Hello lovers. I decided, for the first time in my life, to do a Do-It-Yourself post. This is a big deal. Not really, but I am excited about it. Last weekend for the bridal faire, I needed some succulent magic to go with my new marketing set from April Davis, so we headed to Cactus and Tropicals in Draper (stay tuned for our wedding magic that happened there!). Here, the lovely plant experts lovingly set me up to start my terrarium, and it was here that I learned a couple rules for my precious plants:
1: Do not smother with love. I have a really big problem with over-watering, and apartment windows with barely little light. These little guys need water only every-other week or so, or just once the dirt is completely dry. They love being parched. No wonder everything dies. haha
2: You need more than garden dirt to grow them. In the past, I used a garden cup-full for all of my little desert plants. Ergo, death. Cactus soil, gravel, and a whole lot of complicated things (not really), make the best love-nest for the succulent babies.
Now, I was set. We bought my terrarium, all the necessary supplies, and now we are ready to start.
Step one: Find a poodle to observe. Prepare your terrarium.
For most of you thinkers out there (like my husband), the immediate problem you would notice about this plant-holder is that there is NO seal to hold dirt and water in. Lame. Me, in my irrational, semi-panicked state, decided it needed to be an impulse-buy, and that everything can be solved with clear spackle. Although this added like 5 days to the process, it works. But maybe start with a sealed terrarium. Which you would think is all of them.. but NOOOO.
If you are like me and need immediate spackle-ing, clean and dry the area before applying, then wait at LEAST 24 hours before you touch it... or re-layer it, which I did... a few times. My test #1 for sealing failed instantly with a puddled counter, so maybe, MAYBE do it outside.
Step two: Add gravel.
I found out that the gravel adds a buffer to save your plants from drowning, so the little cute lady hooked me up with small pebble-gravel to put in the bottom 1-1.5 inches of your terrarium.
Step three: Charcoal. Weird, I know. But I didn't doubt them. Sprinkle a thin layer of charcoal over your gravel.
Step four: Screen. Use a thin mesh or window-screen and cut it fit, then place above the first two layers.
Step four part B: Check on the sleeping poodle. They get bored easy.
Step five: Cactus dirt. Not garden dirt, just cactus. I filled the rest of the container to the bottom of the window-thing with dirt, then shoved (literally) my plants in there. Make sure you leave room for growth for your taller plants, and if your plants are root-bound, tear the bottom of the roots off so they are open and ready to spread.
Step six: Water and enjoy. Not over-water, but you can totally enjoy. At this point, since I am SO excited about my clear, sparkly business cards, I decided my terrarium needed one, and this is where the onslaught of photos happened to capture April's brilliance.
Step seven: Involve the poodle. And enjoy our new marketing set, by the most awesome person ever. April does all of our graphic design, and rocks my world. Sometimes we dye poodles and chickens and body hair pink together. we love them. She also photographs us fantastically. And we wakeboard with them. Loves of our life.
Let me know how your project goes!!!
I am no expert so maybe don't ask for any plant advice,
but I love hearing from you either way.
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