With some precautions and a little planning it will be very easy to create our small glass “garden”, a miniature ecosystem that will give elegance to our table as well as delight and inspire our guests.
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himWhen we imagine a beautiful centerpiece, we usually think of fresh and fragrant flowers: a certainly apt choice but certainly not very lasting. And if instead of the usual and unsustainable cut flowers we used a mini glass terrarium, capable of offering a touch of nature for months or even years?
With some precautions and a little planning it will be very easy to create our little glass “garden”, a ecosystem in miniature that will give elegance to our table as well as delight and inspire our guests.
Index
The choice of the container
The first thing to do will be to select the container that best suits our needs. Fortunately, today there is a great variety to choose from. The ideal would be a transparent glass container with a removable lid that will facilitate the maintenance of the mini tabletop terrarium. But let's see some of them:
1. Garden glass bells, used to cover plants and protect them from the winter cold
2. The classic (and deadly) glass bowl for goldfish
3. Tureen with glass lid
4. Small glass flower pots of various shapes and sizes
5. Tins of preserves
6. Glass containers for pharmaceutical use
7. Glass jars
8. Small aquariums
9. Mini glass or acrylic greenhouses
The choice of plants
The time has come to choose the plant to place in our mini-terrarium. The most important factors that we will have to keep in mind when choosing are three: the size of the plant, type of exposure and moisture resistance. More simply, we say that all those plants that have very small dimensions, live well with an exposure in dim light and tolerate high levels of humidity will be preferred. Cactaceae, succulents and aromatic herbs should be avoided. The plants that we report below will thrive if grown with the right precautions.
- African violet
- Soleirolia (Soleirolia soleirolii)
- Begonie
- Carnivorous plants
- Piccolo Reed (Acorus gramineus)
- Impatiens Nano
- Felci: capelvenere (Adiantum), Pellaea (Pellaea rotundifolia)
- Ivy
- Moss
- Orchidee nane
- Sassifraga (Saxifraga stolonifera)
- Violette
Materials needed
Here is what you need after selecting the plant and its container to set up our mini tabletop terrarium.
- Topsoil
Choose a soil that retains moisture but also has good drainage. To improve the latter we can add peat or sphagnum. - Fine gravel or small pebbles
With these materials we will be able to create a draining layer under the soil avoiding possible water stagnation. - Activated carbon
It allows us to filter the water and prevent fungal problems. - Moss
Moss has both a decorative and functional function and can be used as mulch or as a final substrate to absorb any excess water. - Gloves
It is always recommended to use gloves when handling coal or sphagnum. - Gardening tools
These should be chosen according to the size of the container and the plants. - Spray vaporizer
Fundamental to nebulize water once the system has been built. - Decorative items
To be built
Where to place the mini terrarium?
The optimal location would be in a well-lit area of the room but not in direct sunlight. We avoid areas with greater temperature changes, for example near radiators or where there are a lot of drafts. We always use a saucer to protect the surfaces from any water leaks.
Watering and ventilation of the mini terrarium
In a small closed ecosystem like this, frequent watering may not be necessary. Let's say no more than once a month depending on the season and always when the soil is dry. Increase the ventilation of the container only if necessary. For example, if you notice a small mold growth, remove it promptly and leave the terrarium open for a day or two.
Good growth everyone!
Lorenzo DeRitis
Photo: Flick/Pink Polka
