How to make a florarium by yourself
A florarium or plant terrarium isa small home greenhouse, a transparent glass or plastic container in which plants grow. Dry air in the winter, lack of lighting, cold on the windowsill from the window glass and lack of time for regular care often put an end to the dream of having your own tropical garden with moisture-loving and heat-loving species. A florarium is an ideal solution for those who love exotic plants, but the climatic conditions of an ordinary city apartment are not conducive to growing them. Content:
What is the Florarium?
As a rule, the florarium is made of glass ordense, translucent plastic; there are also completely wooden models or combined ones with transparent inserts. Unlike a terrarium, a florarium necessarily has a narrowed entrance hole on the top or side to ensure a microclimate inside the container. Often this hole is completely covered with a lid. Special containers for growing plants are used, as well as all kinds of glass bottles, jars with lids, large wine bottles, bowls with a narrowed hole, and laboratory flasks.
The main purpose of the florarium ismaintaining a more or less stable level of humidity and temperature, as in a greenhouse. Special equipment for heating and lighting can make the florarium independent of a source of natural light and heat. All this allows you to grow the most demanding plants in a container, requiring certain conditions and care. If the florarium is completely closed, it is necessary to regularly ventilate it so that condensation does not accumulate on the walls. For plant terrariums, rectangular aquariums, terrariums for turtles, snakes and other animals, large round vases, bowls, even ordinary glass cups or glasses are used. This option is also called a display florarium. Access to the plants here is open from above, which means you need to strictly observe the temperature regime, regularly water and spray, and avoid drafts if the plants need it.
Another important advantage of florariumsis their compactness, which is especially important for owners of small apartments and small window sills, where there is not enough space for large flowerpots. Various plant compositions in the terrarium look very stylish and extraordinary, especially in comparison with standard pots with indoor plants.
It is worth remembering that no matter how slowly the plants grow, sooner or later they will become cramped in a small container. Then the flowers can be transplanted into pots, and the florarium can be filled with a new composition.
Types of florariums
Florarium, in fact, imitates naturalliving conditions of the selected plants. Therefore, you need to create a florarium with your own hands, based on the climate zone and habitat. You should not plant wet forest ferns and a desert succulent in the same terrarium. Each type of florarium requires its own regime of watering, ventilation and temperature so that the entire plant composition does not die. Let's look at the three main types of florariums. Florarium “Tropical Rainforests” The compositions are based on tropical rainforests with a huge variety of plants, for example, Amazon rainforests, Southeast Asian rainforests, Atlantic equatorial coastal forests. Even in a miniature container, you can recreate the semblance of multi-tiered jungle forests using plants of different heights. It is important that the foreground of the composition remains open, allowing all tiers to be seen. Although the image of a tropical forest is created mainly visually, using plants that can be freely purchased in flower shops. It is not at all necessary to look for rare tropical species. The main condition when selecting plants for the composition is similar soil requirements, moderate growth and the need for high relative humidity. It is preferable to use soil of a complex composition, with an admixture of coarse sand, leaf soil, and peat. To maintain high humidity, you can place a small cup of water in a vessel and decorate it, put a small piece of driftwood pulled out of the water.
Plants:common ivy, asparagus, dwarf ficus, calamus, begonias, miniature ferns, crotons, phytonia, chamedorea, selaginella, some types of bamboo with moderate growth. Care. Caring for compositions with plants of the humid tropics largely comes down to maintaining optimal humidity and temperature in the container. Humidity level 70-85%, temperature at least 25°C, frequent watering or spraying in very dry air conditions of the apartment or when using an open terrarium.
Florarium “Semi-Desert” If you don’t have anytime or desire to monitor the humidity in the terrarium, water and feed the soil often, it doesn’t matter, there are plants that do not need careful care at all. We are talking about the inhabitants of deserts and semi-deserts - a group of plants collectively called succulents. And although it is believed that florariums are only suitable for tropical plants, succulents feel just as good in containers. It is convenient for them to use open terrariums and vessels without a narrowed neck. The soil can be formed from coarse and finely sifted sand, put several stones, and decorate with ceramic fragments.
Plants: all kinds of succulents of original form - young, agave, adromiscus, beard, greenia, wild, Kalanchoe, malefora, spurge, euphorbia, different types of cacti. Care. Watering should be done as the soil dries out. During the growth period, from spring to autumn, once a week to one and a half weeks is enough, and in the winter - once every three to four weeks. If you went on vacation for a couple of weeks, don’t worry, the plants will greet you in the same impeccable form. Succulents prefer moderate room temperature, even cool in winter - 13-15°C. The sun's rays are necessary, so placement on window sills is quite justified.
Florarium "Mountains" Mountain plants in plantsterrariums can be conditionally divided into two types: inhabitants of high-altitude rocky, semi-desert plateaus and plants of forest foothills, including tropical rainforests. Therefore, the range of plants for a florarium with a mountain landscape is generally the same as for the other two species. Dry mountain regions are characterized by semi-desert plants, while forested mountains are characterized by inhabitants of humid forests. Representatives of the Gesneriaceae - Saintpaulia, as well as some climbing plants, are specific for rocky areas. Again, depending on the chosen direction, the soil should be oily, rich in organic matter and with good drainage, or deserted, with large pebbles. Actively use large stones of irregular shape, with sharp edges and chips, which will imitate rock ledges and peaks.
Plants: Seleginella, ferns, ivy, Saintpaulias, succulents, cacti. Care corresponds to either florariums with tropical plants or desert ones.
Florarium "Moss" Mosses - common into all continents, a department of plants with more than 10,000 species! In nature, mosses grow in almost all climate zones, often in very extreme habitat conditions. Bryophytes usually form dense clusters in shady places and love moisture, so they can grow in close proximity to water. Although there are many species that do well in sunny, dry areas, as well as in conditions of constantly low temperatures. In florariums, moss is often an additional element covering open areas of the ground. But it is quite acceptable to make the main character of the composition out of moss. To do this, you can either purchase moss from flower shops for landscape design and decorating indoor plants, for example, sphagnum moss, or dig up some types of moss in the forest. It is advisable to cut off only the top part, without the rhizome, to allow the moss covering to recover. A composition with moss can include other plants, but try to ensure that they do not overlap or distract attention from the soft velvety covering. Moss takes root well in acidic soil, so you can purchase a special moss substrate in the store that can be laid on top of regular soil. With moss, florariums with a landscape of a forest in a temperate climate zone work well.
Care. Create natural habitat conditions for moss. Place a container of water in the florarium and frequently spray the entire arrangement.
Master-class how to make a fllorarium by your own hands
In order to make a florarium with your own hands, you will need:
- glass container with or without lid (aquarium, vase, can)
- soil that corresponds to plants
- drainage (sand, small pebbles, expanded clay, broken brick)
- activated or charcoal
- plants
- decorative elements for decoration (figurines, houses, branches, driftwood)
- tools (scapula or spoon, tweezers long, sprayer, watering can, scissors)
Prepare a container for planting plants.Wash it well and pour boiling water over it. Place a drainage layer 3-4 cm high. This can be expanded clay, coarse sand, pebbles, decorative stones for an aquarium, and the like.
Place activated carbon over the drainagestraight into tablets or crushed, you can use fine charcoal. This is necessary to absorb harmful chemicals coming from the water, preventing the formation of mold and mildew. By the way, it is recommended to water and spray the plants in the terrarium with filtered water.
Place 5-8 cm of damp soil on top.By the way, crushed coal can be mixed with soil, rather than laid in a separate layer. For compositions with desert plants, you can use sifted sand, and for tropical plants, a ready-made substrate. For decorative purposes, layers of soil can be alternated with thin layers of colored sand.
Level the soil, use a spoon to make smallrecesses for plants. Remove the plants themselves from the pots and clean the roots. Using tweezers, carefully plant the plants and sprinkle the roots with soil. Make sure that large leaves do not touch the walls of the container, otherwise condensation may constantly accumulate on them and they will rot.
Carefully spray the planted plants with a sprayer. If the soil is not wet enough, water it with a watering can with a thin spout. Add decorative elements.
Here is another master class on how to make a florarium in a jar. By the way, a wonderful joint activity with children!
Photos of different types of florariums for inspiration
