DIY : Terrarium

A Bewitching “Terrorium”

When the days grow short and temperatures begin to dip we find special ways to bring nature’s influence indoors.

Making your own terrarium is surprisingly simple and you can create to your heart’s content! For this project I decided to create a Halloween-themed terrarium which was going to be a gift to my special friend Heather who loves the thrill of Halloween as much as we do. Let the terrific terror begin! 🎃

Tips:

• The material quantities below are approximations; you’ll want to adjust them to meet the needs of your own project and the size of your terrarium.
• I decided to purchase a terrarium that included a removable lid; with or without the lid the terrarium looked great and will provide flexibility to give the succulents a little air in between their steam baths.
• I found my green moss matt (a thin sheet of green moss) and bunches of colorful red and green mosses at Michael’s. I found the terrarium at Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts. I was rather selective about finding just the proper size and creep-factor of my Halloween miniatures so I turned to Etsy and scored a trio of accents from The Little Hedgerow. You can see more of the minis I hand selected below. If you order from Kim at The Little Hedgerow, tell her the folks at Home Style Austin say howdy!
• While we created the spooky terrarium shown in this post, you can transition the miniature decorations and plants throughout the year to coordinate with the seasons.


Materials:

1  |  Glass Terrarium
Assorted  |  Mosses, Unmoistened
2-4  |  Succulents
1-2 Cups  |  Succulent Soil
To Decorate  |  Garden Accessories (Miniature Accessories, Stones From The Garden, etc.)
Things To Have Handy  |  A Craft Table, Scissors, Magic Tape, A Spray Bottle Filled With Water



What To Do:

1. Line The Terrarium.
My moss matt was perfect for creating a green edge at the bottom of the terrarium. I trimmed it about 3 inches tall and formed it in a circle around the bottom of the terrarium. I used a couple pieces of Magic Tape to help keep the moss in place while I planted the succulents. I lined the bottom of the terrarium with more of the matt just to keep the soil well contained in my handmade moss bowl. Hint: You may think 4 hands are better than 2 here, but 4 hands likely won’t fit inside the terrarium! 🎃


2. Plant The Succulents.
Place about a cup of soil in the bottom of the terrarium. If needed, gently separate your succulents to the desired size, placing them with some room to grow. Fill in any holes left by the plants with more soil until things are well planted.

3. Trick Your Treat.
Place your mosses and chosen miniatures around your succulents. My miniatures came with small metal picks which helped keep them in place. I even decorated the terrarium lid, since this was a special gift.



4. Care & Feed.
Succulents thrive best in well-drained soil. So since your terrarium likely won’t have a drainage hole, don’t overwater the plants. I used a spray bottle and spritzed every few days, making sure to let the soil dry between waterings. You can wipe the inside and outside of your glass terrarium with a moist paper towel to remove any water spots or dirt. When your plants get too big for their tiny home you can transfer them into another pot or outside to enjoy the Texas sun.


Stand back and marvel at your work of art! With a little care and feeding your terrarium will be a prized creation that will last you for years to come.

Enjoy and please email me with any questions about this project!

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.
JoePaul@KW.com

DIY : Succulent Planter

One Excellent Succulent

If you’re looking for a fun and easy way to make a lasting impression, make and gift one of these unique succulent plants.

Once you have the supplies, these “succulent hangers” are surprisingly simple to create. The end result is a one-of-a-kind handmade plant that will surely delight both you and the lucky recipient.

Tips:

• The material quantities below are approximations; what you use will vary based on the size of your plants and the number of succulent planters you’re making. PS ~ While you’re making one you might as well make more!
• You may find 4 hands are better than 2! Our friend Eileen lent us her 2 hands which were especially useful during the forming and wrapping stages shown below.
• Most of the supplies are easy to find; we found plants, soil, sphagnum moss and the garden wire at Lowes, green moss and the rainbow-inspired decorative twine came from Michael’s. The clay soil was the hardest for us to locate but we scored a 40 pound bag of it for about $5 at Hill Country Water Gardens (it’s one of our favorite nurseries). PS ~ 40 pounds of clay soil is deceivingly small. 

Materials: 

1 – 2 Cups  |  Potting Soil
1 – 2 Cups  |  Clay Soil
About 1/4 cup (To Form)  |  Water
1 (or more)  |  Succulent Plants
Two Handfuls  |  Sphagnum Moss, Moistened
Two Handfuls  |  Green Moss, Unmoistened
10 – 15 Feet  |  Decorative Twine
To Hang  |  A Piece Of Driftwood Or A Found Stick (about 6 inches long)
To Hang  |  Some Green Garden Wire (available at most craft stores)

What To Do:

1. Make Dirt.
In a medium-sized bowl mix together equal parts of the potting and clay soil. Add water and combine until the mixture resembles a pliable dough. Set aside.

2. Form Planter.
Remove your succulent plant from its container and wrap it with enough sphagnum moss to entirely encase the roots. Then wrap the moss-covered succulent with the prepared, wet, soil from Step 1 above, forming a ball. Wrap green moss around the succulent and trim any excess that rises above the edge of the succulent.

3. Wrap Planter
Using your decorative twine, wrap the planter several times to secure the soil and moss to the plant. A few times I carefully wrapped the twine on top – and between – the succulent branches to help form a well-wrapped “ball.” Along the way test your wrap to ensure the plant hangs level. As we formed the wrapped planter we created 4 extra-long suspensions at each “corner” of the succulent planter and then wrapped the hanging stick (below) to help keep the plant stable in the breezy winds of Central Texas. Make sure and leave enough excess twine at the top of the plant for hanging.

4. Prepare To Hang
Wrap the excess twine around your hanging stick (from Step 3) to your desired length and tie them off at the top of the stick or tie and tuck the twine along the bottom of your succulent planter. To suspend from a nail or hanger wrap the stick a few times with the garden wire and secure.

5. To Care & Feed
Hang your succulent in a semi-sunny place, indoors or out. Make sure to keep the plant happy and keep it moist by misting daily or by watering liberally or letting rest in a shallow bowl of water. Succulents don’t need to be over-watered but they do need a little love.

Enjoy and please email me with any questions about this project!

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.