I created a succulent terrarium this weekend for the little love birds, Brooke & Trever. Its no Paula Hayes, but it is awfully cute. Right before I began, I thought this might be a good DIY for MStetson; below are my how-to steps. It was such a fun project; I highly recommend it!
{ Step No. 01 | BUYING SUPPLIES }
GLASS CONTAINER | Now, if you plan on using succulents, as above, it is best to have a glass container with a large opening versus a traditional terrarium container. Succulents (most succulents, I should say) prefer dry, desert-like conditions. A traditional terrarium with little-to-no opening are very humid and will not support the proper climate for succulents or cacti. Also consider how many plants you would like to be placed in the container, as well as the height of the plants.
ROCKS | You will need to purchase a bag of rocks that will allow for drainage and air circulation for the roots.
HORTICULTURAL CHARCOAL | This will be the second layer in your terrarium. This helps "sweeten" the water and lessen the chance of any molds or bacteria.
CACTUS SOIL | Using pre-mixed cactus soil is a perfect way to avoid having to mix your own. Succulents and cacti need soil that have extra good drainage, so if you opt to mix your own, do some good research on soil/sand proportions.
PLANTS | It is really important when you pick your succulents, to select ones with similar sun conditions. These below are full sun, which are perfect for sunny Southern California.
{ Step No. 02 | CREATE }
LAYER ROCKS & CHARCOAL | I poured in about a 2 1/2" layer of rocks, smoothed them out evenly and then carefully poured in the 1"-1 1/2" layer of charcoal. I know once the soil starts to settle and the terrarium is watered, the layers may not look as clearly defined, but until then, I wanted them looking perfect.
POUR IN SOIL | I then poured in about one quarter of the container's worth of soil and smoothed out evenly. Again, upon watering, the soil will begin to compact.
PLANT YOUR SUCCULENTS | Arrange the succulents to your liking. (I went through a few rounds.) I tried to place the ones with a bit more height in the center. Plant them and gently pack the soil surrounding them.
ADD ANY FINAL TOUCHES | I decided to insert a garden maker with Brooke & Trev's new phrase, "we are hoehne". But, I have seen rocks, figurines, etc.
{ Step No. 03 | GIFT WRAP }
HOW-TO TAG | I opted for a hand-written "how-to" tag. (I am on the computer way to much!) It reads:
How to care for your Succulent Terrarium.
No. 01: Don't over water.
No. 02: These succas like it hot! (full sun).
No. 03: Love on them & enjoy.
WRAP | I'm going to be honest, this was no easy task for my container. It was so large, it was hard to find anything large enough to wrap the whole thing. A fabric or cloth might have been a good option, however I decided to work with kraft paper and come to terms that the bottom may be exposed. (Ya, not the most forgiving and flexible material.) I cut out a large circle and centered it on the top. Then, I carefully began to tuck in layers and ended up stapling them because the double-stick tape wasn't actually
sticking. Upon completion, I used a small ribbon to cinch the wrap around the top lip of the container. Finally, I made a little gift tag and voila...
p.s. I am addicted to these. I've already made a small one for my house and planted the extra succulents outside... don't be surprised if you get one for your birthday!
While I remain indecisive about a lighting pendant over the dining table, I found this $15 chandelier on craigslist and decided to paint it yellow in the interim. (Corey, if you come across something fantastic in all your hunting, please do share!) I sanded it down with 220-grit sand paper and then went for it. If I was to it again? I would have listened to my gut and not the employee at Lowes... PRIME it first. He told me that this spray paint wouldn't need priming, but I think it would have made the color much more consistent. Anyway, it was a fun little project and added lots of light (and color) to my room.
