How to Plant A Cactus Terrarium

Terrariums are the ideal way to grow houseplants for people living in condos and apartments.

Cacti are a good beginner's terrarium as they are slow growing and need little care. They come in many shapes and sizes and bloom in different colors, adding variety as well as beauty to the cactus garden.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• aquarium
• cactus potting mix
• fine gravel
• rocks
• cactus plants
• succulent plants
• moss

1. 

   Decide which size terrarium you would like to have. There is an aquarium size called "20 gallon long" which is large enough to allow for the creation of little hills to achieve a natural landscape appearance. However, even a small 5 gallon aquarium can have one hill.

2. 

   Gather all supplies. This will include the aquarium, a fine gravel for drainage, the necessary amount of cactus potting mix, some rocks in different sizes to create hills or for a backdrop, some moss for growing on the rocks, a variety of cactus plants in different sizes and shapes, and some small succulent plants in different colors to contrast with the spiky cactus.

3. 

   Put a layer of gravel in the bottom of the aquarium. It should be about 1 inch deep and be evenly distributed. The gravel is necessary for proper drainage as cacti do not grow well in constantly moist soil.

4. 

   Add the cactus potting soil mix and cover all of the stones. The soil should be several inches high to allow for root growth.

5. 

   Place the rocks in the areas where you want to create hills. Do not push them down into the soil but rather lay them gently on top of it. Rearrange the rocks until you have the desired effect. If you would like to cover part of a rock, simply add more soil to it rather than pushing it down. Put the moss on the bare parts of the rocks.

6. 

   Arrange the cactus plants with an eye for color, size, and shape. Plant the succulents among the cacti. If you created a hill that is completely covered with soil, you may want to plant a small cactus or succulent on that hill. Just make sure that there is plenty of soil on top of the rock. To help keep a rock completely covered with potting mix, put a smaller rock near it to "trap" the soil.

7. 

   Cactus terrariums are not covered as the neither the cacti nor the succulents do well with high humidity. Leaving the terrarium open to the fresh air will allow a lower humidity. It will also help the soil to dry out between watering. Place the terrarium where it will receive sunlight or artificial light. Water the plants about once a week, allowing the soil to get dry before the next time that you water. Allowing the soil to get dry will encourage the cactus to flower.

[boatst]

on 7/21/2009 I have two round glass containers I'm thinking about turning a terrarium. Haven't decided waht kind yet. Thanks for wonderful instructions.