Make your Own DIY Terrarium


Looking for an easy way to inject some greenery into your home? This DIY Terrarium is super easy to create and a great way to do just that. Plus, we love that this natural element and pop of greenery can double as a great piece of decor in just about any room of the house!DIY_Terrarium

We chatted about creating a DIY Terrarium on this news segment last week, but wanted to break it down on the blog as well. It really is simple and it can make such a big impact. Here’s what you will need to get to make your very own DIY Terrarium.

DIY Terrarium Supplies

  • Succulents
  • Rocks (we used 2 small bags)
  • Soil (we chose soil best for cacti + succulents)
  • Bowl (any shape, size, or style)
  • Gardening gloves
  • Drop Cloth (not necessary, but highly recommended)

DIY_Terrarium-2We love that this project can be individualized to fit your home’s decor and style. We chose a glass bowl from HomeGoods, but honestly, a terrarium can work in just about any bowl.

Because we were sharing this on TV we went with a larger bowl, but if you want to cut down on costs, choosing a smaller bowl (even from a thrift store!) can work just as well.
DIY_Terrarium-3

Because there’s no drainage in this bowl, it’s important to start the terrarium with a layer of rocks (which doubles as a natural drain of sorts.)

We used two small bags of rocks for this project, which we found in the plant section at Lowe’s.ย DIY_Terrarium-4

After the layer of rocks, add the layer of soil. We chose to go with the potting mix that was specifically made for succulents/cacti and bought far more than we actually needed.ย DIY_Terrarium-5Working with the soil becomes a bit of a mess so we would suggest wearing gardening gloves during this project AND working outside on the grass or on a drop cloth.DIY_Terrarium-7After there was a healthy layer of soil, we arranged the succulents in a way we liked and started planting each one into the soil.
DIY_Terrarium-9From start to finish the entire terrarium took less than 5 minutes to plant.
DIY_Terrarium-8The hardest part was trying to make sure the succulents were surrounded by enough soil after we added them to the terrarium. We wanted them to settle into their new home with plenty of soil to support them.ย DIY_Terrarium-10A few minutes later, we had this colorful terrarium and love the variety of shapes, sizes, and colors of this mixture.ย DIY_Terrarium-11We sprayed the succulents with some water and let theย terrarium dry before bringing it inside to display.

DIY_TerrariumFast forward a few weeks and this mini terrarium is alive and thriving! We keep it by Casey’s frontย windows so it has PLENTY of sun.

Terrarium_built_ins_Lamp_ArtWhen we do notice the soil is dry, we give it a good soak and wait for it to dry out again.succulent_west_elm_plant

We love what a statement this terrarium brings and are on a MISSION to keep this planter alive… and thriving! Do you guys have any tips or tricks that have worked for your succulents? B has had this little hedgehog one for over a YEAR, but we’re not exactly sure what the magic answer is to keep it alive. Most of the time she forgets to give it any attention and magically it’s still alive?!travel-carmel-succulents

succulents-plant-blue-vaseAnd don’t even get us started on the amazingly gorgeous succulents growing like weeds in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. How do they do it?! Especially when most of them live outside? Succulents you’ll forever have our hearts.DIY Terrarium (1)

 

Bridget&Casey


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.