Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

A Tropical Jungle In a Bottle

Near Orosí, Costa Rica

Image via Wikipedia

by Adam Fulford

Create a tropical terrarium: a jungle in a jar! Imagine staring into the lush plants and flowers of a miniature tropical landscape. Some jungle terrariums even have tiny waterfalls.

Some Tropical Plants Considered To Be Well-Suited For Tropical Terrariums

  • Terrariums
  • Bromeliads
  • Aroids
  • epiphytic ferns
  • Selaginella
  • Begonias
  • Epiphytic Orchids
  • Calatheas
  • Gesneriads
  • Philodendron
  • Dieffenbachia
  • Croton
  • Peperomias

Tropical terrariums may need some sort of heating system: This is to maintain ideal temperatures for tropical plants. One way to heat tropical terrariums is with a fish tank heater for 10 gallon fish tanks, placed in an appropriately sized container of filtered water.

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

A Beautiful Desert Landscape in Your Home

Many species of cactus have long, sharp spines.

Image via Wikipedia

by Adam Fulford

Behold a magnificent desert landscape within a glass case in your own room. What desert plants do you like — cacti, aloe, cotyledon? Would you decorate it with landmarks of your own design — a crystal, a dry bone, a spaceship?

Desert terrariums work best in large containers and need to be open enough for air to circulate and moisture to evaporate.

Plants Good For Dessert Terrariums:

  • small cacti
  • Aloe
  • Crassula
  • Jade
  • agave
  • aloe
  • cacti
  • cotyledon
  • crassula
  • echeveria
  • haworthia
  • sanseveria
  • sedum
  • kalanchoe
  • opuntia
  • succulents

Soil For Desert Terrariums:

Option 1 for desert soil: desert mix from a plant shop

Or

Option 2 for desert soil: Make your own

  • 1 part potting soil
  • 2 parts sand, washed free of salt. Set it up a large open container (not closed like the containers for other kinds of terrariums).
  • Using different colors of sand can create visually pleasing effects.

NOTE: Of course, this being a desert terrarium, be careful not to water it too much — the soil should be fairly dry.