Moss Terrarium

As always, read through before follow through (and in this case I can see your computer getting dirty if you didn't) Gather your supplies! 1.Jar with Lid - Housing Container 2.Gravel - For drainage 3.Potting Soil - To help grow your plants 4.Dirt - Moss likes bad soil 5.Moss-Our plant of choice for this project 6.Spray Bottle-To maintain your terrarium 7.Little things- Miscellaneous toys, charms, found items, and decoration you can insert to customize your terrarium.
You want to fill up your container til there is roughly an inch worth of gravel. This is for drainage. When the plant grows you'll want condensation and moist conditions but not stagnant water. This acts as a filter. My jar ($4; I'm sure I could've gotten one at the dollar store) was large enough to use up a small package of fish tank gravel ($1.70). Fish gravel comes in many decorative colors and can really help design spaces! My room happens to be black and blue so this mix pictured fits right in.
Moss is a plant so it's going to need some good soil, that's where the potting soil comes in. HOWEVER it thrives on poor quiality soil too, and that's where your run of the mill dirt comes in. So take a little of both and mix them together and make a short layer above your gravel. Moss is a low root level growing plant. It's never going to reach deep into the dirt so you don't have to use a lot at all.
So go for a walk and pick up your moss. Mine was growing in the parking space in front of my automobile. Maybe you'll find yours in sidewalk cracks, or on trees and rocks. Gently place your moss in your container. I didn't even push down on it, just dropped it in. If you do use moss you find outdoors be aware: Buggies like to live and make babies in some moss. Also, there may be other plants growing unseen in your moss. If you aren't sure if your moss is free of bugs just keep it seperate from other plants you care for and if you are really paranoid set up your jar outside until you are sure. If you do not live in an area that has naturally available moss you can still do this! You can purchase many types of moss at floral shops and craft stores too. They may be dried out in their bags but the magic of nature allows them to reconstitute and regenerate into new life by just adding water. It may take a while longer but it happens. You should be really careful with moss near sinks because they will grow in the pipes and clog it up. (Ask your florist, it's true.)
On your walk you may find other elements to decorate your terrarium. I'm making a mini necropolis so these will make great spooky tiny trees. It's a lot of fun to have a theme instead of just plants (although "just plants" is okay, too!)
Assemble your decorations inside your container!
Using a spray bottle, lightly mist your terrarium. You can look up how to care for a moss terrarium for more tips. Here are some tips from me: 1.Do not set up in direct sunlight. Moss likes shady areas. (Mine is on my windowsill but the sun does not shine there all day long) 2.Mist daily, maybe 3 squirts. If you see water building up in your gravel do not mist and open the jar so it can evaporate. Remember, we don't want icky stagnant water. Once everything clears up you can seal the jar again for the greenhouse action (This may take a day or two if you do have sitting water) 3.Moss likes wood and rocks to grow on and especially favors one side. Because mine is in a window even though it's a big no-no, I rotate it everyday so it doesn't burn the moss.
Enjoy your terrarium. This is my cemeterrarium after a few weeks (I do keep it sealed however for picture purposes I took the lid off). I have a tombstone charm in there, the "tree" I found, and a clay skull and bone I made from Sculpey. As you can see I had clover secretly growing in my moss (no bugs!). I could remove it but for right now I really like it! Have fun, I can't wait to see your version!