DIY: Better Homes and Gardens Terrarium Tutorial

I am a total sucker for TJMaxx!! I go there all the time to try and find whatever i can to make our house even more beautiful! There and HomeGoods will be the end of me, or the end of my access to our bank account maybe...

So this project began at TJMaxx and was ALL Chris. I cannot grow anything, like, anything. He is the one who buys and waters and cares for our plants. So we went into the TJMaxx in Santa Maria, CA while on vacation to see what it had to offer that the ones here in Utah just don't. I couldn't find anything that was perfect, but lo and behold Chris found this x-large apothecary jar that we couldn't leave the store without buying. We had both read the article by Tovah Martin in BHG about terrariums, and he had been pretty set on the idea since then. So the directions are the exact same ones we used. Even though i'm not the one who cares for it, it is the easiest plant we have to care for. Hers a really pretty, but i'm happy with our TJMaxx compared to her Crate & Barrel's.

HOW TO Plant a Terrarium:
All you need; a clear container, soil, and a plant says Tovah Martin

PROVIDE DRAINAGE
Put an inch of 3/8 inch pebbles in the bottom of the container. Mix in a handful of horticultural charcoal to keep moist soil smelling sweet.

POUR IN POTTING SOIL
Add 2-3 inches of light potting soil that contains lots of peat, such as African violet medium. Tamp it down to remove air pockets.

DIG A LITTLE HOLE
No trowel needed! Make a planting pocket with your finger. Set the plant in and firm the soil around it. Make sure no roots are exposed.

WATER LIGHTLY
Dampen the soil until water drips into the stones. Don't use the misters or sprayers, Tovah says: "They make more of a mess than they moisten the soil."

KEEP IT GROWING
Water an open terrarium when the soil looks dry or you can no longer see water in the stones - every 7-10 days or so. A closed one can go for two weeks or more between waterings. Remove spent flowers and leaves as soon as they appear. Wipe the glass, inside and out, occasionally with a clean cloth.

This is how Chris' turned out and it looks really awesome! It's pretty tall and it's a really good natural decoration that not even someone like me could kill!