How to make a Terrarium : A fun activities for you Family is make Succulent Container Garden terrarium which are great gift. This year we are giving my daughters teacher a succulent garden, that my a daughter made with a little help from me. When I was a little girl my mother who has a amazing green thumb  gave all out teachers spider plants as a gift. She would cut the baby off shoots, pot then and have a plant to give to the teachers. Me : I would kill a spider plant. I ok I have killed a spider plant or 2 in my day, yes I am a plant murderer.
Several months ago 2 of my blogging buddies Diane and Hillary got together and made terrariums.  Mine for a 1st attempt was ok.. I would like to switch out the one plant, kind of a bully to the other plants. The thankful it is still alive, I have not killed the plants.. the fact the Terrarium is it own closed eco system is probably the reason, LOW maintenance.  Succulents are great drought resistance and hardy..Hello come to mama –  I also love the modern look, with clean lines.
So I decided to make make some more, learning. I love the idea of finding a container and let the container speak to me about the plants. So be sure to check out Local thrift stores and yard sales.  I found this great low bowl at the thrift store it was $2. It said Succulents low and topless.  It was perfect for the low kill rate plant- because I don’t know if her teacher is a green thumb criminal.

So here is how to make a terrarium… 1st find a an excellent garden center- Mine is a local family own business Primex. For your 1st time out it pays to go to people who know what they are doing. Big Box Store not always helpful and supporting a local business.

Facts you need to know about How to make a Terrarium:

Terrarium or Horticultural Charcoal: according to this post on PagHat.com there is a difference in charcoal so don’t use the kind you use in aquariums or what is in your water filter, buy the one specifically for horticulture- My  garden center confirmed his advice and they sold us a small bag of Terrarium /Horticultural charcoal ($1) which was enough for 3 Terrariums.

Soil: It was recommend to use an organic soil with no clean and high in organic matter. Packaged potting soil often contains all of the ingredients needed for healthy, thriving terrarium plants. Bagged soil is sterilized, making it ready to use without further preparation.  It was recommend we went with a Peat Free and NO Perlite (white little ball) in the soil.  From my research is because the perlite holds too much water and can allowing microbes to grow. It seams others have a difference of opinion. Clean Sterile soil is the key.

Turface: which is a clay gravel that is fast draining since the Succulents don’t need alot of water this allows for the dry environment. Turface look familiar ? it also use in ball-fields.

How to make a Terrarium :

• Container to hold your Terrarium
• Succulents (work with 1, 3, 5- uneven numbers)
• Soil- perlite free
• Terrarium / Horticultural Charcoal
• Turface small bag (i purchased a 5lb I have enough for 3-4 more gardens
• Pebbles (I got mine at Ikea)
• Tools: Spoon, mixing bowl,cup

1. Make sure you container is clean
2. In separate Mix soil 3 cups of soil; 1 cup of Turface & 1/2 cup of charcoal (make 2  batches if needed – I needed 2 batches roughly)
3. I placed Turface/or pepples on the bottom of the glass dish (the garden center said not required)
4. Next soil about 1/2 up the container (so when I planted I did not hit the gravel on the bottom)
5. Arrange the lay out of the Succulants
6. Plant the succulent plants,  some of my plants came in hard terracotta pots so my daughter used a small spoon to loose up the soil, and not damage the roots
7. Mist soil gently  with a mister to not over water
8. Add Turface on top with a spoon so as not to get it on the plants
9. I used a tweezers to remove any of the Turface that got on the plants
10. Add decorative stones or items to add to you desert theme – etsy has some or little clean toys from your kids collect try Mini Figures or Poly Pockets
11. These are little plants but they do have plenty of room to grow.

How to make a terrarium :My Daughter loved Succulent Container Garden for her teacher.   I cant wait to see what it will look like over time.  I hope the teacher will enjoy it.

The project cost me $2 container, $11.00 soil/gravel/charcoal (enough to do 3) , $15 for the plants.  The total cost $20 each if you were to buy one it would be $70

Check out my other Fun Activities:

Making colorful Pancake Art with the kids

Make a Photo frame from your favorite book and you star as the main character

Sharpie Tie Dyed Tree T Shirt

How to make a Raised Pallet Garden

10 Easy American Girl Crafts

Linking to SitsGirls Craft link Up