Itching to dig your fingers in the garden, even though there's a foot of snow on the ground?
This time of year, when plant and seed catalogs begin to arrive, seems such a cruel taunt, since there's plenty of winter left. Try planting a terrarium or shallow container with succulents, and watch your indoor garden grow during these last few months of winter.
If you already have a container you'd like to use, match your plants to the type of environment it will provide. Covered glass storage containers such as Mason jars, an old jewelry box, or even a glass cake plate with a lid will make for a moist growing environment, so it's important to choose plants that will enjoy that setting.
If you're planning to use plants that like a drier environment, a trifle dish, tea cup and saucer, shallow bowl, sea shell, or ornamental blown-glass vessels from your local garden center will provide a more arid home.
Check out these ideas from Pinterest for repurposing household objects into planters:
What plants to choose? Talk to your garden center professional for top choices based on the lighting in the area you wish to display your terrarium, as well as the type of container you plan to use.
Use one or two inches of activated charcoal as your bottom layer, to provide drainage. Combine potting soil and additional activated charcoal for your next layer, filling the container one-quarter to one-third full. Insert your plants, being sure to tamp down the soil to prevent air pockets, which are not healthy for the plants' roots. Top dress with sheet moss.
A small watering can will come in handy for plants that need a moist environment, and a spray bottle to mist water will help you to add small amounts of moisture to small containers or drought-loving plants—without flooding their environment.
Looking for a theme for your next girls' get-together? Gather up supplies and a bottle of wine, and plant away. Even your wine glasses could make for a pretty planter!
Written by Jennifer Reynolds, staff writer for West Michigan Woman.
