As many of you saw on Facebook and Instagram, we went on a big lumber run, which means there’s a lot of building about to begin in the nursery. But before we start construction we need to paint the walls and ceiling, so we’re hoping to finish that today and tomorrow and post an update on Monday. Three cheers for finally getting rid of those door-over-spray marks on the wall!
While we’re painting, I wanted to share a simple, anyone-can-do-it project—this one involves living things. Most importantly: there’s a tiny deer living in a tiny glass house in our home.
The good news is the tiny deer isn’t going anywhere, but the nearby plants definitely could if we don’t treat them right.
This project is part experiment: do low-maintenance plants really exist? I don’t exactly have a green thumb—remember when I asked for help keeping my cacti alive? The good news is they’ve survived for over two months.
So how did I keep them alive? By mostly ignoring them. I’ve watered them only once in two months. People advised me to give them a little water only when the soil felt really dry, and I followed that suggestion to the letter. They seem to appreciate it: not dying in protest is a win. Some of you even noticed them in last week’s chair post—go little cacti.
After that small victory with low-maintenance plants, I felt emboldened—though I still lack plant confidence (those succulents on the shelf in the background of a photo are actually fake from HomeGoods). The success did inspire me to try one more supposedly self-sustaining project: a terrarium.
I found an appealing glass container at a lighting shop a few weeks ago. The piece is often sold as a light fixture, but this one wasn’t drilled for wiring so it was marked down. It practically asked to be filled with a few green plants and a tiny plastic deer. I decided to test whether my black thumb could create a low-maintenance terrarium that would thrive without much attention.
Here’s how I made it.
Step 1. Find a glass container you like. You can use an apothecary jar, a large glass jar with a lid, or any clear vessel that seals well.
Step 2. Read a few terrarium tutorials to decide on a method. I found that guides recommending activated charcoal as a drainage and filtration layer made the most sense for a self-contained, low-water environment.
Step 3. Gather supplies: gravel or pebbles, activated charcoal, potting soil, and small plants (succulents, ferns, or other small houseplants depending on whether your terrarium will be open or closed). I used gravel from our driveway, a bag of potting soil from the garage, two small succulents from Home Depot, and a small bag of charcoal from a local greenhouse.
Step 4. Add about an inch of gravel to the bottom of the container to create drainage for excess water.
Step 5. Place roughly an inch of activated charcoal on top of the gravel. The charcoal helps keep the terrarium fresh by filtering water and preventing odors or mold.
Step 6. Add 2–3 inches of potting soil on top of the charcoal layer, deep enough to accommodate your plant roots.
Step 7. Plant your chosen small plants in the potting soil, arranging them so they have room to grow without crowding.
Step 8. For fun, add a small decorative element—mine is a tiny plastic deer tucked among the plants.
Step 9. Lightly mist the plants and the inside of the terrarium so the environment has some moisture, then seal the container if it’s designed to be closed. I gave the plants a few light splashes of water and then sealed the glass.
It’s been over a week and so far my little terrarium residents are holding steady. They aren’t drooping and actually look a touch happier than they did in their plastic nursery pots, though there hasn’t been dramatic change—no dramatic fogging of the glass or anything theatrical. Time will tell whether this turns into a thriving mini-ecosystem or a tiny, lonely tomb. I’ll keep you posted.
In the meantime I’d love any terrarium tips—especially from those of you who helped me keep the cacti alive. Share what’s worked for you so I can give these little guys the best chance.
Update: After I posted, I saw that another blogger created a similar terrarium from a kit—an interesting ready-to-assemble option if you’d rather buy a complete set. Their version is a good reference if you prefer a curated kit.