Frequently Asked Questions
Terrariums
Terrariums are mostly sealed containers where plants are kept. They are their own little worlds, with their own conditions and interactions. The best plants for this are usually tropical plants which are happy with warmer and more humid conditions.
Terrariums are designed to simulate a closed ecosystem:
-Plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen to photosynthesise, but also release carbon dioxide again at night.
-Closed terrariums trap moisture which traps humidity and condenses and falls at night, simulating rain cycles.
-Glass lets in light and keeps everything contained.
If managed correctly, these elements allow plants to happily flourish and grow.
-Plants need light to photosynthesise and so any terrarium placement should take this into account; they will not survive if left in a dark corner. Ideally, they should be placed in a location that has access to bright light, but is not in direct sunlight. Terrariums can be lit artificially with a dedicated grow lamp or kept in a location that is consistently lit throughout the day (offices or studios for example).
-Glass can bend and crack when it is exposed to differences in temperature. For this reason it is recommended to keep them away from radiators. If on a windowsill, make sure it is as far away from the heated edge as possible.
It can be a little tricky to get the right moisture levels as no two terrariums are the same. Size, shape and composition will all affect the required level, and this management should be seen as part of the terrarium-making process.
Generally, less is more when it comes to adding water to a terrarium, and rot and mould can quickly become a problem when moisture levels are too high. It’s a lot easier to add more water to a terrarium than it is to remove it.
Jungle plants generally like soil to be slightly moist to where the soil feels damp, but still light and airy. A liberal misting that wets the top 1cm of substrate for smaller terrariums and 2-3 for larger ones, is a good starting point.
A good rule-of-thumb is to aim for moisture levels that leave the glass clear in the day, but slightly misty at night. Terrariums should be monitored closely for the first few weeks and if plants start to dry up, more moisture should be added, if they start to rot or mould starts forming, moisture should be removed. This can take time to perfect, but this attention will really improve your chances of a thriving terrarium.
Plants
Plants are dispatched on a ground of moss and in clear bags. The posting process can be very stressful for plants so it’s best to treat them gently when receiving them. Be careful when unpacking and to handle them with care. Plants should be watered if required and then moved to a humid, warm and lit location that is not in strong light or daylight. This should also be applied if adding to a terrarium. A clear clip top box can be used if they are to be used later.
If the terrarium is being bought as a gift, please see the I want to buy a terrarium set as a gift section below.
A lot of the plants that I sell are available as unrooted cuttings. They are a low-cost method of adding new plants to your collection and is a great way of developing terrariums and unlockng a lot of layout opportunities.
A cutting needs 3 things while it roots: Light to provide energy, Humidity to prevent it from drying out and Warmth to speed cell growth.
Helpfully, terrarium environments are very closely matched to this, as they should be lit anyway and their enclosed nature helps trap humidity. Cuttings can be transplanted right away and with good quality airy terrarium soil, cuttings stand very good chances of success. Most of my cuttings are sold as pairs to increase chances further.
I also send all my cutting on base of sphagnum moss. This can also be used to keep cuttings on while they root. Simply transfer them to a lidded transparent plastic box (a clip top clear box is perfect) and leave in a warm, lit location, checking from time to time to add moisture if needed and to see how your cuttings are doing. Roots should begin to appear within a week of setup and should be left until they have developed and new growth can be seen.
I have often been sent plants with pests on them and they can be very difficult to deal with. I work extremely hard to keep my plant collection pest-free.
I offer a pest-free guarantee for all my plants. For full terms of this guarantee, see delivery terms.
Pests are generally not so much of a problem for terrariums, but for those who are planning to have an open terrarium and/or keep houseplants, some precautions should be taken.
Checking you plants regularly is important as pests can be very troublesome to get rid of once established, and should be incorporated into any plant-lover’s routine. Unfortunately a of shops grow plants in cramped spaces with no strong safeguards against pests, which can go undetected for weeks.
Ideally plants should be inspected and then showered down with water, and kept quarantined away from your other plants for a couple of weeks after receiving them and monitored for health and any signs of pests.
After being watered and left to fully hydrate, they can be coated with a spray made from:
- -1L of water
- -1 tbsp/15ml of castile soap or olive oil
- -A few drops of natural washing up liquid or handsoap
Please note: this should only be used with potted plants or unrooted cuttings. Exposed roots will not appreciate this mix. This is a light mix but you should always test the spray on a single leaf first to see how the plant reacts. Intense light can interact with the oil and burn plant leaves if lit too strongly, so it’s best to move them to a low-lit spot until everything has completely evaporated off the surface. Can easily be done too in the evening.
Terrarium Health
This can also occur if the terrarium glass is being exposed to heat changes (in sunlight or near a radiator – neither of which is recommended).
Mould growth can also be an indicator that the substrate is too wet – it should be moist to the touch, but not damp, and definitely not wet. If you believe this is the case, you can open your terrarium up to let some of the humidity evaporate.
Terrariums are closed loop systems that are humid and generally have stagnant airflow. This makes them susceptible to mould and all terrarium makers run into it at some point.
Prevention:
-Mould should be treated right away, by manually removing patches and removing any dead leaves or plant matter. Mould will form a lot quicker if the substrate is too damp, it should be slightly moist to the touch, but not wet. If your terrarium frequently is misty or has droplets of water on it, it is a sign that your substrate is too wet. Airing out the terrarium and letting some of the moisture evaporate will help this.
-Opening up a terrarium for a while every week to let fresh air in will suppress mould growth, and give you an indicator if there is mould forming (it will smell musty).
-I also highly recommend adding springtails (available here) to any terrarium setup. They are tiny hexapods that eat mould and really help in keeping it under control.
-Any substrate, wood, etc can be baked at 120c for an hour, before added to your build, which will kill off the majority of mould spores at the time and give you a head start.
If you start to see plants turning brown and shrivelling up, this is a strong indicator that your moisture levels are too low. This is often easiest to see on moss. Mist your plants and continue to monitor, adding more if required. If your substrate is wet to the touch, this could instead be a sign of root rot, where measures should be put in place to remove moisture (paper towels or leaving the lid off and letting moisture escape).
Delivery
Heat packs are available here.
Be aware that the plants sent in any terrarium set will need caring for until they are planted. Please bare this in mind if you are planning to give as a gift! Please read the Caring for plants on arrival FAQ section.
Alternatively you would like an item delivered on a certain day, Special Delivery can be selected upon checkout. Please get in contact with me if you are looking for delivery on a certain day as I cannot always offer this. Generally I need notification of this at least 3 days before your chosen date.
I also offer a full Live Arrival Guarantee for all items sent with the
Special Delivery postage service on checkout. This will cover any live
items that are dead on arrival. Outside of winter this is generally not required, however in winter or for high value live orders, I highly recommend this option. Items sent using a free or standard delivery service (1st Class) will not be covered by this guarantee and are sent at the buyer’s risk.
A lot of my packaging is compostable and is my preference where possible. All of my boxes and filler packaging is 100% compostable and/or can be recycled at the kerbside.
I currently use 3 classes of clear bags for packaging:
- -Bags labelled as compostable are compostable and recyclable. I use cellulose bags derived from cornstarch and woodpulp. They can be safely composted or included in paper recycling.
- -Bags labelled as oxo-biodegradable are not recyclable but decompose very quickly in landfill.
–Unlabelled bags or bags labelled plastic should be treated as normal plastic bags. Recycle at shops that offer this or at roadside where applicable.
I generally post mondays and thursdays for parcels, smaller letterbox-sized orders are sent more regularly.
For full delivery terms, please read Delivery Terms