DIY: Make Your own Terrarium

Add a touch of green to your home with these simple potted center pieces. Extremely simple and fun to do with kids, you can make it your own by choosing plants, containers and decorations that suit your taste.

You Will Need:
Container
Fine gravel or activated charcoal pieces
Planting soil
Terrarium plants
Moss (optional)
Decorative stones or shells
Watering can
Gloves
Trowel

To Make:
• In a clean, glass container, layer 1-2 inches of gravel 
or charcoal. This is an important draining layer that keeps moisture levels even.
• Combine remaining gravel or charcoal with some soil, 
and add 2 inches on top of the base layer.
• Carefully remove plants from their original pots and arrange in the container. Make sure there is space to fit more soil between them, and each has room to grow.
• Place more soil between the plants, and pat down to remove air pockets.
• Carefully layer the moss around the plants, and decoratively arrange rocks, shells or statues as you desire.
• Place in an area that is well-lit but away from direct light. Maintenance is minimal in a terrarium; trim the plants as they grow and keep in a well ventilated space. Water them according to the plants you have, and check the moisture level of the soil beforehand.

Great Terrarium Plants:
Look out for these varieties of ferns, grasses and mosses, which thrive in small spaces: Variegated spider fern
, Starfish plant
, Variegata
, Golden club moss
, Aquamarine
, Black mondo grass

Haley Herrinton: Haley Herrinton is the production assistant at The Health Journal. She is a recent graduate of the College of William & Mary and enjoys baking and maintains a blog: what haleybakes.com