Basic Care Guide for your Botanista Terrarium

Your terrarium needs bright, indirect sunlight to thrive. Close to a window that gets good morning sun is great. Avoid direct sun at all times, especially hot, direct summer sun, as this can burn your terrarium.

Watering guide for closed terrariums:

Closed terrariums – those with lids – require very little watering. Over-watering a closed system will cause rot. Only a small amount of water is needed – aim to just rehydrate the soil. It is better to use a small amount at a time, and add more if you need it rather than add too much water. Open the lid to speed evaporation if you have over-watered. A small bottle terrarium may only need 20mls of water at a time, and a medium sized might need 50mls.

Generally, closed terrariums should not require regular watering. In fact they can often go for months without supplementary watering! We recommend around 4-8 weeks for our terrariums with cork lids (cork tends to breathe and soak up some moisture). For terrariums with solid lids like glass it could be 2-6 months before it needs a little extra water. Remember, if you think you’ve over-watered, open your terrarium to let it breathe and allow for water evaporation.

Watering guide for open terrariums:

Unlike closed terrariums, open terrariums need regular, deep watering. A good rule of thumb is once a week, more often in hot weather and a little less in winter. Observe and adjust as needed for your conditions, especially if using heating or cooling. Always use a spray mister or squeeze bottle to water. Aim at the base of the plants and thoroughly hydrate the terrarium soil mix.

An approximate guide to water needs for open terrariums:

12cm-15cm diameter bowls require 50-100ml water

20cm-25cm diameter bowls require 150-200ml water

30cm diameter bowls require 200-250ml water

35cm diameter bowls require 250-300ml water