly fussy at the best of times, will almost always thrive in a closed terrarium. Otherwise, it’s like blasting your miniature plants with a fire hose. You’ll literally blow them away. Terrarium plants are selected for being small, but they often still need a trim to get them down to size (and keep them that way).With a wealth of expertise and years of experience in this field, we're absolutely thrilled to welcome you on this new and exciting journey. Our team is deeply committed to providing you with the best in terrariums and related products, maintaining the ethos of the brand while bringing our own unique touch to the shopping experience. I’d recommend a soft-bristled brush to clean the inevitably messy substrate off plants, hardscape, and the glass container.