Terrariums are one of the most low-maintenance things you can own. Here's everything you need to keep yours looking its best.
A terrarium is a glass container in which plants are placed to grow. You can call it whatever you like – we’ve heard terraanium, titanium, and terradoobrywotsit – but the important thing is that they’re far easier to look after than most people think. Each Hugo & Green terrarium is completely unique, and every one leaves the shop with a carefully balanced mix of nutrients, plants, substrates, and micro-organisms already in place. We’ve done the hard work – your job is just to keep it happy.
Keep your terrarium out of direct sunlight and away from any heat source. Bright indirect light works well. A sunny windowsill in summer is too much — a shelf a metre or two back from the window is ideal.
Closed terrariums need very little water — just a couple of times a year at most. Add water until a small pool begins to gather at the bottom. The substrate layers will then do their job, drawing water back up to the plants naturally.
Open terrariums dry out a little faster. Check the moss — if it feels dry, give it some water. If it feels moist, leave it alone.
If you notice a lot of condensation building up on the glass, tilt the cork to vent for 24 hours. Do the same if your plants start to look sweaty — that is, visibly wet on the leaves. Venting helps prevent mould, especially during warmer weather.
All plants grow, and yours will eventually need a light prune to keep things looking their best. Trim back anything getting too big or crowding its neighbours. Little and often is better than leaving it too long.
