#Terrarium tips?
A while back, I kept making terrariums because I love the idea have having a slice of nature in a jar, but every time I make one, they just decompose to the point I don't care about salvaging them.
Basically, they just get all stinky in disgusting within a few weeks to a month of having one.
How do I make my terrariums last longer? Is there something I'm not understanding? I try to put detrivores in my terrariums, but they end up decomposing as well! I have put rolly pollys, worms, what I believe as springtails in my terrariums, even a snail in one! For some reason, instead of eating decomposing matter, they decompose themselves! I try feeding them myself sometimes. They just do weird stuff and then die.
For example, the worms in one of my terrariums decided to dig all the way to the drainage layer of my terrarium and then die. The snail in that one terrarium refused to eat, then oozed snail slime along the wall and died. Am I just doing something wrong? Why don't they keep anything clean? Why do my terrariums just decompose? I don't know what I'm doing wrong, please help!
All of my terrariums have kicked the bucket. I will make a new one soon, but I don't want it to die either.
#happyplants #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plantaddict #planttherapy #plantcorner #plantlove #iloveplants #newgrowth #planttlc #greggang #adhdplantlovers
Basically, they just get all stinky in disgusting within a few weeks to a month of having one.
How do I make my terrariums last longer? Is there something I'm not understanding? I try to put detrivores in my terrariums, but they end up decomposing as well! I have put rolly pollys, worms, what I believe as springtails in my terrariums, even a snail in one! For some reason, instead of eating decomposing matter, they decompose themselves! I try feeding them myself sometimes. They just do weird stuff and then die.
For example, the worms in one of my terrariums decided to dig all the way to the drainage layer of my terrarium and then die. The snail in that one terrarium refused to eat, then oozed snail slime along the wall and died. Am I just doing something wrong? Why don't they keep anything clean? Why do my terrariums just decompose? I don't know what I'm doing wrong, please help!
All of my terrariums have kicked the bucket. I will make a new one soon, but I don't want it to die either.
#happyplants #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plantaddict #planttherapy #plantcorner #plantlove #iloveplants #newgrowth #planttlc #greggang #adhdplantlovers
7
Best Answer
I think your issue is likely overwatering and then like plants in pots if the soil is always 'wet' it will create a breeding ground for bacteria which will multiply rapidly in a container environment. Leading to quick root rot. That stinky smell is because of the bacteria that causes rot, they should not smell.
My recommendation is one to ease your way into it. Because there is a learning curve.
1. No moss, until you get the watering figured out. It is much easier to see and feel with a finger. Feel the soil to know how much water is in the soil in your terrarium with no fancy covering like moss, rocks or sand.
2. Skip the bugs for a while. It takes time for an ecosystem to be self sustaining and get things fine tuned. So no bugs until you have created a healthy ecosystem.
3. Keep the new terrarium partially coved. Don't seal it, you can later if you want but for now allow a crack in the lid to provide some airflow. It will be easier to adjust and gives the container a way to dry out if you are heavy handed with water.
The basics:
1. Rock or Leca on the bottom for drainage. Now you don't want water in that layer. If you are accumulating water in there you are overwatering. All of my drainage layers are dry. It is really only a just in case layer.
2. Netting, but some that drains, some netting is too heavy and will not pass water. Be careful of that ( for example the black kind to put outside to keep weeds from coming up is VERY BAD). You want the netting to be like a window screen with holes.
3. Soil you want a LOT of aeration in the form of perlite or pumice like 60% you can mix the pumice with coco coir or peat moss. The soil does not need to be fancy but you NEED aeration.
4. Keep the lid cracked that will help you prevent rot, I keep the lids cracked on all of mine!
5. Water sparingly with the humidity trapped inside the retain moisture well!
My recommendation is one to ease your way into it. Because there is a learning curve.
1. No moss, until you get the watering figured out. It is much easier to see and feel with a finger. Feel the soil to know how much water is in the soil in your terrarium with no fancy covering like moss, rocks or sand.
2. Skip the bugs for a while. It takes time for an ecosystem to be self sustaining and get things fine tuned. So no bugs until you have created a healthy ecosystem.
3. Keep the new terrarium partially coved. Don't seal it, you can later if you want but for now allow a crack in the lid to provide some airflow. It will be easier to adjust and gives the container a way to dry out if you are heavy handed with water.
The basics:
1. Rock or Leca on the bottom for drainage. Now you don't want water in that layer. If you are accumulating water in there you are overwatering. All of my drainage layers are dry. It is really only a just in case layer.
2. Netting, but some that drains, some netting is too heavy and will not pass water. Be careful of that ( for example the black kind to put outside to keep weeds from coming up is VERY BAD). You want the netting to be like a window screen with holes.
3. Soil you want a LOT of aeration in the form of perlite or pumice like 60% you can mix the pumice with coco coir or peat moss. The soil does not need to be fancy but you NEED aeration.
4. Keep the lid cracked that will help you prevent rot, I keep the lids cracked on all of mine!
5. Water sparingly with the humidity trapped inside the retain moisture well!
Forgot to add, while snails and worms can live in a terrarium they can not survive a small one.
For each snail or earthworm you need about 1 cubic foot of living space. They need a deep layer of substrate to dig into to live comfortably.
While they sound like fun, they will eat any plants you put in there. They have big appetites so I would not include them in a terrarium for plants.
So, then that leaves 2 great options that will not eat your plants
Isopods
Springtails
They are your safe bet although I will warn you that although isopods do not choose greenery to eat first, if they run out of fallen leaves or food to eat they will snack on your plants a little bit. Or if you colony gets too big they will it it to stay alive. This can easily be fixed by adding a piece or cork wood to your container, they love it. Or try feeding them some isopod food you can buy powdered food online. I feed my spare isopods a powder and they love it. ❤️
I would wait until your terrarium is well established though and the ecosystem is running well. ❤️
For each snail or earthworm you need about 1 cubic foot of living space. They need a deep layer of substrate to dig into to live comfortably.
While they sound like fun, they will eat any plants you put in there. They have big appetites so I would not include them in a terrarium for plants.
So, then that leaves 2 great options that will not eat your plants
Isopods
Springtails
They are your safe bet although I will warn you that although isopods do not choose greenery to eat first, if they run out of fallen leaves or food to eat they will snack on your plants a little bit. Or if you colony gets too big they will it it to stay alive. This can easily be fixed by adding a piece or cork wood to your container, they love it. Or try feeding them some isopod food you can buy powdered food online. I feed my spare isopods a powder and they love it. ❤️
I would wait until your terrarium is well established though and the ecosystem is running well. ❤️
@SuperbRaspfern ty! I'm obviously overwatering, sigh. I watched a bunch of terrarium making videos, and they always jumped right into making it, never really the 'how to keep it in check' part.
For the basics, I have always used pea gravel for drainage.
For the separation, I use this garden film that I believe works great.
The substrate, I'm pretty sure I got it wrong. I use regular potting soil, but I never add anything into it. I believe it holds water too well. Sadly, I don't have coco coir or peat moss or stuff like that. Hardly know what some of those things are.
For the second comment, I didn't realize that. I have tried to find springtails and other things like that, but I can never find them in the amounts I believe I needed, probably because I tried looking in a backyard. Where can I find springtails and isopods? I don't have a lot of stores around me, so I may not be able to find the stores needed.
For the basics, I have always used pea gravel for drainage.
For the separation, I use this garden film that I believe works great.
The substrate, I'm pretty sure I got it wrong. I use regular potting soil, but I never add anything into it. I believe it holds water too well. Sadly, I don't have coco coir or peat moss or stuff like that. Hardly know what some of those things are.
For the second comment, I didn't realize that. I have tried to find springtails and other things like that, but I can never find them in the amounts I believe I needed, probably because I tried looking in a backyard. Where can I find springtails and isopods? I don't have a lot of stores around me, so I may not be able to find the stores needed.
I highly recommend
TC insects link below
I have never used springtails because I just don't like the idea of them jumping around in my terrariums so I always gravitated to rolly pollies because they are cute.
The common ones I have found also do well in terrariums I have no issues whatsoever with those. If you can find 7 or 8 and put them in a container and keep the soil moist with bark or wood you find outdoors and feed them occasionally they will multiply. I literally have hundreds from a few my son found me. The will reproduce pretty fast if you feed them. Just make sure their soil is a little moist but never wet because they can drown😢 The photos are some of my "spare" isopods
https://www.tcinsects.com/product/porcellio-laevis-dairy-cow/
TC insects
Dairy cow Isopods
They send you really healthy ones at some of the best prices and dairy cow isopods breed quickly and are beginner friends. They also love humidity which makes them perfect for a terrarium.
Not all isopods are suitable because they need to molt and if you get one that does not live in nature in high humidity, it will lose its ability to molt and that will kill them.
That could be why yours died? 🤔
For the layer In between I have tried many kinds, to see if yours drains run some water over the netting, does if flow through (that's what you want). If water pools on top it doesn't drain well enough. I'll include a link to my favorite kind, which I had many failures finding the perfect one.
Window screen material is what I use it is small enough to keep dirt separated but also allow water through.
Here's a link just so you can see what it looks like
https://a.co/d/4tieJLO
TC insects link below
I have never used springtails because I just don't like the idea of them jumping around in my terrariums so I always gravitated to rolly pollies because they are cute.
The common ones I have found also do well in terrariums I have no issues whatsoever with those. If you can find 7 or 8 and put them in a container and keep the soil moist with bark or wood you find outdoors and feed them occasionally they will multiply. I literally have hundreds from a few my son found me. The will reproduce pretty fast if you feed them. Just make sure their soil is a little moist but never wet because they can drown😢 The photos are some of my "spare" isopods
https://www.tcinsects.com/product/porcellio-laevis-dairy-cow/
TC insects
Dairy cow Isopods
They send you really healthy ones at some of the best prices and dairy cow isopods breed quickly and are beginner friends. They also love humidity which makes them perfect for a terrarium.
Not all isopods are suitable because they need to molt and if you get one that does not live in nature in high humidity, it will lose its ability to molt and that will kill them.
That could be why yours died? 🤔
For the layer In between I have tried many kinds, to see if yours drains run some water over the netting, does if flow through (that's what you want). If water pools on top it doesn't drain well enough. I'll include a link to my favorite kind, which I had many failures finding the perfect one.
Window screen material is what I use it is small enough to keep dirt separated but also allow water through.
Here's a link just so you can see what it looks like
https://a.co/d/4tieJLO
This is so fascinating, I’m learning a lot because I want to start too! I’m so sorry that you’ve lost yours. I wanted to add just to be sure (forgive me if you did this already) making sure you sterilized the container before using it? I’d use hydrogen peroxide. And then only using distilled water I think - or would ultra filtered be ok?
You got this! Good luck! The advise here seems really helpful and I might have to try it myself!