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TRANSCRIPT
How to Make a Terrarium
By: Abigail Clement, Austin Mitchell, Conner Daly, Taylor McClellan, and Tony Mcjohnston
Table of Contents iii
Table of Contents
Sections Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................................... iii
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. v
Materials ....................................................................................................................................................... 1
Preparations .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Instructions and Maintenance ...................................................................................................................... 5
Clean Up ........................................................................................................................................................ 9
Troubleshooting .......................................................................................................................................... 11
Works Cited ................................................................................................................................................. 13
Introduction v
Introduction
Anyone who follows these simple and
detailed instructions will be able to make
a terrarium. A terrarium is a collection of
small plants growing in a transparent,
sealed container. In a Terrarium you can
see a closed plant environment, and can
actually be used to illustrate how an
ecosystem works. Inside a terrarium
many different natural processes can be
observed like photosynthesis, respiration,
and the water cycle. If anyone wants to
perform a simple, fun, and inexpensive project, the terrarium is the way to go. This project can
be done by an elementary school student and any age up, due to safe materials and easy
instructions. Materials for the terrarium are not hard to get access to. Instructions for a terrarium
are easy to follow and have a lot of detail. A terrarium can be used for a decoration or can make
a great gift for a friend.
Required Materials 1
Required Materials
Figure 1: Materials A to F, L
A. Mason jar with lid
B. Potting Soil
C. Pebbles or Gravel
D. Activated or Terrarium Charcoal
E. Sheet Moss or Preserved Sheet Moss
F. Decorative Items
G. Small Plants (Not Shown)
H. 13 Gallon Trash Bag (Not Shown)
I. Broom with Dustpan (Not Shown)
J. 2 Wet Paper Towels (Not Shown)
K. Chopsticks (Not Shown)
L. Krylon Spray Paint
Preparations for Work Area and Mason Jar 3
Preparations for Work Area and Mason Jar
Before you start on your new, homemade terrarium, you have to start on some vital prep work.
Since you are going to be working with dirt, start by finding a hardwood floor area that you
would not mind getting messy. Afterwards, if you will be using a used mason jar, you might
want to check for any logos, sticker residues, and labels. If they are in site, follow these
instructions:
1) For logos on the lid, carefully spray paint the cover with Krylon spray paint. Wait about
10 minutes for the spray to dry.
2) If you have sticker residue on the glass, you can soak the Mason jar with soapy water. If
that doesn’t get the entire residue off, you can gently scrub it off with a cloth or towel
with vegetable oil on it.
3) After following these directions, wash your mason jar, and dry it off with a towel*.
4) Now you are ready to build a new homemade terrarium.
*Refer to Troubleshooting section for additional information
Instructions and Maintenance 5
Instructions and Maintenance
1) Add 1” layer of pebbles to the Mason jar to give your terrarium a strong base.
2) Lay a thin layer of charcoal over the pebbles to help filter the water later on. This will
also stop future mildew smells.
3) Place 3”-4” layer of potting soil on top of the layer of charcoal.
4) To add greenery, take the sheet moss and tear it into pieces
5) Place the pieces of sheet moss in a single layer inside the jar.*
Decorations*
1) First, add a variety of pebble on top of the sheet moss.
2) Next, you can add shells, for a tropical look.
3) Now add different plants to fill your terrarium. This can include ferns, flowers, etc…
*Refer to Troubleshooting section for additional information
Instructions and Maintenance 7
Maintaining your Terrarium
1) Lightly water your terrarium until you can see moisture in the pebble layer.
2) Screw on the lid.
3) Every 2 weeks, you will need to re water your terrarium. You can do this by spritzing the
inside of the Mason jar with a spray bottle.
4) Make sure you can see droplets of water.*
*Refer to Troubleshooting section for additional information
Clean Up 9
Clean Up
Cleaning up the mess you made as you created your terrarium is rather simple. All you need is a:
13 gallon trash bag
A broom with a dustpan
2 wet paper towels
Simply hold open the trash bag at the edge of whatever surface you decided you create your
terrarium on, use one of the wet paper towels to scrape all of the excess soil into the bag. Use
the other wet paper towel to wipe down your area and remove all stray particles left over.
Finally, use the broom and the dust pan to brush up and material that may have fallen on the
ground as you were constructing your terrarium. Dup the remaining particles into the trash bag,
and your area should now be clean.
Troubleshooting Tips 11
Troubleshooting Tips
Always rinse the jar, rocks, and ornaments with hot water before use! This prevents
disease from being introduced into the terrarium.
Never use rocks or shells from the beach! Salt will kill the plants.
Your hand may not easily fit into the mouth of the jar, so you can use chopsticks to
orient objects within the terrarium.
While droplets of water are ideal, remove the lid for a short amount of time if the
glass becomes foggy.
NEVER place your terrarium in direct sunlight.
Moss is used to humid climates, so those living in dry areas may need to water every
few weeks or so. Monitor the soil conditions every few weeks to ensure proper
moisture content.
Over-watering can cause disease and mold to fester. This can be indicated by a rotten
odor coming from the jar. This can also be indicated by the attraction of bugs and
insects. If this occurs, re-pot the plants in a new jar, or in some cases, dispose of
them.
If plants begin to appear unhealthy, you may add ¼ packet of a weak, household plant
food.
Works Cited 13
Works Cited
Michaels, Kerry. "Container Gardening." Mason Jar Terrarium n.pag. About.com Guide.
Web. 24 Apr 2013.
<http://containergardening.about.com/od/floweringcontainergarden/ss/Mason-Jar-Terrarium.htm>.
Ryan, Jenny. "CRAFT Project: Mason Jar Terrarium." Make: Craft. N.p., 17 Mar. 2009.
Web. 24 Apr. 2013.
<http://blog.makezine.com/craft/craft_project_mason_jar_terrar/>.