As many of you saw on Facebook and Instagram, we made a big lumber run — which means a lot of building is about to happen in the nursery. Before that starts, we need to paint the walls and ceiling, so we’re planning to finish that today and tomorrow and share an update on Monday. Three cheers for finally getting rid of those door-over-spray marks!
While we work on paint, I wanted to share a simple, anyone-can-do-it plant project: a small terrarium that now houses a tiny deer in a little glass world. It’s an easy DIY for low-maintenance indoor greenery and a fun way to bring a bit of nature inside.
Luckily, the plastic deer in this terrarium can’t get hurt, but the live plants definitely can — so this turned into an experiment to see whether a low-maintenance terrarium can really thrive without much attention. I don’t claim to be a plant expert (my confidence is low — some of the succulents you see on our shelf are fake), but after successfully keeping a few cacti alive with almost no care, I wanted to try something with a sealed environment.
Surprisingly, those cacti are still doing well after two months, mainly because I mostly ignore them. I watered them only once in that time — just a small amount when the soil was clearly dry — and they’ve continued to look healthy. That low-maintenance success made me curious about a self-contained terrarium that could maintain its own moisture balance.
I found the glass container for this terrarium at a local lighting shop. It’s the sort of piece often sold as a light fixture, but this one wasn’t drilled for wiring and was marked down to $16. It called out to be filled with greenery — so I took it home and set out to make a simple, low-maintenance terrarium.
Below is the step-by-step process I followed to build this terrarium, including the supplies I used. This approach is geared toward creating a mostly self-sustaining miniature ecosystem, which helps reduce the need for frequent watering.
Step 1. Choose a glass container. A clear jar, apothecary jar, or any glass vessel with a lid works. The container I found has a wide opening and a lid that seals, which is ideal for a closed terrarium.
Step 2. Research and choose a reliable method. I read several terrarium tutorials and found that designs using a layer of charcoal help keep the environment stable by filtering and reducing odors and excess moisture — making the terrarium more self-sufficient.
Step 3. Gather supplies: gravel for drainage, activated charcoal, potting soil, and small plants (succulents or shade-loving terrarium plants are good options). I used gravel from our driveway, a small bag of charcoal from a local greenhouse, potting soil from the garage, and two small succulent packs.
Step 4. Add about an inch of gravel to the bottom of the container to create a drainage layer that prevents roots from sitting in water.
Step 5. Add an inch of activated charcoal on top of the gravel. The charcoal helps keep the terrarium fresh and discourages mold and bacteria.
Step 6. Add 2–3 inches of potting soil over the charcoal, providing enough depth for the plants’ roots to settle in comfortably.
Step 7. Plant small, slow-growing plants gently into the soil. I transferred succulents and arranged them so each plant has space and light from the container’s opening.
Step 8. For a touch of whimsy, I added a tiny plastic deer to the scene. Decorative elements are optional but can make the terrarium feel like a miniature landscape.
Step 9. Mist the plants lightly with water — just enough to moisten the soil. I splashed a bit of water inside and then sealed the lid. In a sealed terrarium, water cycles through condensation and can sustain plants for extended periods without frequent watering.
It’s been more than a week so far and the plants are holding up well. They look slightly perkier than when they were in their nursery containers, though I haven’t seen dramatic condensation or “fogging” on the glass yet. That doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong — some terrariums take longer to reach equilibrium. Time will tell whether this becomes a thriving miniature ecosystem or a small, quiet resting place for these plants.
I’m happy to report this project was an easy, budget-friendly way to bring a little green indoors, and it’s ideal if you want a low-maintenance indoor plant display. If you’ve built terrariums before, I’d love tips on plant selection, watering schedules, and positioning for best light. Your advice kept my cacti alive, so I’m eager to learn more.
Update: A friendly heads-up — someone else recently made a terrarium using a kit and shared their version with a decorative dome. It’s a great ready-to-assemble alternative if you don’t want to source the parts yourself. Their photos are beautiful and the finished look is glamorous if you prefer a more styled approach.