Upcycle your own Mini Terrarium

By Greta

If you've got a ton of  plastic and glass jars like I do, but are running out of things to do with them, then look no further! This simple and absolutely gorgeous upcycled mini terrarium project will bring natural living beauty into your home or workspace.

The project can be made as an open or closed terrarium. If you're opting for a closed terrarium, ensure you leave 5-7cm room for your plants and the lid to be closed.

For open terrariums, consider reusing the jar lid as a cup coaster, snack dish, or a resting place for your spoons/spatulas when you cook.

     


MATERIALS

  • A cleaned pre-loved jar.
  • 10-20 small stones approx. 2cm in size.
  • 1-3 small indoor plants/succulents (think small enough to fit into your preferred jar).
  • Potting mix
  • 1-3 decorative ornaments of your choice
  • A thin and pointy object (skewer, toothpick, pointy pencil etc) for making a 'well' for your plants

TOOLS

  • Small shovel/spoon for scooping potting mix
  • Spray bottle with water

METHOD

  1. Depending on what look you're going for, remove and clean the label from your jar.
  2. Place stones in the jar to create the water draining layer.
  3. Using your shovel/spoon, heap on potting mix for your second layer. For open terrariums, leave 2cm room on top. For an enclosed terrarium, leave a 5-7cm breathing space for your plants and the lid to be closed.
  4. Using your thin and pointy object (I use a skewer), make a small well approx. 1cm deep, and spaced approx. 3cm from your other plants.
  5. Plant your plants into the well and cover.
  6. Decoration time! Place extra garden stones around the plants, and ornaments of your liking (I use crystal quartz) around the edges of the jar.
  7. Lightly spray your terrarium to moisten, ensuring it doesn't get overwatered. You don't want the water to pool at the bottom of the jar.
  8. Maintain your terrarium. For open terrariums, spray once a week. For closed terrariums, spray once a month. It's best to place your terrarium away from direct sunlight.

There you have it. your very own unique, upcycled mini terrarium. A mini-ecosystem that will thrive for years to come bringing beauty and Zen to your living space.

If you make this project, please tag #alfalfahouse on Instagram so we can see your work and feature it!


One Comment

Suzana Raad

I enjoyed that refresher course. Thank you.


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