WEEK 1
When summer becomes nothing more than a memory, and the garden has gone to sleep for the winter, many gardeners revert to working inside. While caring for houseplants is somewhat satisfying, a potted plant sitting alone, on a table is just not the same as a garden filled with flowers. A bottle garden (or terrarium) is a collection of compatible plants grown in an enclosed, or partially enclosed, clear container. This might be an interesting hobby for the dark evenings ahead.
Creating a terrarium filled with ferns and other small plants is a practical and fun way to have a miniature landscape inside your home. Your choice of containers is only as broad as your imagination. There are many ready-made terrariums available, or you can use bottles, jars, aquariums, fishbowls, or even large plastic water bottles. The choice is yours.
Terrariums allow you to grow plants which require a high degree of humidity, which otherwise would probably perish in the dry atmosphere of a heated home. Once the plants become established within your miniature garden, the terrarium begins to create a climate of its own. The plants transpire moisture through their leaves, which then condenses on the glass, and flows back to the soil. This “rain effect” allows the terrarium to go for weeks without watering.
For the beginner, I recommend that you choose a large, open container such as an aquarium. These are much easier to work in. With experience, you can advance to using 'chopsticks' and dibble sticks to plant your garden inside a small-mouthed container, much like building a “ship in a bottle”.
LAYERS
Let us start by looking at the different layers you will need to make up the perfect growing medium for the plants to thrive in.
Layer 1. The bottom layer is for drainage, and consists of pea gravel, pebbles, or very coarse sand. Proper drainage is essential to ensure that the soil doesn't become over-saturated, which may lead to root rot, and the death of your plants.
Layer 2. On top of the drainage layer, it is a good idea to spread a thin layer of activated charcoal (like you would use in an aquarium filter). This layer will help to clean the air of the fumes caused when the organic materials begin to decompose.
Layer 3. The third layer is a thin cover of sphagnum moss, spread over the first two layers. The purpose of this is to prevent the soil from sifting down into the drainage layer, which would render it useless.
Final layer. The final level is that of your soil. Many garden centres sell a potting mix specifically for terrariums and bottle gardens. In reality, all that you normally get for the extra money is sand added to their regular potting mix. You may choose a pre-mixed terrarium soil, or, if you prefer, just add one part coarse builders sand, and one part leaf mould to each two parts of your usual mix. Never use beach sand in any potting mix as it has salt in it! Do not add any fertilizer to the potting mix. It already has enough nutrients to last a long time. Too much will cause the plants to out grow their surroundings, much too quickly. If you intend to create a “desert garden” with cacti, be sure to add extra sand to the soil mixture, and additional gravel to the drainage level.
Horticultural.
When summer becomes nothing more than a memory, and the garden has gone to sleep for the winter, many gardeners revert to working inside. While caring for houseplants is somewhat satisfying, a potted plant sitting alone, on a table is just not the same as a garden filled with flowers. A bottle garden (or terrarium) is a collection of compatible plants grown in an enclosed, or partially enclosed, clear container. This might be an interesting hobby for the dark evenings ahead.
Creating a terrarium filled with ferns and other small plants is a practical and fun way to have a miniature landscape inside your home. Your choice of containers is only as broad as your imagination. There are many ready-made terrariums available, or you can use bottles, jars, aquariums, fishbowls, or even large plastic water bottles. The choice is yours.
Terrariums allow you to grow plants which require a high degree of humidity, which otherwise would probably perish in the dry atmosphere of a heated home. Once the plants become established within your miniature garden, the terrarium begins to create a climate of its own. The plants transpire moisture through their leaves, which then condenses on the glass, and flows back to the soil. This “rain effect” allows the terrarium to go for weeks without watering.
For the beginner, I recommend that you choose a large, open container such as an aquarium. These are much easier to work in. With experience, you can advance to using 'chopsticks' and dibble sticks to plant your garden inside a small-mouthed container, much like building a “ship in a bottle”.
LAYERS
Let us start by looking at the different layers you will need to make up the perfect growing medium for the plants to thrive in.
Layer 1. The bottom layer is for drainage, and consists of pea gravel, pebbles, or very coarse sand. Proper drainage is essential to ensure that the soil doesn't become over-saturated, which may lead to root rot, and the death of your plants.
Layer 2. On top of the drainage layer, it is a good idea to spread a thin layer of activated charcoal (like you would use in an aquarium filter). This layer will help to clean the air of the fumes caused when the organic materials begin to decompose.
Layer 3. The third layer is a thin cover of sphagnum moss, spread over the first two layers. The purpose of this is to prevent the soil from sifting down into the drainage layer, which would render it useless.
Final layer. The final level is that of your soil. Many garden centres sell a potting mix specifically for terrariums and bottle gardens. In reality, all that you normally get for the extra money is sand added to their regular potting mix. You may choose a pre-mixed terrarium soil, or, if you prefer, just add one part coarse builders sand, and one part leaf mould to each two parts of your usual mix. Never use beach sand in any potting mix as it has salt in it! Do not add any fertilizer to the potting mix. It already has enough nutrients to last a long time. Too much will cause the plants to out grow their surroundings, much too quickly. If you intend to create a “desert garden” with cacti, be sure to add extra sand to the soil mixture, and additional gravel to the drainage level.
Horticultural.
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