Well, the quick answer is, probably not.
A terrarium can and will run successfully without a coating of charcoal. The important query is whether a covering of charcoal has a long-term beneficial impact on terrarium health.
Sadly, there isn’t any hard research demonstrating how well charcoal filters out harmful contaminants from a terrarium.
It makes sense in theory, and there is anecdotal evidence from seasoned terrarium builders that suggests it’s a useful addition, but like many terrarium-building decisions, it comes down to personal preference and trial and error.
Personally, I find that I utilize it less and less. I opted not to use charcoal in the project for my Essential Guide to Tropical Terrariums and instead used springtails to keep my terrarium clean. It’s still my healthiest, to be honest.
However, if you do decide to utilize it, adding a charcoal layer to your terrarium is a simple modification that I’ve found to have no significant drawbacks.
Charcoal can still be used as a drainage component when creating terrariums with a false bottom. So it won’t be much of a hindrance to your plants if it’s placed between your drainage rocks and your substrate.
Try adding extra terrarium moss instead of charcoal if you’re not keen on that. In any case, moss naturally filters water and is capable of removing contaminants like arsenic.
Does charcoal benefit cacti?
As the summer months draw to a close, I’m continuing my season-ending gardening theme with another idea for bringing lush flora indoors.
Succulent plantings are among the simplest plants to care for and create a stunning show.
I’ll explain how to make your own small-scale succulent garden in this post so you may enjoy it for many seasons to come.
Because of how much water succulents hold in their leaves and stems, they are sometimes known as “fat plants.”
Despite being simple to cultivate, plants do need a few unique planting supplies to flourish in your house.
When creating an indoor succulent garden, start with a sizable pot and fill the bottom with a layer of small pebbles to aid with water drainage.
Then equally scatter activated charcoal over the stones you just added.
Most pet stores carry activated charcoal in the aquarium section; it aids with air filtration.
Add your succulent soil, which can be found packed and labeled as such at most nurseries or garden stores, last.
You can create your own pre-mixed succulent soil if you can’t find any by mixing two parts standard potting soil and one part sand (do not use beach sand).
The kind of sand required for this mixture is also available at many garden supply stores and is often sold by the bag.
Spread the succulent soil mixture uniformly as a final layer before adding the plants after the layer of charcoal has been poured.
There are many lovely succulent options available in a variety of hues, forms, and textures.
Succulents are available in the gardening sections of the majority of garden centers, nurseries, and even many home improvement stores.
Let me elaborate a little bit on the succulent plants I chose for my tiny container garden.
Hen and chicks come in a variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and textures, and they are incredibly simple to grow.
As you can see in the photo below, they develop into discrete, family-like clumps that spread pretty quickly once planted in your container.
You can tell why this succulent is dubbed a jelly bean just by taking one glance at it. It is referred to as Pork and Beans in some circles.
The bean-shaped leaves may begin the summer season green, but by fall, exposure to sunlight causes them to turn burned orange or red. You may anticipate these bean-shaped plants turning yellow in the spring.
The Desert Rose survives as a succulent house plant in most places, despite being originally to tropical environments.
This plant has a distinctive, bulb-like stem where it stores its water. The Desert Rose’s vibrant green foliage eventually give birth to stunning pink, white, or red flowers.
Keep children and pets away from the Desert Rose as it generates a sap that may be harmful.
The Jade succulent is renowned for its fleshy, supple leaves that hold a lot of water.
Jade leaves can really grow so water-logged that they frequently buckle beneath the weight.
It’s still a lovely, thick shrub that is among the simplest to maintain and propagate by cuttings.
A handful of the more than 75 known nutrients in aloe vera include important vitamins, amino acids, and minerals. Aloe vera is well known for its powerful, natural moisturizing capabilities.
It is clearly identifiable due to its long leaves. Aloe Vera is frequently utilized to refresh and moisturise human skin and is one of the most well-liked therapeutic plants known to man.
Succulents’ roots may be a little compacted when taken out of their initial container, like the roots of most plants that were first grown in small pots.
You can, however, make one more addition to complete this attractive arrangement of succulents.
River rocks are a cheap decorative element that may add an earthier feel to any garden.
At a nearby nursery, I purchased a little bag of roughly 100 different river rocks for only $5.
Because of the natural force of river water running over them over time, river rocks have a soft, smooth surface.
The rocks also aid in dividing the various plants so that the boundaries of each one inside the container are more distinct.
Meanwhile, as long as the nutrient layers are appropriately layered, succulent gardens can be cultivated in almost any container.
If you want something smaller than a garden pot, think about using a Mason jar, which is reliable and adaptable.
(NOTE: I have a few Mason jar crafts planned for my site, which I’ll discuss in a later article.)
Simply repeat the layering procedures but on a smaller scale to create Mason jar gardens.
Begin with pebbles, then add charcoal activator, succulent soil, and finally the plant.
Put the jar’s band back on with caution after removing the lid.
As you complete this process, be careful not to harm the succulent.
You now possess a lovely, compact succulent planter that you can give as a gift to gardeners.
NOTE: These three succulent jar gardens are displayed on a shelf in my 13-year-old daughter’s room. She loves plants, and they look beautiful. They also give her a responsibility (because I’ve rejected the numerous requests for a companion dog).
A small-scale garden project like this can incorporate any number of fascinating succulents.
Visit the colorful selections at your neighborhood nursery, garden center, or home improvement greenhouse.
Here’s one final look at some of the succulent plant varieties I utilized in my container garden.
If so, which succulents are your favorites? If not, I hope I’ve motivated you to give it a shot.
Why does a terrarium need charcoal?
Despite the fact that the terrarium has been around since the 1800s (when it was created by a disgruntled doctor whose houseplants were dying), this is the perfect time to invest in one of these rich little gardens. Your mini ecosystem can flourish for a very long time and provide beauty, nature, and an air of otherworldliness to your home with the correct plants and lighting. Here are two methods for creating beautiful terrariums: using succulent desert landscapes or tropical ferns and moss that love shade.
Glass jar, vase, or bowl serves as the foundation of your terrarium. It could be a hurricane vase, apothecary jar, goldfish bowl, Mason jar, or goldfish bowl. Wide mouth openings make working with containers easier because you can slip your arm inside to move plants, and you’ll also have more room for a larger terrarium landscape. The secret to a terrarium is to construct fake drainage with layers of material specific to the sort of terrarium you’re making because the vase lacks a drainage hole. The soil you utilize is an additional factor.
Consider briefly how you want your terrarium to look and where it might go in your house before you go out and get your plants and supplies. Bright, indirect light is normally preferred by a tropical terrarium. There are countless design possibilities, so it’s crucial to have fun and produce something that both reflects your individuality and improves the design of your home. A terrarium can also serve as a miniature getaway, serving as a reminder of an upcoming getaway or favorite vacation spot. With plastic dinos and other little miniatures like a tiny Buddha or even an action figure, it can be amusing. They maintain a simple and beautiful design with only plants and natural materials, and they also look fantastic.
Supplies for a tropical plant terrarium:
- tornado vase
- decorative rocks bought in craft or garden supply stores
- charcoal, activated
- Moss
- Container soil
- 3 or more tropical indoor plants
- Shells, repurposed glass, pebbles, and stones with inscriptions
- Accents for the landscape that are small, including gnomes, fairies, and animals
- Depending on the size of your vase, fill it with an inch or two of ornamental pebbles. You should take note that the entire drainage layering area needs to be at least three inches high and, depending on the size of your terrarium, may be higher.
- On top of the rocks, sprinkle activated charcoal. You may want to wear gloves and move carefully because this is a highly dirty product as the charcoal will discharge a black dust. The charcoal helps to absorb any standing water and guards against the growth of bacteria and smells.
- The next ingredient is moss, which you can buy in bags at garden centers and craft shops. This not only gives your terrarium a realistic woodland aspect, but it also stops the soil from dropping to the bottom when watering.
- Following your layering procedure is potting soil. Since the plants already have some soil, add about an inch to start. Add more dirt on top after that.
- Stage your design now. We also used Purple Passion Plant with velvet-like leaves, Bird’s Nest, and Baby’s Tears. While they are still in their containers, arrange your planting strategy and decide where they will look best. Having one plant that is the focal point and is a little taller, along with a few others that are a little wider and spill over your vase like a vine, is a designer trick. Numerous tropical indoor plants, like violets and bromeliads, will flourish in your terrarium and produce flowers.
- Take the plants you’ve chosen, then take off a little of the dirt from the container one at a time. You might even need to use garden shears to slightly clip the roots. It’s acceptable if the soil in your terrarium is shallower than the container the plant arrived in; it will still grow just fine.
- After adding all of the plants to your terrarium, you can have fun with the top dressing and any other ornamental accents you like to use. Along with several polished stones with messages like “I love you,” a tiny fairy, and a frog were employed.
Even though there are so many wonderful colors, textures, and variations of succulents, the blue, pink, orange, and yellow succulents won’t survive long indoors unless you’re willing to move your terrarium outside once a week to bright indirect light. Otherwise, pick mainly green succulents that can withstand being indoors for a longer period of time, such as the Jade Plant or Haworthia (shown above).
Air plants, which can survive in your succulent terrarium as an accent piece and don’t require soil to survive, will bloom in indirect strong light and just require water and air to survive.
Supplies for a succulent terrarium:
- any type of vase, bowl, or jar
- Pebbles
- Fine gravel
- Cactus or succulent soil
- Air plants and succulents
- ornamental rocks, sand, and shells
- Your vase should be half full of thick ornamental rocks.
- Add sand or pea gravel on top. Note that activated charcoal can be used in its place, but it is messy. The best choice for drainage and aesthetics with succulents is pea gravel, which also helps to prevent rotting and odors. For additional decorative layering, colorful aquarium gravel is also available.
- Decide where you want to put your succulents right now. Consider color, contrast, texture, height, and width of the plants as you move them around in their container to determine what arrangement looks the best.
- Next, depending on the size of your terrarium vessel, scoop in the succulent or cactus soil until it is approximately an inch or two thick.
- Remove some of the dirt from the pre-made containers before planting, and depending on how long the roots are, cut them. Some may exceed the allowed soil by several inches. Fear not; everything will be alright.
- Now dig a little hole in the ground and start having fun. Do not be afraid to remove and rearrange the succulent if you are not satisfied with the way your design is coming out. A small paintbrush should also be kept nearby so that you may remove any dirt or other material that can end up in the plant’s crevices.
- After all of your plants have been moved into their new location, decorate it with some glitz! Sand, tiny pebbles, repurposed glass, or shell chips are all things we like to add. You can find them all in craft stores and garden centers. We chose the jade bean pebble for this project because it resembles a semi-precious stone.
- A Tillandsia or air plant was simply placed on top of the terrarium rocks as the finishing touch to offer even more visual interest.
The tropical terrarium does not like direct sunlight. The best place to be is inside a well-lit space with a hint of morning indirect light. To keep the soil moist but not flooded, a tropical terrarium should be watered once to twice a week. Additionally, it enjoys a weekly misting with a water spray bottle. Picture a rain jungle.
The succulent terrarium can withstand a little morning sunlight followed by strong indirect light in the afternoon. Just keep in mind that the succulent terrarium will flourish if you let it rest outside once a week for a few hours in indirect light (not in the freezing cold). The succulent terrarium prefers a drink but not a rain, unlike cacti. Use a spray bottle to sprinkle each succulent once per week to twice weekly during the warmer months of the year. You can get away with spraying sparingly once every 10 days during the winter months. Follow your gut feeling. Your terrarium will show you when the plants need water since they will react and appear parched.
No matter what kind of terrarium you create, be prepared to become dependent on this quick, simple, and rewarding method of improving your life, home, and air quality.