You bought a beautiful terrarium, now what? To ensure the health and longevity of your terrarium, it’s important to manage its exposure to sunlight and water carefully:
Sunlight
– Avoid placing your terrarium in direct sunlight as it can lead to overheating due to the greenhouse effect, potentially harming the plants. This is the number one cause of death of terrariums so be careful where you place it!
– Find a location that receives indirect natural light, such as near a north-facing window or in a room with a skylight but not where the sun rays shine down.
– For more control over lighting, consider purchasing an LED grow light with a timer to simulate a natural day/night cycle (12 hours on, 12 hours off), which we offer in our Shop.
Watering
– ALWAYS use rain water or bottled water
– ALWAYS use a spray bottle for watering your terrarium to provide a gentle mist and prevent overwatering, which the second most common cause of terrarium death.
– NEVER use a cup or place the terrarium under a running tap, as this can lead to excessive moisture dripping down into the drainage layer wreaking havoc on your miniature ecosystem.
Moisture Management
– Observe the glass for condensation; some condensation is normal, typically appearing twice daily (morning and evening).
– If condensation persists continuously, it indicates excess moisture. Open the terrarium to allow it to dry for a day or two, repeating as needed until condensation is observed only in the morning and evening.
Soil Moisture
– The ideal soil moisture should resemble that of a wrung-out damp sponge.
– Feel the soil by inserting a finger; it should be moist, not wet or dry.
– If uncertain about the moisture level, use a moisture meter to make more precise adjustments.