How To Make An Air Plant Terrarium

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If you're looking to bring a piddling taste of nature into your home, attempt making an air plant terrarium. Creating a terrarium is unproblematic and can be a fun process for both children and found-lovers. It's every bit easy as getting a glass terrarium, then filling it with sand, rocks, and other decorations. Air plants are hardy, so they don't require much maintenance. Build your terrarium, decorate it, and then allow it liven upward your home.

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   Select up to three Tillandsia plants for your terrarium. Air plants, called Tillandsia, grow to exist a multifariousness of different sizes, so it'southward worth picking the ones y'all want before choosing a terrarium container. Many of them abound up to 5 in (xiii cm) long and iv in (10 cm) across. Yet, there are some varieties that grow every bit much equally 3 ft (0.91 m) long and won't last long in a terrarium. If you're uncertain about how many to get, get-go with i and then add together more afterwards if you lot take room for them.^[i]

   • Some good terrarium varieties include loliacea, funkiana, and stricta. Tillandsia stricta gets a little bigger than the other ones, and so yous may not be able to fit more one in a single terrarium.
   • Tillandsia is sometimes sold every bit clumps. Clumps are multiple plants growing together into a ball. Clumps tend to be stronger than private plants. They are probable to continue growing with proper care, which could be a problem if you're short on space.
   • You can order air plants online. They hold upward well during shipping, simply, if you're worried about getting good plants, y'all may be able to find some at a home and garden center.

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   Option a vented glass container to house your plants. One time you have decided upon a plant size, find a quality container to match. These containers come in a diversity of dissimilar sizes and styles, and so keep in mind how yous want the finished terrarium to look. Round terrariums are great for near small air plants, but brand sure yours has an open up top or side. Teardrop and pyramid-shaped containers fit Tillandsia stricta well, only brand sure information technology has a missing console on the meridian or side for ventilation.^[2]

   • The vent size tin vary depending on the terrarium you choose.
   • Consider where yous're going to put the terrarium. Some containers are meant to be placed on a flat surface instead of hung up. Brand sure you lot go one with a rope or hook if yous desire to hang your terrarium!
   • Y'all could besides repurpose glass bowls or Mason jars for your terrarium. Most will be almost 5 in (13 cm) in diameter or more. As long as enough of air tin get in, your air found will be safe.
   • The containers, as well every bit the remaining supplies needed for the terrarium, are bachelor online and at most dwelling and garden centers.
   • Smaller terrariums will be easier to take care of if you're a beginner. Plus, they're usually cheaper.^[three]

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3. 3

   Choose sand, pebbles or some other base for the terrarium. Select something lightweight that doesn't retain a lot of water. If you're looking for a simple choice, get some coarse aquarium or sandbox sand. Aquarium gravel or polished pebbles can bring some color to your terrarium. Use decorative moss or crushed, recycled glass to brand your terrarium unique.

   • Air plants don't demand soil. Soil absorbs moisture and can cause the plants to rot, so you're better off fugitive it.
   • Try layering different bases to requite your terrarium more style. For case, you lot could mix white sand, colored pebbles, and crushed glass.

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   Go bawl, shells and other items if you wish to decorate the terrarium. These decorations aren't necessary, just they are useful for filling space inside the terrarium. Many decorations, such equally bark and sticks, tin be plant outdoors, but brand certain they are dry and free of bugs before putting them in the terrarium. Scatter some decorative moss or aquarium shells around for color. With careful decorating, you tin can make your terrarium look similar a pocket-sized piece of nature.^[4]

   • When choosing decorations, continue in mind how much infinite y'all have available in your terrarium. Select decorations sparingly to avert overcrowding the air plants.
   • To ensure your air plants are rubber, buy decorations instead of getting them outdoors. You could get orchid bark from a hardware store, for instance.

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   Add sand in at least a two in (v.i cm)-thick layer to the terrarium. Pour the sand into the terrarium first so it forms a base for you to build on. Try using plainly, regular-colored sand for an cheap base that fits well with almost terrarium designs. Level the sand out with your hand afterward.^[v]

   • You could utilize other colors of sand as well. For case, you lot might use blue sand instead, and so decorate with shells or other plants to give the terrarium an ocean theme.
   • If you're not planning on using other types of base of operations material for ornamentation, you could fill the terrarium with more sand. Still, brand certain the air plant has plenty of room to abound.

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   Brighten the terrarium with a layer of colored sand or other cloth. Sand comes in all sorts of different colors you lot tin employ to turn your terrarium into something vibrant and unique. If you're looking for something different, spread a i in (2.5 cm)-thick layer of rocks or recycled glass. Rocks and drinking glass add a diversity and are a good option if you don't want your terrarium to wait similar a miniature desert or beach.^[half-dozen]

   • For example, you could alternate layers of colored and regular sand to customize the terrarium with a pattern. Effort using your favorite colors to make your terrarium stand out!
   • The additional layers can be as thick as you want every bit long as you save enough room for the plants and any other decorations you wish to add together.

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   Place some fleck wood effectually the terrarium for forest theme. Become a couple of pieces of driftwood and spread them throughout the terrarium. Make sure you take room between the forest to fit the air plants. You lot could turn one piece of wood upside down and mount the air plant onto information technology for an alternative way to incorporate these decorations. Scrap wood goes well with black, brownish, or regular sand for a natural look.^[7]

   • Minor pieces of scrap woods can also fit well side by side to a couple of shells placed on plain sand.

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   Use shells to create a beach theme for your terrarium. After filling the terrarium with apparently sand or colorful aquarium sand, choose a couple of pretty shells you like. Make sure they are small enough to fit comfortably within the terrarium. Set them downwardly on top of the sand near where yous program on putting the air plants. It makes the air plants look like they grew upwardly naturally from the sand rather than having been placed in the middle of all these decorations.^[8]

   • Match the shells to the base cloth you lot used. Colored shells become well with plain sand, but they might not stand out every bit much with bright, colored sand.
   • If you're decorating with multiple shells, use unlike types of shells placed at different angles. Arrange them to make your terrarium more than varied.

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   Apply decorative plants or coral to requite your terrarium more diverseness. Go some aquarium coral, such every bit a red or blackness ocean fan. Some other selection is to add together a constitute like a yarrow and rest it inside one of the terrarium vents. These decorations add plenty of colour to your terrarium without taking nutrients abroad from the air plants. Spread them around so information technology looks similar the air plants grew next with the decorative plants or coral.^[9]

   • Decorative moss is bully for adding colour to plain sand. It works very well if your terrarium is designed to expect similar a desert.

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   Place the air plants on superlative of the material in the container. Air plants don't have roots and don't need to exist cached. Set them downwards gently in a spacious spot to let them adapt to their new home. Make certain the plants aren't pressed upwardly against the decorations or the walls of the terrarium. It helps them spread their leaves and dry off in case they get moisture.^[10]

   • If the plants feel wet, set up them aside for virtually fifteen minutes before putting them in the terrarium. Moisture could cause them to rot. Burying the plants in the base of operations material also forces more water onto them.
   • It is possible to gear up air plants inside shells and other objects. However, make sure the vanquish is open with enough space for the plant to abound out of it.

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   Secure the air plants with glue if you wish to mount them to decorations. Plan out the terrarium first by placing all decorations, so setting the plants where you lot intend on mounting them. Select a nontoxic adhesive like a silicone sealant, then spread a sparse simply consistent dab of information technology on the mounting surface. Gently but firmly printing the plant onto the adhesive to stick it in place. Exit the plant undisturbed for about 24 hours to ensure the gum has time to solidify.^[11]

   • You could too tie the air plant downwards for a less permanent zipper. Use a long-lasting, sun resistant material like cable ties and place them loosely around the plant'due south stem.
   • Make sure you mountain air plants to nontoxic surfaces. Treated woods has copper in it that harms air plants. Painted and stained wood may likewise take unsafe chemicals.

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1. 1

   Place the terrarium in an area that receives 1 to 3 hours of indirect sunlight a twenty-four hour period. Endeavour keeping your terrarium within 1 to 3 ft (0.xxx to 0.91 m) of a nearby window. Use due east, n, or due south-facing windows in your abode, since they let in the most sunlight. Air plants won't last if they are kept in the dark or in dim calorie-free all day.^[12]

   • You could as well ready the terrarium within 1 to 2 ft (0.30 to 0.61 m) of an artificial lite.
   • Every bit long as you keep air plants well-watered, they can withstand more direct sunlight and hotter temperatures.

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   Select a spot away from cold and moisture for the terrarium. Air plants are tropical, then they don't do well in cold weather. Keep your terrarium away from air conditioners and drafty windows, for example. These sources also tend to introduce likewise much moisture to the terrarium. Air plants do best in environments above 60 °F (16 °C), so they survive well within homes.^[thirteen]

   • Proceed your terrarium in a safety spot where pelting, leaks, or spills won't get inside of it. The water could cause the plants to begin rotting.

3. 3

   Hang the terrarium or set information technology on a flat surface. This will depend on the kind of terrarium you have. If you lot have a hanging terrarium, try tying it to a wall hook, nail, or curtain rod, for example. Most commercial terrariums come up with hanging ropes that tin be secured to a hanging point within your home. If yous have a standing terrarium, place it on a flat, stable surface, such as a desk or countertop.^[14]

   • Make sure the terrarium won't exist bumped into or knocked over. Jostling information technology too much could mix upwards the base material, inadvertently burial the plants or even breaking the glass.

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1. ane

   Take the plants out of the terrarium at least once a week. Even though air plants get their nutrients from the air, they nonetheless require a trivial bit of water from time to time. Set aside a solar day every week for watering. Pull each plant out to avoid introducing besides much moisture to the terrarium.^[15]

   • Air plants in hot, dry areas may need to be watered more oftentimes. Endeavour misting or soaking them ii to iii times a week instead.
   • Check the leaves to see if your plants are getting enough water. The leaves feel total and stiff when they are healthy. They turn soft, light, or fifty-fifty wrinkly when they need more water.

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   Soak the plants in a bowl of cold water for up to thirty minutes. Fill a bowl with water, then submerge the plants. It may sound weird, simply the bath doesn't impairment them. But remember to take them out when the time is up!^[16]

   • If you lot don't take time to soak the plants, fill a spray bottle instead. Mist the plants thoroughly for about fifteen seconds.
   • To ensure your plants are well-watered, you lot could soak them for longer in one case every 2 to 3 weeks. Soak them for ii hours to ensure they absorb plenty of water.
   • If you lot take a flowering air plant, spray it instead of soaking it.

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   Go out the plants in an open area to air dry for 4 hours. Requite each plant a gentle milk shake to remove excess moisture. Then, set it in a spot with good air circulation. Keep the plants out of direct sunlight while they dry out. When they're done drying, move them back to the terrarium.^[17]

   • Make sure the plants and the terrarium is completely dry. Air plants are soft and prone to rotting from excessive moisture.
   • You could also blot off the excess wet with a paper towel. Doing this is useful if you lot aren't able to go out the establish out for long, simply try to exist every bit thorough as possible.

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   Pull the buds off of the plant as they form and grow. Air plants produce new plants called pups. Over time, you may run into these new plants coming upwards from the bottom of the stem. Await until they are at least ⅓ of the size every bit the original plant. Then, twist them off past manus to remove them. You can become rid of them or set them in a terrarium and then they continue to grow.^[18]

   • If y'all are unable to remove the pups past hand, apply a sharp pocketknife to separate them from the original plant. Cut equally close to the original institute every bit possible.
   • Air plants grow slowly, so you may not detect new growth until 1 to 3 years accept passed. And so, the air plant flowers and starts growing a agglomeration of pups.
   • Your original air plant volition die a few weeks after it flowers, so save a few pups to replace information technology in your terrarium. Alternatively, you lot could get out the new growth on the old plant to turn information technology into a cluster, merely you lot might run out of space in the terrarium.

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• To fertilize air plants, mix a bromeliad fertilizer or liquid plant nutrient into h2o and spray it on the plant in jump and summer. It isn't necessary unless your plant is having a hard time surviving or you're eager to become it to produce new buds.^[19]

• Air plants can likewise be grown on plastic trays and other containers. Apply planters for bigger air plants that won't fit in a terrarium.

• When mounting an air plant, be very gentle to avoid cut into it or otherwise causing damage. Air plants can exist stapled to mounts for extra security as long as you lot don't staple through the fleshy stem.

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• Copper containers are harmful to air plants. If you're choosing a terrarium that isn't glass, make sure information technology isn't made with copper.^[twenty]

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Things Yous'll Need

• 1 to iii air plants
• Glass terrarium
• Coarse sand, pebbles, or another base
• Driftwood and other decorative material
• Basin or misting bottle
• Hangers and hanging string (optional)

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