Wineglass Terrariums
Healthy HouseplantsAugust 8, 2012Wineglass Terrariums
After you finish that glass of wine, make a decorative statement and use the wineglass to plant a terrarium. Mini gardens in glassware outfitted with tiny plants and diminutive accessories give you something pretty to admire long after the bottle of wine is gone.
Plant a terrarium in any type of glassware you desire, such as champagne flutes, martini glasses, brandy snifters and margarita glasses. The bigger the glass, the more plants you can fit in your terrarium. They do make giant wineglasses that fit an entire botle of wine, which work really well.
To plant an eye-catching wineglass terrarium that will thrive, keep the following tips in mind.
Preparation. Prepare the wineglass terrarium for planting by adding to the bottom of the glass a ¼-inch layer of gravel, ¼- to ½-inch layer of charcoal, ¼-inch layer of sphagnum moss and 3 to 4 inches of potting soil, depending on the container size. For especially small containers, combine and add to the glass 2 parts peat moss, 1 part perlite and 1/8 part charcoal and fill the terrarium with a 2-inch layer of this mix as your planting medium.
To plant citrus, rinse seeds in warm water and soak overnight. Plant each seed ¼-inch deep and 1 inch apart. Water and keep moist. Seeds can take a month or more to sprout. Once they emerge, place plants in the sunniest window of the house.
When plants have some foliage, encourage bushy growth by pinching off new leaves.
Plants
Good wineglass terrarium plant selections include a wide variety of miniatures such as some ivies, fig vine (Ficus repens), Neanthe bella palm, dieffenbachia, Peace lily, miniature African violet, dwarf anthurium, Chinese evergreen, pink polka-dot-plant, selaginella and Kyoto mosses, maidenhair fern, Ming aralia, pothos and many small succulents.
Besides your local independent garden center, online suppliers of terrarium plants include Glasshouse Works http://www.glasshouseworks.com/terrariumplants.html and Kartuz Greenhouses http://www.kartuz.com/search=Terrarium.
Planting
Use plants that are approximately 2-inches in height and width. With a pencil or your finger create a small cavity for the plant roots and then ease the plant into the soil and gently cover the roots with soil. Leave a half inch to an inch in between plants when planting. Terrariums are meant to grow slowly, so you can really pack them in.
Accessorize
Add a decorative flair to the terrarium by including items like colored gravel, decorative rock, river rock, marbles, fairy gardening accessories like tiny tables, garden statuary, arbors and animal figurines. To decorate your terrarium for the holidays, add miniature ornaments.
Location
Place terrariums in a location with bright light but no direct sunlight. A good location is often a few feet from a bright window, such as a southern or eastern exposure. Direct sunlight can cause the terrarium to heat up significantly, which can damage plants.
Watering
Water your wineglass terrarium once or twice a week, depending on the temperature and humidity level in your home and your geographic location. Hot and dry conditions will cause the terrarium to dry out more quickly than moist, cool temperatures.
When the terrarium appears to have dried out some, fill a fill a turkey baster with 3 to 4 ounces of water and dribble it into the terrarium. Only water when the terrarium appears to have dried out, because excessive moisture can lead to root rot and leaf funguses.
Care
Terrariums are low maintenance once established. Only fertilize when the plants seem to be nutrient deficient and are showing signs of yellowing, which should be no more than once or twice a year. Fertilizing causes plants to outgrow the wineglass too quickly. Well-tended terrariums not overfed will last 2 to 4 years.
Wineglass terrarium photos courtesy of Ted Mayeda, FairyGardenExpert.net