Boxwood Sphere

Here's how I take care of my terrarium plants and keep that glass looking gorgeous.

To keep things from overheating, I always place my terrariums in bright but indirect light.

If your terrarium has a lid, it can pretty much maintain its own water cycle—the water evaporates from the soil, condenses on the glass, and drips back down. Pretty amazing! If you don't see any condensation, give the soil and plants a spritz with a spray bottle or add a few tablespoons of water directly. A healthy terrarium will have condensation on about a third of the glass. If there's more than that, just wipe some away and leave the lid off for a bit to let excess moisture escape.

For an open terrarium, I water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Go slow and add just a little at a time to avoid waterlogging. If your terrarium has cacti or other succulents, water even less—these plants really prefer an open terrarium since they're not fans of humidity.

I skip the fertilizer for terrarium plants because it can make them outgrow their space way too fast. Instead, I refresh the soil mix once a year by scooping off the top layer and replacing it with fresh mix.

I make it a habit to remove any dead or damaged leaves and flowers, and I pinch plants back to encourage them to grow nice and full.

Give the outside of your terrarium a regular dusting—not only does it make the display look its best, but it also lets more light reach your plants.

Image:"Ball terrarium" by Cherus - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons._____________________________________________

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