There are many ways to make a terrarium but one that works efficiently is usually
composed of a few functional layers. In this video i'm going to explain
each layer and its role in the terrarium. For the best plant and terrarium advice subscribe
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So here are the different layers in a terrarium we have a drainage layer
a mesh layer an optional charcoal layer a substrate layer and finally the plants.
The drainage layer. A drainage layer or false bottom is the bottom layer in a
terrarium and as the name implies it allows water from the substrate layer to drain off
preventing it from becoming saturated. It's usually filled with small stones
gravel or leca balls and is separated from the soil or charcoal layer with a layer of mesh
or membrane to prevent any standing water coming into contact with the substrate.
In my opinion water really shouldn't be gathering in this layer and if it does
it can be a sign that you've over watered. Plants will eventually root into the drainage
layer and having a pool of water sat in the bottom can cause the drainage layer to become
anaerobic. So of course sometimes a little water is going to sneak through into the drainage layer
and that's not usually a problem so long as there's still a little bit of air in there.
What you don't want to see is water starting to fill up in the drainage layer because
eventually that's going to cause the environment to become anaerobic and can cause an algae boom.
You absolutely don't want the water to be coming into contact with the soil
as that will cause the soil to become saturated and when the soil becomes saturated plant's roots
start to rot and the plants start to fail. The mesh or membrane layer.
This layer sits in between the drainage layer and the substrate or optional charcoal layer
it prevents any substrate from falling into the drainage layer and as i mentioned earlier
it also stops the substrate from coming into contact with any standing water.
I like to use a porous weed membrane as it's cheap and readily available from all
garden centres. Cut your membrane slightly larger than the circumference of your terrarium as this
will stop any bits of substrate from falling down the sides. You can use any kind of porous material
that won't degrade quickly and sometimes i actually use a layer of sphagnum moss.
Charcoal layer. This layer acts like a filter and helps keep the terrarium clean. I'm not a
hundred percent convinced about how effective it is but if you have some
lying around it's not going to hurt to add it. It doesn't have to be used as an actual layer and
it can be incorporated into your substrate. Make sure to use horticultural grade charcoal or if
that's not possible if you're using bbq charcoal ensure that it doesn't contain a catalyst.
The substrate layer. Plants root directly into this layer and in my opinion is by far
the most important one to get right. Skimping on this layer will always end badly so my advice
is to make your own and whatever happens steer clear from garden center compost. Starting with
a high quality substrate is the best way to ensure your terrarium has a good start in life.
The aim is to have a well draining yet water retentive medium and while that statement sounds
paradoxical the components of my soil mix creates exactly that. coir is a naturally loose and airy
medium but it does hold on to a good amount of water. It is nutritionally devoid so it's not
suitable for use as a medium on its own. Lava rock is a small grained porous rock
primarily used in bonsai for its water retentive qualities. Each grain wicks up
and holds onto a certain amount of moisture and allows any excess to flow through. Lava
rock also helps keep the substrate airy and loose. Sphagnum moss is extremely water retentive and i
use this in small amounts in my substrate. I make sure to chop it up extremely fine which prevents
moist spots from appearing in the substrate. Vermicast is an organic fertilizer produced
by composting worms as i mentioned that coir is nutritionally devoid this counters that and helps
feed the plants. Once it runs out then additional top dressing on the soil will be necessary.
It depends on the size of your container but you want to use as much substrate as you possibly can
without compromising on the overall look of the terrarium. This gives the plants enough room to
root into and will ensure they're healthier. Plants. To complete your terrarium
the last thing to do is add the plants i'll keep this short as it's a large topic to get
into but generally speaking it's best to use tropical small leaf plants in a closed terrarium.
Succulents and arid region plants are not suitable for a closed terrarium and will
quickly rot in the humid environments. Here is a video i made about five easy terrarium plants.
So here are some additional thoughts on the use of layers within a terrarium. Many people
choose to decorate this part of the terrarium using decorative sand or stones but this isn't
something i choose to do which is why i haven't included it in this guide. I prefer terrarium to
be solely about the plants and i don't spend any time decorating the layers. Of course
if you want to do this then you absolutely can! In smaller terrariums i use lava rock as drainage
and because the grains are so small i totally omit the mesh layer and place the substrate directly on
top of it. Because it's so small grained none of the substrate will find its way through into the
drainage layer. I wouldn't get too hung up about getting each layer absolutely perfect you will
make mistakes early on and it's important to learn from those mistakes but the most important thing
you can do is to learn how to water your terrarium properly. The substrate should be slightly moist
and certainly not wet. It should feel a little like a damp sponge rung of all its water; imagine
if you're about to wipe a dusty surface down you would submerge your sponge into the water remove
it and squeeze all the excess out. Now the level of moisture in that sponge is what you should aim
for in your terrarium soil! You can test this by sticking your finger inside or observing
how it looks pressed up against the glass. When it comes to terrarium building alongside
correct plant choice the most important aspects to get right are the lights soil and watering.
The drainage layer acts like a small insurance policy so if you did accidentally over water
then you have a little room for error. Of course the best solution here is to not over water in
the first place even with a drainage layer any water that sits in this layer has the
potential to become stagnant and cause algae issues further down the line you certainly do
not want to let that water touch the substrate because that will cause it to become saturated
and that will cause the plants roots to rot. So that was my explanation on the different layers
within a terrarium if you'd like to discuss this or any other topic further feel free to email me
or dm me on social media you can also join my beginner friendly facebook discussion group
it's called terrarium group and all the links are in the description below
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what you enjoyed most about it i love reading your feedback and i'll see you in the next video
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