The Craft Connection + Terrarium Tutorial

Hello and happy 4th of July!  I'm here to teach you one of my absolute favorite projects and share some exciting news for teens in Tulsa.  Since creativity is the language I speak, I'm starting a new craft group where Tulsa youth can share ideas and show off their work.  It will be called The Craft Connection, starting August 4th and continuing the first Monday of each month.

For the very first installment of The Craft Connection, we'll be making terrariums!  There is something magical about creating your own little world under glass, and there are so many ways you can personalize these tiny landscapes.  I'll give you the basic recipe for how to build the perfect terrarium, and your imagination can take you from there!

Make Your Own Terrarium

You will need:

- A glass jar, vase, or bowl

- Soil

- Gravel

- Activated charcoal

- Plants or moss

- Rocks, crystals, garden stakes, or other decorations

- Skewers

- Paper towels

- Spray bottle

Assembly: 

1. Gather your supplies and make sure the glass jar is clean and dry.

2. Pour a layer of gravel into the bottom of the jar for drainage.

3. Sprinkle a pinch of activated charcoal onto the top of the gravel layer to prevent rot.

4. Add a layer of soil deep enough to accommodate the plants you’ll be using. Also make sure the soil is appropriate for the plants you have.

5. Now add the plants! If you are using moss, make sure to remove any excess dirt and simply lay a sheet of moss on top of the dirt. If you are using rooted plants, you will need a deeper dirt layer. Shake any loose dirt from the roots, then gently dig a hole and place the plant inside.

6. Fill in the dirt around the plant to secure its place in the terrarium. Add additional plants as space allows.

7. Place a few stones, figurines, or garden stakes in your terrarium for a decorative touch.

8. Use a paper towel to wipe dirt from the sides of the terrarium. Lightly mist the terrarium with a spray bottle to allow everything to settle.

Care Instructions: 

1. Place your terrarium in an area with indirect sunlight. Too much light will burn your plants, so find a spot near, but not right next to, a window.

2. Lightly mist your terrarium with a spray bottle once a week at the very most. Reduce the watering to once every two weeks or even once a month in the winter.

3. Lids should not be used on terrariums containing succulents because it creates too much humidity. For other plants, lids may be used but should be removed for a few hours once a week to allow the terrarium to air out.

4. Rotate the terrarium every few weeks to allow equal light in all parts.

Video Tutorial:

My friends at KTUL were nice enough to help me promote this fun tutorial on Good Day Tulsa.  You can view this project in action by watching this video.

Additional Resources:

-Terrarium Craft: Create 50 Magical, Miniature Worlds by Amy Bryant Aiello

-Tabletop Gardens: 40 Stylish Plantscapes for Counters and Shelves, Desktops and Windowsills by Sarah Dawson

-The New Terrarium: Creating Beautiful Displays for Plants and Nature by Tovah Martin

-Gardening in Miniature: Create Your Own Tiny Living World by Janit Calvo

-Fairy Gardening: Creating Your Own Magical Miniature Garden by Julie Bawden-Davis

For a thorough list of plants that will work in a terrarium, visit this site.

I want to encourage all my Oklahoma friends to send any creative teens my way starting in August at the Schusterman-Benson Library.  Have a happy summer!