My 9-year-old Daughter Built A Small Terrarium (maybe 4″w X…
Caroline Asked
My 9-year-old daughter built a small terrarium (maybe 4″W x 8″L) and we would like to know a plant that would be good to grow in this small space.
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Caroline in Kentucky: Terrariums are all the rage again. How great that your little girl is so interested in plants at such an early age! I am not sure if you read the recent article about terrariums in the May issue of Kentucky Living magazine or not, so I am sorry if I am giving you information that you have already read. The first consideration is whether you want the terrarium to be a dry or moist environment. When we think of a dry environment, we tend to think of desert plants such as succulents that do not require much moisture. A cacti/succulent soil should be used for these plants. A moist environment would be more of a woodland or tropical setting, and a peat-based soil mixture would be best for this type of terrarium. As for plant suggestions, any type of cacti or succulent would be great for your dry terrarium. If you choose to make a moist terrarium, there are many more plant choices. Creeping fig, hypoestes, selaginella, parlor palm, and assorted ferns and begonias are all great choices, just to name a few. In a nonrestricted environment, some of these plants can actually get quite large, but kept in a terrarium they will remain small and compact. You should be able to find small terrarium plants at your local garden center. They are typically sold in 2-inch containers. Just use whatever catches your eye!
