Software
Houzz Logo Print
bbtexan

Plant suggestions please

9 years ago

This is my first terrarium and I'm having trouble deciding on the right plant.

( I placed the can in the photo for perspective.) The fern on the right was in the terrarium but I thought it was boring by itself..


I would prefer three plants for variety, but I think it's too small to support three without quickly getting overgrown.


The other challenge is that the base is pretty narrow so I need a plant with shallow roots. Any suggestions for a single plant with interesting foliage that won't get too big too fast?

Comment (1)

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That's a rather tall order, actually. Truth be told, a container like that is very likely to get overgrown very quickly -- assuming the plant(s) don't succumb to mold or bacteria issues. (Containers like that which have little to no air circulation with a moist media are perfect breeding grounds for fungi and bacteria.)

    Are you looking for immediate gratification or are you willing to wait awhile (as in possibly months) for things to grow? Are you looking for a temporary display (few weeks to a few months or something that may last a bit longer? In any case, you will have to do some experimenting to see what can survive in there with the conditions you can provide.

    Do not use any plants which require high light or direct sun. Do not even consider any type of cactus or succulent.

    Some plant ideas to try:

    There are some types of terrestrial Utricularia that might survive in there.

    You could try sowing some tiny patches of dense growing moss like the type often found growing outside. (If you live in an area which gets real winters, many of your local wild plants require a cold winter dormancy to remain healthy. Don't know if this applies to mosses, though.) If the moss does well, it will eventually fill out and give you a green "lawn".

    In the center, you could try "planting" a leaf from a mini African violet. If things go well, the leaf will root and produce one or more baby plants.

    --•-•-------------------•--•---------------------------------•--•-----------------------------------------------------

    Be VERY careful with your watering. In a container like that, if you overwater even once -- and it won't take much for that to happen, you'll be screwed.

    Keep in mind that you will likely never be able to use that container again. Once the plant(s) you put in there especially once they fill out, you'll never get them out of there without more effort than it will probably be worth.

    You WILL have to do routine maintenance unless you don't mind seeing dead leaves and such. Plant leaves which wind up pressed against the sides of the bottle generally rot and turn to sludge.

Sponsored