How to Make a Succulent Terrarium

Start with a clean, dry glass bowl. Tip in a shallow layer of activated charcoal across the bottom. It keeps water from going stale down there and helps soak up odors if things ever get too wet. Christopher points out he was winging the amount, so do not stress over it. A thin, even layer is plenty. You just want it to cover the base of the bowl before the next layer goes on.

Next comes a thin layer of small white pebbles over the charcoal. This is your false bottom. When you water the terrarium, extra moisture drains down through the soil and settles here instead of sitting around the roots. Pour slowly and tilt the bowl if you need to spread the pebbles evenly. Since the glass is clear, this white band also looks sharp from the side once everything is built up.

On top of the pebbles, add a layer of orchid bark. Christopher grabbed the same bark he uses for his orchids. It has a nice open texture, so it separates the layers cleanly and stops the fine soil from washing straight down into the drainage rocks. Press it gently so it settles flat. Some people use moss here instead, but the bark does the same job and looks great through the glass.

Now the growing medium. Christopher uses a homemade mix of coco peat with a little organic compost, which is safe to use indoors. A cactus or succulent soil mix works just as well. Spoon it in slowly so you do not kick up a mess, and build it up to a good depth for the roots. Do not fill the bowl too high. You want room for the plants to sit without crowding the top of the glass.

Here is the fun part. Set a thin ring of white gravel around the inside edge first, then place your succulents into the soil. Work from the center out, tucking each plant in snugly. Mix colors and rosette sizes so it has some depth. Christopher went with bright green rosettes in the middle and deep burgundy succulents around them. These plants root into almost anything, so they will settle in fine even sitting over that pebble layer.

Step back and look at it. The green rosettes sit front and center, framed by the darker purple succulents, all resting on that clean white pebble band. Christopher was thrilled with how his came out, and it will only look better as the plants grow in and fill the space. Give the glass a quick wipe to clear any soil dust, and your terrarium is ready to show off on a shelf or table.

Succulents need good light to stay compact. Set the terrarium in or near a south-facing window, or run a grow light over it. Without enough light the plants stretch tall and leggy and lose that tidy shape. Feed lightly every one or two months. Christopher likes to load fertilizer into a plastic syringe and squirt it right at the base of the plants so it does not splash all over the leaves. Go easy on watering, since this bowl has no drainage hole.