How to Make a Cheap Terrarium

Source: wikiHow

Making a terrarium can be cheap and easy. If you have a clear glass container, gravel, gardening charcoal, soil, and small plants, you have all the ingredients you need to get started. A terrarium can be as inexpensive to create as the soil and plants you choose. Putting together a terrarium is a quick and affordable way to liven up any indoor space!

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1 Reuse a glass jar, bowl, or other clear container for the enclosure. For a cheap terrarium, you can use an old glass jar, an old fishbowl, or even a clear coffee pot! Any container that is clear can work as a terrarium container.^[1]
- For a closed terrarium, you’ll want to use a container with a sealable lid.
- An old mason jar is a great container to use if you’re making your first terrarium.
- For a miniature terrarium, you could use a small jelly jar.
2 Wash the container with anti-bacterial soap. After selecting your clear container, you’ll want to make sure it’s clean. Wash it with an anti-bacterial soap, and then rinse and dry the container thoroughly.^[2]
3 Layer the container’s bottom with gravel from your driveway. Now that your terrarium container is nice and clean, you’ll want to fill its bottom with gravel. You can collect this gravel from your driveway or somewhere else outside for free. Make this bottom layer about ¹⁄₂ inch (13 mm) deep.^[3]
- You can substitute sand from the beach for gravel in this step.
- This bottom level of gravel or sand will let water drain away from your plants, which will prevent their roots from rotting.
4 Add a thin layer of crushed gardening charcoal. Once you’re happy with your bottom layer of gravel or sand, you’ll want to add a thin layer of crushed gardening charcoal. You’ll want to make this second layer about ¹⁄₄ inch (6.4 mm) deep.^[4]
- This layer of charcoal will help dampen any unpleasant smells and limit mold.
- Don’t use charcoal that is meant for your barbeque. This charcoal has added chemicals and is not recommended for use in gardens.^[5]
5 Add good quality soil to the top of your charcoal base. Now that you have your base, you can add your soil. You can use soil from your garden or from a dead potted plant. Layer the top of the charcoal with 4–5 inches (10–13 cm) of soil.^[6]
- If you’re using a smaller container and have plants with shorter roots, you should make your soil layer less deep.
- If there’s…