How to Make a Terrarium with Cacti and Succulents

I love having green all around me, especially when I’m indoors. That’s why I have a succulent terrarium in every single room in my house! Terrariums are indoor gardens that are remarkably easy to care for. They are especially easy when you find the right plants that work for you.

I’m a huge fan of using cacti and succulents because they are less work than most other plants. They also tell you when they need water and are more adaptable to light than other plants which is nice! I won’t go into Cactus & Succulent Terrarium care too much in this post, because this is all about how to built a terrarium. But you can find an easy terrarium care guide here.

Here is a super easy step by step guide to building your own succulent terrarium in a gorgeous glass bowl.

watch the video tutorial graphic pop shop america website

Supplies to Make a Cactus & Succulent Terrarium:

1. A Glass Globe Terrarium Kit from Pop Shop America
-or-
1. A Shallow Bowl
2. Rocks
3. Cactus Soil or Regular Potting Soil
4. Several cacti and succulents (I chose 3)
5. Colored sand, crystals, moss, or seashells for decoration

And:
6. A sunny window
7. Water

Start with a shallow bowl. A shallow bowl allows the plants to absorb water easily. Cacti and succulents especially small ones like what we are using don’t have big roots, so a shallow bowl is all you need.

Add a layer of rocks to the bottom of the bowl. Aquarium rocks are perfect. If you use aquarium rocks, you can choose from a wide array of colors – natural, hot pink, black, ombre blue, and lots more. When you water your terrarium the rocks will drain the water away from the roots of the plants. This will help the soil to dry completely in between waterings and keep your plants healthy.

Gently pack and firmly place the succulents in the soil. If your plants are in soil, be sure to remove some of that soil before placing the plant in its new home. First of all, you want the roots to be loose and free and not be wedged inside of already packed soil. And also, you want to get fresh soil around the plant.

Next add soil around the plants until all the roots are covered. Smooth the soil to make an even layer and gently pack the soil down to hold the plants in place. If your plants are wobbly there are 2 things you can do. First, you could water the plants – getting the soil wet will help the plants hold in place. Second, if you hold the plant in place with your hands, and then add rocks on top of the soil, the weight will help hold the plants in place.

You can add all kinds of decorations like colored sand, crystals, seashells or miniature doll house objects! Now it’s all about adding your favorite styles and colors.

Place your terrarium near a window and water twice a month. It doesn’t matter if the window is sunny or shady as long as it’s next to a window. Let your plants dry out in between waterings. Succulents will start to look sunken in, like how your fingers look when you’ve been in a pool too long, if they’re dehydrated. If they need more water increase your watering to schedule to once a week or even twice a week.

Need even more terrarium inspiration? There are so many terrarium tutorials at Pop Shop America that you must check out! First of all, if you want all the supplies to make your own terrarium shop our Globe Terrarium DIY Kit here. And don’t miss this wall mounted mason jar planter here or you could try printing and coloring these cool terrarium coloring sheets here.