Terrariums are a great way to add a little bit of nature to your home. They’re easy to care for and are fairly low maintenance. The cacti and succulents growing inside them will largely look after themselves however, there are a few things you can do to ensure that your terrarium thrives for years to come.

Closed Terrariums

These act like mini green-houses. They create their own ecosystem and will become self-watering. If possible, place your Terrarium by a north-facing window. If this isn’t possible, try placing the Terrarium in the centre of a room instead. Don’t place your Terrarium in direct sunlight as temperatures inside a closed Terrarium can rise very quickly and the Terrarium glass can act as a magnifier and dry out or burn the plants.

Likewise, don’t place your closed Terrarium too close to a heat source e.g. a radiator, as this can also dry-out your plants.
If condensation is visible up to a third of the height of the glass, then you don’t need to do anything as the Terrarium will maintain an even level of humidity and will create it’s own ecosystem and be self-watering.
If the condensation level is more than a third of the height of the glass, it’s recommended you remove the lid of your Terrarium and gently wipe away the excess water with some kitchen tissue. If the opening of your Terrarium is narrow, it may be beneficial to use some tweezers to aid you.
If the condensation level is less than a third of the height of the glass, either add a tablespoon of water, or use a spray-bottle to spray a few shots of mist into the Terrarium. Repeat this daily until the water levels stabilise.

Open Terrariums

Open Terrariums can be placed in full or partial sunshine which means you can place them anywhere in your room.
Succulent plants and cacti are able to store water in their stems and leaves therefore, they can survive long periods without water.
Open Terrariums benefit from being watered weekly from March to October. During winter water only every six weeks however, rather than watering on a schedule, we recommend you check the soil to see if and how much water your plants need.
To check if your terrarium needs watering, push your finger a few inches deep into the soil. If it feels dry, water generously until you see water escaping into the clay pebbles at the bottom of the glass. This is a good indication that the soil has received adequate moisture.

Watering your plants

If possible, when watering your terrarium, use rainwater or distilled water for the best results.

Over-watering succulents

If your succulents’ leaves turn yellow, soggy or translucent, then you’ve been over-watering.

Over-watering cacti

There are several signs that your cacti may be over-watered:

• Cacti appears rotten or signs of decay visible
• It’s turning brown or black
• Cacti appears overly plump

To remedy over-watering of succulents and cacti

Stop watering until the soil feels dry when you push your finger a few inches deep into the soil within your Terrarium.

The succulents and cacti will quickly recover and you can resume the watering schedule detailed above.

In the picture above, the Cacti on the left has been overwatered and is showing signs of disfigurement and is starting to rot. The Cacti on the right has been underwatered and has dried out and is starting to decay.

Under-watering succulents

If your succulents’ leaves turn dry, crispy and brown, on the top or middle of the plant, then you’ve been under-watering.

If however, the leaves at the bottom of the plant are dry, crispy and brown, don’t rush to water your plant. This is your plant’s way of growing. See the pruning section below.

In the picture below, the succulent has been under-watered and is showing signs of distress. The leaves are turning brown and crispy

Under-watering cacti

There are several signs that your cacti may be under-watered:

• Dryness in appearance and to the touch
• The Terrarium feels lighter than usual
• Leaves are pale, rubbery and deflated
• Leaves and stems are discoloured
• Leaves are withering or drooping

To remedy under-watering of succulents and cacti

Give your Terrarium a generous soaking of water until you see water escaping into the clay pebbles at the bottom of the glass.

Repeat again in a couple of days.

The succulents will quickly recover and you can resume the watering schedule detailed above.

Pruning the plants in your Terrarium

Remove any mouldy, black, dead or dry leaves and steps as soon as you see them.

Using scissors, carefully trim any plants that touch the sides of the Terrarium.

If your glasswear is narrow and hard to reach, you may need to also use tweezers.

To encourage healthy leaf growth on succulents, remove straggly stems by cutting down to a healthy leaf joint.