Get creative during spring break with a do-it-yourself project

Mackenzie Hurlbert – Copy Editor –

Do you need some green in your life? Spring is almost here, so let’s celebrate! How about making one of these terrariums? They aren’t hard to create and maintain as long as you pick the right plants, water it, and place it in the sun. I have always wanted to make one of these! I think they are so cool, and you can make little dioramas inside too, which is a neat idea I’m borrowing from Pinterest. If you have any tiny figurines or plastic army men, hiding them in the thriving jungle of your terrarium could really bring this miniature forest to life. My plan is to create a terrarium in a gallon fish bowl and putting little Star Wars Ewok figures inside. Have fun designing your own themed terrarium with these simple steps. 

All you need is:

-Glass terrarium (A fish bowl or mason jar would work!)

-Potting soil

-Gravel

-Plants

-Figurines

Cover the bottom of the terrarium container with about an inch of gravel.

Cover this layer with plenty of potting soil; I suggest filling it to about a third of the way up your container. If you are planting cacti, use the potting soil specifically for the cactus plant (it drains quicker than normal potting soil).

Choose the plants you’d like to use. You may have to do some research as to what grows best in terrariums. In my terrarium, I have chosen a spider fern, nerve plant, and golden clubmoss.

Carefully dig a place for your plants to sink into the soil and place them in. Make sure you separate the roots a little before planting them, and compress the dirt around the bottom of the plant’s stem once it is on place. Leave plenty of space in between the plants so they can reach out and grow a bit.

Once you have finished, insert your figurines! Remember, you may have to relocate them as the plants grow.

Water regularly and make sure it gets sun! You may have to look up the specific needs of the plants you choose in order to properly care for them.

Theme ideas:

• Cacti Desert- You can plant some cacti and add little desert figurines like coyotes or lizards
• Woodlands theme- You can use little deer figurines to bring life to this woodlands scene
• Fairy Forest- This is of course a more girly theme, but it could be cute, especially if you’re making one for a younger sister or to satisfy your own childhood fantasy. It’s pretty self-explanatory; just decorate it with fairy figurines!
• Army theme- As mentioned earlier, hiding a little army man among the leaves of your terrarium could be interesting! Plus as your plants grow, he’ll get more and more camouflaged with the greenery.