Succulents and cacti are a quick, easy, affordable way to add a unique look to almost any decor.  Big bonus – they are also so easy to take care of!  I recently made my own succulent and cacti terrarium and snapped a few pics to share how quick and easy it was to make.  The best part about terrariums is you can have fun with the design and make it as unique and creative as you want!

What You Need –

Your Favorite Succulents or Cactus

The fun part about your DIY succulent terrarium project is picking out which styles you will use!  There are so many places to buy succulents now, even your local Home Depot or Lowe’s should carry a pretty large selection.  However, if you want more options I would suggest checking out Etsy.  The only downfall to Etsy is that you can’t see them in person, but most of the sellers have enough photos to give you an idea of what the succulents look like.

Glass Terrarium

The geo cube styles are my favorite. 🙂 If you need some ideas on where to find a terrarium, I’ve included some links at the bottom of this post.

Fast Draining Potting Soil

Succulents and cacti are super easy to take care of, but getting the proper soil is important.  Fast draining soil is best, since succulents and cacti don’t like a lot of water. One cheap and reliable option is Miracle Gro’s fast draining cactus potting soil, but any fast draining soil should work just fine.

Gloves 

I actually didn’t use gloves, but afterwards I realized that it would have made it a bit easier..haha. The cactus can be a little difficult to handle without the gloves.  If you don’t have them it’s definitely still doable – Just be careful not to get pricked if you’re planting cacti! 🙂

A Spoon 

If you choose a geo or cube style terrarium, a spoon makes it a lot easier to get the soil into the hard to reach places.

Extras

If you want a little added uniqueness, you can put stones, rocks, marbles, etc. on top of your soil.  Super stores and pet stores are a great place to get ideas and choose different color options.

Caring For Your Plants – Two Important Things to Know

-They Like Plenty of Sunlight

Sometimes succulents can get burnt if they’re in direct sunlight, so it’s a good idea to place them somewhere with lots of indirect sunlight or a place that gets both direct sun and shade during the day.

-They Don’t Like Too Much Water 

In order to prevent over watering, make sure you use fast draining soil. When you water your succulents, give them a nice large dose of water then wait until the soil is completely dry before watering again.

Follow these two tips and your succulents and cacti should live long, healthy lives!

Now that you know what to use and how to care for your plants, let’s talk about how to set up the terrarium..

Designing And Setting Up Your Terrarium

The first step is to decide on the layout.  Organize the plants in different arrangements to see what looks the best. Play around with it and see what you like! Curious cat optional. 😉

Once you know the layout, you’re ready to put in the soil.  Use a spoon or your fingers to add a layer of soil and place your first succulent or cactus into position.

Make sure your first plant is securely in the soil and then add the other succulents or cacti. Succulents can lose some leaves if you’re rough with them, so do this part slowly to prevent damage.

Aren’t these colors beautiful? 🙂 After you’ve placed all of your succulents and cacti in the terrarium, add more soil to make sure the roots are all covered and the plants are secure. Once your terrarium setup is complete, add water. The water will usually drain out of the seams in the geo/cube terrariums, but if not then just add enough water to dampen the soil, being careful not to over water.

The last step is to place your new terrarium in your favorite location to enjoy!

Some Unique Terrarium Designs —

Until next time! 🙂