A Simple Guide To Terrarium Layers

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   to my channel and hit the bell to be the first  to know when i upload a new video every thursday.  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   and as always if you enjoyed this video let me  know by giving a like subscribe comment with   what you enjoyed most about it i love reading  your feedback and i'll see you in the next video you

Channel: Worcester Terrariums

Views: 72,102

Keywords: An Easy Guide To Terrarium Layers, Terrarium guide, terrarium tutorial, terrarium soil, terrarium drainage, terrarium mesh, terrarium substrate, charcoal for terrariums, activated charcoal terrarium, activated carbon terrarium, terrarium plants, how to make a terrarium, terrarium care, terrarium charcoal, watering a terrarium, how to water a terrarium, terrarium lights, how to care for a terrarium, closed terrarium care, closed terrarium basics, worcester terrariums

Id: KqoD4L-sLOs

Length: 7min 27sec (447 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 03 2021