Closed Terrarium Care

Your terrarium is a closed self-sustaining environment which will not require too much maintenance once it’s settled, but it will require some basic care and attention especially in the first couple of months of building or purchasing one which we call the "settling-in period".  We use plants that are happy in humid conditions but there are certain key things you need to be aware of to ensure your terrarium lives a long and healthy life.  

• Lighting & Temperature: Each home has different heating and light conditions.  We advise that terrariums in our own personal experience are best in a good low natural light position.  AVOID direct Sunlight otherwise the terrarium will get very warm inside and you’ll have too much condensation and plants will suffer.  The average room temperature of around 19-21C is perfect.  

• Condensation: A terrarium holds moisture in the living materials added such as plants & mosses.   When they are built at our store we don’t add extra water as there is enough in the surrounding mosses we use to circulate the special free-drain terrarium substrate mix.  The moisture is very important for the terrarium humidity cycle for self-watering.  The condensation occurs when cold air hits one side of the glass and the warm air inside the glass jar will rise causing condensation.  This is normal and once room temperature equates the condensation should reduce.  If your terrarium has too much condensation that you cannot see your plants all of the time then it just means there is a bit too much moisture collecting inside so just remove your lid for a couple of hours or so to help it reduce the moisture.  Then place your lid back in its closed position.  The goal is to have some humidity on the glass but not soaking wet.  You should not need to remove your lid often.   In our experience we have terrariums for several years and we only water a couple times a year.  Your terrarium is not 100% sealed so it can dry out over a period of time.  The trick is to keep it in a place where you can take a look at it each day to observe any changes.  If it starts to show signs of weeping leaves or lighter shade moss colour then pop your finger into the soil and moss to check its moisture.  If it feels dry follow the watering step below…

• Watering: A terrarium does not have a set watering routine like your houseplants in pots would have.  We use free draining soil which does not require to be wet.  Instead a terrarium is something you should observe over time for any changes and lives off small amounts of trapped moisture. If your leaves are wilting and the moss looks pale green, open the lid and feel the soil and moss, if it’s dry give it a small spray of water, don’t drown your terrarium it does not need a lot of water because it’s trapped with a lid.  
  Then put your lid back on and monitor over next few days. The goal is to ensure your plants stay looking as good and healthy with just the right amount of moisture inside.  If you spot any signs of mould growing on the leaves immediately wipe it off and keep your lid off your terrarium for a few hours then put it back on, this allows a bit of moisture to escape but don’t leave lid off too long as you not want your plants to dry out.  

Common terrarium issues

Signs of mould or Fungus

• White fluff on the leaves:  If you find mould growth on your leaves, open your lid and remove the mould by wiping it off.  Do not let mould grow out of control act early to avoid any plant issues.   If however your leaf is already damaged it is best to prune that leaf off to prevent it decaying as it will leave a rotten type scent in the garden.  Once mould has been removed take off your lid for a couple of hours or so to allow some air circulation to help dry out the terrarium slightly.  Mould occurs from small spores or over humidity and cannot always be avoided but we can reduce it through air, less watering and less hot room conditions above 21 C.  You may need to repeat this process a couple of times in it's first few weeks of settling, but eventually as long as the terrarium plants seem healthy it will adapt and start it's own eco-system cycle.  We cannot guarantee all plants surviving or not getting any plant diseases but this guide is written from our own experience and some research on keeping terrariums.  If the terrarium dries to much then follow the water step above to re-stabilise the environment quickly.  Never leave it to go too dry or be too wet.   A healthy terrarium will show slight signs of condensation on the glass with happy plants.  

• Fungus (Mushrooms) can grow sometimes inside a terrarium.  Leave them alone as they will naturally die off in a couple weeks.  It’s a sign of a healthy terrarium.  They start usually with small white egg type dots in the soil. They occur due to the rich terrarium soil and is a sign of a healthy eco-system.  Just leave them to grow as long as your plants look healthy. 

• Small white egg type spores/mushrooms growth:  It's a type of mushroom fungus if you see small white dots and sometime Mycelium root growth.  Mushrooms are a sign of a very healthy environment and you can just let them grow they will die off in a couple of weeks.  Mushrooms are beneficial for a terrarium by adding nutrients.  If you want to remove them then you must wear gloves and a pair of tweezers to discard them into waste bin.  Mushrooms can be toxic so do not eat them.  Wash your tweezers afterwards.  
  
  To help reduce some mould spores occuring you can you can add “Springtails” tiny insects that clean debris. 

• Another organic way to reduce any mass of spores is to remove some of the substrate and replace with some fresh substrate you can purchase from our store.  

• Other pests: Small flies such as Fungus Gnats can be annoying as they have a long life of just whizzing around a terrarium.  They can never be seen whilst planting a terrarium and usually reside in plant soil.  The best way to reduce them is to buy some Nematodes.  It is a small pouch of living culture mixed with water can be sprayed into your soil to help kill off any fungus gnat spores living underneath your plants. Follow instructions of using it carefully.  You will usually need to mix one sachet with a litre or two of water but can only use it once it’s mixed.  Never use nematodes in bright sunlight as they are sensitive to bright lights.  If adding nematodes you will need to leave your terrarium lid open afterwards with a small amount applied no more than x2 Shot glasses worth of mix, as you are adding this to water for mixing before applying to the closed terrarium. 
   
  Also buy some insect sticky traps to reduce the colony.  They can just be placed into the soil the same as you would do in an houseplant pot.

•  Plants growing too tall:  Open the lid and prune the stems a couple leaves down to allow your plant some more growth space.  Cut the stem not the leaves usually just below the point where the leaf is growing from called the “node”. 

• Bonsai tree trunk has white spots:  This is just small specks of mould.  Open the lid for a few hours to air out and wipe off the offending mould from the trunk using a clean cloth. 

• Plants look weepy, dry and pale:  Terrarium will need a drink at times unless you have a very tight lid seal then the need for moisture will be less and less as time goes on, if your lid is slightly loose then it will require water more often!  Before you water your terrarium test soil with your finger if it's dry then water the base of the plants and soil with a small pipette or syringe with approx 2-3 tablespoons or egg cups or shot glass level worth of filtered water but tap water is also fine if you not have filtered.  Tap water usually can leave scale spot marks on the glass over time.  

• Settling in: Your terrarium will need to settle into it's new home, be patient especially if it's only just been made unless you buy one of our terrariums that has had several weeks to settle in then you will need to follow a few steps above.  They are a piece of science and sometimes not all terrariums are 100% successful but we do share with you our experience and advice as we have learned here with you. 

• Terrarium A&E: Do email us at help@botanicalboys.com or pop into our store for further help with your terrarium.  

Annual Care

• Clean out dead leaves and general tidy up. 

• Some plants or mosses may have died so you will need to replace them.  But hope you can try avoid by monitoring g your terrarium and acting on any changes earlier than later. 

• Clean any larger decorative stones if they get green algae.  

Peace of mind

Nature can sometimes be unpredictable but we offer advice based on our own research and experience.  We offer all our clients a 30 day plant care guarantee, please get in touch for details.  Contact us if there are any issues with your purchase and we will work with you to help solve any issues.  Help@botanicalboys.com

Plant care and design service after 30 days we charge a fee to rebuild it or a new plant. 

Please see below some of the plants we use in our terrariums but this is not a full list.

Terrarium Plants

Fittonia

Colourful plants with nerve – like structures, also commonly known as “Nerve Plant”.  They are from South American jungles and are used to dappled shade and moist conditions, but not wet!

Bun Moss

Hill shaped thick moss is perfect for green landscapes and add true nature to your terrarium garden.  They like to be kept moist.  Remember moisture from the moss equals moisture in your terrarium, so avoid watering plants too much.  If it goes brown, remove the brown bits.  It will grow upwards over time. 

Chamaedorea (meaning "ground gift") 

A native palm to subtropical and tropical regions (also known as Parlour Palm) they can be used in terrariums but will need a little pruning at times as they will grow tall over time.  They give a terrarium a very tropical look and feel.  They like high humidity but not soaking wet.

Ficus Ginseng trees

Native to Africa and Asia, these little trees love to be kept in humid conditions.  They will not require regular watering inside your terrarium unless the terrarium gets too dry.  Check soil from time to time, if it's very dry water your terrarium. Pruning me if I get a little too bushy is easy, simply snip off the stems that have got a little bushy.  This tree is part of the rubber family, so when you do snip the stems a white milky latex will flow out.  It is sticky, so wash your hands, but it will seal itself up.

Polyscia Trees (meaning "many shade")

A fantastic indoor tree that actually tolerates shade quite well.  I grow straight up by producing leaves from the bottom.  I am native to the South Pacific region.  It is also related to ginseng tree and Ivy.  They add a lovely green woodland feel to your terrarium.  Likes humid conditions and does not need a lot of watering in your terrarium.  It can grow to over 1m in an open pot, but to keep it from going too tall, just prune the stems back a little if it goes too big over time.

Pilea