My Oldest Terrarium - 1460 Days Old!
Hey friends,
Welcome to this week’s edition of Wednesday updates!
Today’s Update: My Oldest Terrarium - 1460 Days Old!
This is my oldest terrarium, which I made over 4 years ago when I was just getting started with terrariums. I made it inside a jar from IKEA, and it’s been thriving on a shelf in indirect sunlight.
My favorite thing about this terrarium is the English ivy growing inside. Here’s a fun fact, I never actually planted it in the terrarium and I intended for the build to be moss-only. I placed several patches of fern moss throughout the scape and some small mossy twigs to add to the hardscape, and after a month or two, I saw a small green shoot growing from the twig. I wasn’t sure what plant it was at first and suspected it to be a common weed. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the first ivy leaf! I have only trimmed it back a couple of times in the past 4 years, and it’s still looking super healthy.
The only inhabitants inside this ecosystem are the springtails. I added a small group when I first set up the terrarium 4 years ago, and to this day, there is still a healthy population that roams the jar and keeps the ecosystem clean and healthy. It’s pretty crazy to think about, but springtails only have a lifespan of roughly a year, so the ones inside today are descendants of the original group I added 4 years ago.
If you’ve seen some of my videos, you’ll know that I live by my terrarium substrate mix! With that said, it certainly doesn’t mean there are no alternatives. 4 years ago, when I made this terrarium, I did it on a super low budget and only spent £6 ($7.50) on this build, most of which was the cost of the jar. For the substrate, I used soil that I dug out of my garden. I made sure to bake it in the oven to ensure that no pests were introduced, but that’s all there was to it, and as you can see, it’s worked great! There are definitely benefits to a proper terrarium substrate, but if you’re on a budget and want to build an ecosystem, you still can without spending much at all! Unfortunately, I wasn’t making YouTube videos when I made this terrarium, so I haven’t got a build video, but I have made a video showing the method I used that is super budget-friendly and takes advantage of materials found outside. You can find it in the additional resources at the bottom of this newsletter.
Top Tips for This Ecosystem
Water the terrarium: There is a common misconception that a sealed terrarium never needs to be watered, but that’s not the case. I’ve watered this terrarium several times since setting it up, even though it’s airtight. The water is used by the moss and plants to grow, and over a long period, it can be completely depleted.
Clean the glass: Things like algae and dead plant matter can build up on the inside of the glass. This blocks out valuable light from getting inside. I use a wet paper towel to clean the glass every 6-12 months.
Springtails: The springtails keep the ecosystem clean and healthy. They also eat dead plant matter and turn it into nutrients for the moss and plants, which is a big reason why this terrarium is so successful.
Upcoming Project Spotlight
A couple of weeks ago, I showed you guys my DIY micro canister filter that I made for my riverbank terrarium. A lot of you wanted a tutorial on how to make it, so that’s what I’m working on. It’ll be out either this Sunday or next Sunday, depending on if I get it done in time :)
Subscriber Showcase
This week’s showcase goes to Silas, who built this cave ecosystem. It’s home to springtails, isopods, millipedes, centipedes, snails, aquatic isopods, and more. I think it’s such a natural and beautiful ecosystem!
They also have a YouTube channel you can check out:) https://www.youtube.com/@VividTerrariums
If you didn’t get featured this time, don’t worry as there’s always next week. Feel free to resubmit your ecosystem :)
To potentially feature in next week’s subscriber showcase, reply to this email with a picture and a short description of one of your ecosystems. Or email me at terrariumdesigns1@gmail.com
Additional Resources
Ive just made some cushion moss & a few plants available on my website for those interested:
Cushion moss: https://terrariumdesigns.co.uk/collections/moss-plants
Plants: https://terrariumdesigns.co.uk/collections/moss-plants
Check out my terrarium making ebook, it’s packed full of useful information that will help you make a terrarium! https://terrariumdesigns.co.uk/products/ebook