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How to make a terrarium in a jar

It's like a miniature world!
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Rummage through your recycling bin to find the perfect-sized glass jar, plant it up with a selection of gorgeous terrarium plants and add a few cute miniature figurines to bring your garden-in-a-jar to life. Psst… If you’re worried about it rolling away – just place it in a tray or add a dot of Blu Tack to the underside of the jar. Easy!

How to make your terrarium in a jar

Gather your supplies

  • Glass jar with lid, clean and dry
  • Sphagnum moss
  • Potting mix
  • Small pebbles
  • Terrarium plants such as fittonia, ferns and moss varieties

You’ll also need

Old bath towel; long tweezers or tongs; kitchen spoon; large pebble or piece of driftwood; miniature figurines such as toadstools; spray bottle; Blu Tack (optional)

Notes

– Check out the terrarium section at your local nursery for a suitable selection of plants.

– Look for miniature figurines at hobby shops and discount stores.

family making a terrarium
(Credit: Getty) (Credit: Getty)

Here’s how

Step 1 Remove lid from jar. Fold up towel and place it on your workbench. With jar on its side, place it on towel so it sits comfortably without rolling.

Step 2 Using tweezers or tongs, add a thin layer of dampened sphagnum moss to jar, on top of moss.

Step 3 Using spoon, add a thin layer of potting mix to jar.

Step 4 Using spoon to dig small holes in the potting mix and tweezers or tongs as positioning tools, carefully add your selection of plants. Press around each plant with back of spoon.

Step 5 Using spoon, position pebble or piece of driftwood towards the rear of the scene. Using tweezers, position miniature figurines towards the front of the jar.

Step 6 Fill spray bottle with water. Adjust bottle to mist setting and spray plants gently.

Step 7 Carefully fit lid on jar (turn the lid, not the jar!). Position jar in a position where it won’t roll off the surface (here, in a woven tray). You can add a dot of Blu Tack to the underside of the jar to stop it rolling.

Step 8 To care for your miniature garden, remove lid every few days to mist plants with water.

Getty Images
(Credit: Getty) (Credit: Getty)

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