Every gardener and terrarium designer faces problems regarding the care of terrariums that they create. There can be lots of different questions that you may need answers for. So, let’s review the most frequently asked questions about terrariums and answer them.
Terrariums Q/A:
- Plants in your terrarium are sticking out of container or become overgrown. This doesn’t look nice. Can you keep the same plants in the terrarium and what should you do?
Answer. Even though terrarium conditions limit the growth of plants, they still grow, but much slower. You will be able to enjoy your terrarium design for months or even a year without pruning the plants. But you can keep the same plants in the terrarium if you successfully prune the plants. Also make sure that plants are healthy with no mold. Remove any dead leaves. If you need information on pruning, read this post.
- You have built a terrarium and you are happy with it. But with time, plants start leaning sideways. Why is this happening?
Answer. It is very common when plants in a terrarium start leaning sideways. Most terrarium beginners place their terrariums in one place and barely move them around. Plants are always in search of some sunlight to keep themselves alive and growing, so they will naturally lean to the side with light source. If plants only get light from one side, they will start leaning to that side. This can also ruin your design.
Plants on the other side may not get much or any sunlight at all. To fix this problem, start changing positions of your terrarium and turning it so that all plants can get sunlight from different angles. You can also get a plant lamp to provide plants with light in winter or a room with no much sun. This way your plants will grow steadily and properly.
- There is water on a terrarium glass or it is fogged up? Why is this happening? What should I do in this situation?
Answer. Condensation on sides of a terrarium glass is completely fine, but can also cause problems if you ignore it completely. When you water your terrarium, the moisture evaporates and is left as droplets on the glass. If you overwater your terrarium, too much moisture in the soil will cause mold formation and rotting.
Closed terrariums are at higher risk because condensation builds up inside and can’t escape. No water should be leaking from the soil, it should only be wet. If you have overwatered the soil, take some tissues and absorb any excess water.
With closed terrariums, you should open a lid from time to time for ventilation, and to wipe the glass. Avoid putting the terrarium under the sun, as it will cause a very high temperature inside the terrarium, causing fogged up glass. Making a small hole in the terrarium can help solve this problem. You can also spray your glass with anti-fog spray. You can read more about watering and condensation in this post.
- Why do terrarium plants don’t need much water or fertilizing, but they still grow and remain healthy for long time?
Answer. Plants in terrariums require misting and watering from time to time. As plants in this closed ecosystem use the water again and again (due to condensation), you don’t need to water them too often. Fertilizing plants is sometimes recommended, but you might skip it if you wish. Plants survive on sunlight and nutrients from the soil. Terrariums often don’t require much care.
- Help! There are bugs in my terrarium! What should I do?
Answer. If you notice any bugs in your terrarium, don’t worry. It is good if you notice those fungus gnats early so you can start getting rid of them from the start. They often appear in overwatered terrariums with rotting soil, so they can feed on it. To get rid of them, make sure to throw away any dead rotting leaves on the soil. Also, make sure the soil is not too wet, and dry it with a tissue if needed. Open the lid and ventilate the terrarium. You can also take the plants out and redo your terrarium and wash them under the cold water.
To trap the fungus gnats, try using sticky traps for bugs and hanging them in your terrarium. You can also add sundew plant inside your terrarium (if you have a bigger container with suitable conditions), as it is carnivorous and feeds on insects. They will help you get rid of those bugs. If nothing helps, do the terrarium cleaning by changing the soil and washing plant roots. In worst situation get rid of the soil and plants, and make a new terrarium.
If you have noticed a white substance on your plant, this could be a mealybug. It is a pest insect which also destroys your plants. If you notice them, remove infected plants and rub some alcohol on infected areas of other plants that are not too infected. Repeat this procedure every 5 days to get rid of them.
Getting insecticidal soap and using it on affected plants will also help to get rid from bugs in your terrarium.
What kind of lighting is best for my terrarium? Where should I place it?
Answer. It is best to place your terrarium somewhere with no direct sunlight as it will burn and ‘boil’ your plants inside the container. There are different types of sun exposure, with Western and Southern being the strongest ones. Eastern sunlight is received during the dawn on the eastern side of the building and northern – northern side of the house. So, make sure to put your terrarium away from strong sun rays. Not enough sunlight can also cause some plants to grow leggy. This happens because a plant is trying to grow higher to get more sunlight.
Putting your terrarium inside the room or near the window facing the weaker sun exposure site (indirect light) will be perfect. Your plants don’t need too much light, some natural bright light will be ideal. If your terrarium is constantly in a darker spot, you can add artificial lighting, like a strip light lamp or fluorescent light.
How often should you water your terrarium? And how to do it?
Answer. There are differences in how and how often to water your terrarium plants. Various techniques of watering are used, for example misting and submerging. Frequency of watering depends on a season and plant type. Checking your soil before watering or misting is a main technique. More watering is required in summer for tropical plants. Read more about watering your terrarium plants here.
How long will my terrarium last?
Answer. If you take a proper care of your terrarium by pruning, watering and keeping it clean from mold, terrarium can last from a year and more. Everything depends on how you care for it.
Hope these answered some of your questions! If you have any more questions, post them in the comments!