Light & Temperature
Like all plants, terrarium plants need light to thrive. The plants we use are mostly tropical plants and moss that grow under trees in nature, therefore they get indirect light.
Place your terrarium somewhere inside your home, where there is plenty of light, but not direct sunlight. If you choose to use artificial light, you can go for a white bulb (5000-6700K) for 8 hours per day.
Keep your terrarium away from heat sources like heat radiators and ACs.
Ideal temperature 15-27C
Maintenance
If you see dead leaves inside, remove them to prevent any mold from spreading. Plants that have grown a lot, can be trimmed carefully.
We also offer a free maintenance service, so we can happily take care of the trimming for you.
Watering
The terrarium creates its own water cycle; meaning it can hydrate and rehydrate itself naturally. We should keep these water levels always balanced.
How often? Terrariums do not require frequent watering. Always check the moss and the soil to see if it is dry. If the moss is green and moist the terrarium doesn’t need to be watered. Condensation on the glass is also a good indicator, however this will change throughout the day. If your terrarium is looking a bit dry, spray it with a spray bottle. Adjust watering according to the size of your terrarium. Water until you see the substrate and moss moist again, but not soaking wet. Leave the lid open for less than an hour and then close it.
Always use rain or distilled water for watering.
Finally make sure you provide your terrarium, proper ventilation. Open the lid once a week for half an hour to allow air circulation. During summer months, you may need to open it more frequently.
After closing the lid ensure the moisture is balanced and your terrarium hasn’t dried out.
Two weeks incubation period (DIY Terrarium)
If you are reading this, it means you’ve made your own terrarium!
We suggest giving your new terrarium a two week incubation period. This means taking the lid off occasionally for the first two weeks. Plants need some time to adjust to their new environment.
Every couple of days take the lid off and put it back on after a few hours. Repeat this for the next two weeks.
Common Problems
If your moss turns dark brown, it means you are overwatering your terrarium. Open the lid for up to one hour to allow the excess moisture to evaporate.
Brown patches of moss could also mean that the water you are using contains chlorine and chloramine(usually tap water)so that’s not good! Make sure you use distilled water or rain water.
Sometimes moss discoloration may also be caused by excess heat buildup (mostly during summer months) and not proper ventilation. Make sure you open your terrarium lid more frequently to allow proper air circulation.
Moss can also turn yellow or brown for no apparent reason. This also happens in nature most of the time, following its natural cycle.
If many leaves are falling or melting, it could be a sign of too much heat in your terrarium. Open the lid of your terrarium for an hour to allow the air to cool down.
Yellowish leaves may indicate you are overwatering or underwatering your terrarium.
Check the moisture levels and adjust watering.
These tiny flies thrive in high humidity and damp substrate, so the best way to remove them is by leaving the cork off of your terrarium and let the substrate dry out a bit. You can also use the yellow fly catchers.
If you see small white-yellowish spores growing on the substrate or moss, it is usually the start of a mushroom. They are absolutely harmless and are actually a sign that your terrarium is healthy and you have a thriving ecosystem.
Nevertheless, if you don’t like the look of it or simply want to keep it from spreading too much, remove it carefully with a wet cotton bud.
Mold may appear in your terrarium for several reasons. It usually thrives in damp and dark conditions. Make sure you give your terrarium plenty of light. If it’s not enough, change its position where there is a good amount of light and open the lid for a few hours to allow fresh air to flow. Make sure there is not too much water in your terrarium.