Make Your Own Terrarium Kit! The Easy 6 Step Guide

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How much would you pay for a terrarium kit? If you answered anything more than nothing, then you’ve already paid too much.

Plants bring life and oxygen to any space, but not every space is suitable for plants… Aside from being relatively easy to care for, terrariums are fantastic for squeezing into rooms you might not otherwise be able to greenify; that’s why terrariums have been having such a huge moment recently.

And of course, thanks to their popularity, a whole industry has arisen, selling either ready-made options or terrarium kits for you to do the hard work yourself.

The problem with both of these options is this:

It’s really simple and inexpensive to do it yourself!

So don’t get ripped off! Follow these 6 easy steps and make your own!

Keys to a Happy Terrarium

Before we get started, so much of your terrariums success will come down to your preparation (like so much in life):

Choose Your Plants Wisely

The best plants for terrariums (terrarii?) have “light” root structures and efficient water usage. ‘Light roots’ mean they’re not going to grow wildly beneath the surface, which could eventually break the container.

These two factors are what make succulents and mosses the ideal plants to work with. (Bonsais are also fantastic, but they are a whole other world of care!)

Mosses love a rocky display. Their punchy greens look especially verdant against arid, dark stones. They also get most of the moisture they need from the air around them, making them very forgiving: great if you struggle with plant care.

However, we love the weird and wonderful colours and shapes of the succulent family, so that’s what we’ve focussed on for this guide. Needless to say, the same steps will apply for mosses.

Choose Your Terrarium

This is really the only stage where you might allow yourself a bit of budget if you’re going for a specific look.

Retailers like West Elm regularly have interesting options to inspire you, but you’ll find good deals on many similar designs over on Amazon.

But so many of the most interesting terrariums come in unexpected forms, and you can get some of those for as little as the cost of “asking nicely” and upcycling them.

If you opt for an enclosed terrarium, such as a sealed bottle or upcycled acquarium, keep in mind you’ll need to refresh the air every once in a while.

Get Your Materials

Never forget that a key feature of any terrarium is that you’ll end up with a cross-section of the below “ground” level as much as the surface.

We want to see every part, but we also want what we see to be beautifully presented.

Some terrariums look great au naturale, with the moist, compacted soil smushed up against the glass, but some call for something a bit cleaner.

These steps allow for a 4 layered approach, where we wanted to conceal the soil. If you have no shame and want to keep you soil visible, then simply skipping the stones/pebbles is an option, although we’d highly recommend getting some larger/dime-sized stones for the bottom layer; this will allow for an inch of drainage to help your root system.

Having covered that, let’s crack on with the guide!

Well done!

Got a question or suggestion? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t be afraid to contact us.