Our easy landscape maintenance guide will keep your mini glass garden thriving for years to come. Although terrariums are a low-maintenance option and require less attention than many houseplants, they do require some TLC from time to time to keep them healthy. Additionally, there are some key mistakes to avoid if you want them to be the best.
Terrariums will mostly take care of themselves once planted. Especially if you choose a closed design that will create its own self-watering mini ecosystem. If you’re looking for an easy option you can’t beat them. Avoid the common pitfall of planting and maintaining succulents in a closed design, as conditions can be too humid and they won’t thrive.
Where you place your landscape is also important to its success. Before choosing your winning combination, check the light requirements of each of the terrarium plants you have in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to hitting a winning formula.
The 5 Most Common Landscape Maintenance Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
You’ve invested time, effort, and money into the indoor plants in your landscape, and you want them to look good for a long time. Follow our expert tips on what not to do if you want your landscape to continue to thrive.
1. Placing the terrarium in the wrong place
(Image credit: Getty Images/Polina Strelkova)
Getting the landscape right is important, so make sure yours fits the situation you have in mind when planning your design. Closed landscapes prefer bright, indirect light, while open ones prefer a well-lit area without direct sunlight. Look again at the needs of the plants you have in mind.
’Plants in an airtight or closed landscape recycle the air,’ explains veteran horticulturist Matt Kostelnik. Both. 'During the day, sunlight promotes the growth of sugars during photosynthesis, which turns carbon dioxide into oxygen and releases it into the landscape.’ As part of your terrarium maintenance routine, you may want to periodically remove the lid of a covered terrarium.
2. Improperly watering your landscape
(Image credit: Getty Images/Evelian Dusje)
When it comes to watering plants in landscapes, it depends on how many plants you include in your plan and what type they are, as well as whether or not your landscape is an open or closed design. Also remember that terrariums retain water longer than other houseplants.
Terrariums do not require watering like other indoor plants. „The types of plants found in terrariums tend to be hardy plants that don’t need frequent watering,” says Matt Kostelnick. 'Also, the greenhouse-like terrarium system recycles water without evaporating.’
If your landscape is covered, it needs little or no watering because it maintains the right amount of moisture, so it becomes self-watering. You can see condensation up to a third of the height of the terrain. If there is very little condensation, try adding a tablespoon of water.
If the soil is completely dry and the leaves wither, this is a sign that the landscape needs watering. On average, if you have a covered landscape, you should water once a month, but always water less when in doubt.
’Open terrain benefits from watering every 3-6 weeks,’ says Matt. 'Instead of watering on a schedule, check the soil to see how much water your plants actually need.’
If you have a plant-heavy landscape, it needs to be watered regularly. Make sure it is not in direct sunlight, which can cause the soil to dry out. Use a terrarium water bottle Like this one from Amazon Bendable nozzle helps direct water where needed.
Matt Kostelnik is Senior Horticulturist at Ambius. Known by many as the 'Plant Doctor’, he has over 20 years of experience in the field of horticulture and has taught horticulture at the university level.
3. Failure to organize terrarium plants
(Image credit: Getty Images/Gnula)
Pruning terrarium plants can be tricky due to the enclosed nature of the space and the density of planting. You will need to trim back any plants that are touching the sides of the terrarium or have grown too tall. It’s worth investing in a special set of extra lengths Fish Tools (Available from Amazon) Including scissors and tweezers for the job.
Use your new tools to keep leggy plants under control if you find them crowding the edges or tops of the landscape. Cut stems below a healthy leaf joint to encourage fuller growth.
Regularly trim yellow or dry leaves to keep your landscape plants looking good. If you’ve added a decorative layer of moss and it looks a little tired, add a tablespoon of water every now and then to keep it green.
If one of your plants is in trouble, there’s no point in holding on to it hoping it will rally. If it is diseased, it can spread to others in your indoor garden and detract from the aesthetics of your landscape. When removing a diseased plant, be careful not to disturb the roots of other plants. If you’re replacing it with a new plant, it should be similar in size to slot neatly into your design.
4. Getting the terrarium glass dirty
If the glass is too dirty or fogged up, it will block light from reaching your plants, which can harm the health of your plants.
Regular outdoor dusting is an important part of terrarium maintenance because it lets light in, as well as showing off your plants. Dampen a paper towel or use a soft clean cloth to wipe the glass. Avoid using glass cleaners, as these may contain chemicals that are harmful to your plants.
Use distilled water or still collected rainwater with a soft lint-free cloth when cleaning the inside of the terrarium. You only need very little water. Do not use cleaning solution as it may contain chemicals that are harmful to plants.
While you’re at it, don’t forget to clean up the houseplants in your landscape, too.
5. Failure to act quickly if there are bugs in the terrarium
(Image credit: Getty Images/Patrick Moynihan/Byronius)
If you have an open landscape, regularly monitor for pests as part of your landscape maintenance. 'Mosquitoes, insects and mealybugs are all known plant parasites that can ride through plants and substrate into landscapes,’ explains plant expert Dan Jones. The terrarium tribe.
If you think there is a problem, take action immediately. Plants for the landscape are not expensive, and keeping a plant in a landscape means it can easily spread to other plants.
Recommend to buy Insecticidal soap [available from Amazon] and applying it to infected plants,’ says Matt Kostelnik. 'You can buy pebbles or rocks to repel mosquitoes and avoid overwatering.’ Check with your local gardening store for more advice.
If all else fails and the plant is still infested, the best landscape maintenance is to remove the entire plant. The same principle can be applied to your other easy indoor plants – don’t let a sick plant ruin your display.
Don is the founder of Terrarium Tribe and its resident plant dad. As a former research scientist turned author, she likes to blend the art and science of horticulture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are landscapes easy to maintain?
Landscaping is easy to maintain, but if you want to ensure yours is a long-lasting and healthy centerpiece for your indoor plants, there are one or two important considerations.
James Kinsella, research horticulturist and botanist, says 'It is important to regularly monitor and care for plants in the landscape, including watering, pruning and providing adequate light and ventilation. Outplanted.com. 'Overall, plants grow well in the landscape.
While not the only plants growing in the landscape, many different types of succulents can be good choices, although they come with their own growing and maintenance pitfalls, and you’ll especially find that properly watering succulents is critical to ensuring your safety. Landscape plants are healthy.