A bonsai under glass
A ficus ginseng as a little tree, with a fern and a fittonia at its feet, under a lit bottle.
- Beginner
- 1 h to set up
- 4 pieces
- Ø 23 × H 25 cm
The steps
Seven steps, in building order. Work on a clear table, with the plants out of their pots next to you.
1. Choose the spot
Bright light, no direct sun on the glass. The ficus grows towards the light: a stable spot that you won't change keeps the tree straight.
5 min
2. Lay the drainage and the charcoal
Pour the clay pebbles 2 cm deep, then the activated charcoal in a thin layer. Level it without shaking the bottle.
10 min
3. Add the soil, higher at the back
Moisten the soil in a bowl, then pour it 4 to 5 cm deep, thicker at the back. Make a small mound where the ficus will go: set up high, the tree dominates the scene.
10 min
4. Plant the ficus first
Take the ficus out of its pot and remove the soil around the fine roots, without touching the large visible roots: they are what make the bonsai. Plant it on the mound, slightly off centre, leaving its thick roots above the soil.
15 min
5. Add the fern and the fittonia
Plant the fern behind or beside the ficus, the fittonia in front. They form the undergrowth: keep them lower than the tree and leave space between the three plants.
10 min
6. Lay the moss and close
Lay the two moss cushions at the foot of the ficus, green side up. Wipe the glass, give eight to ten sprays, then fit the stopper.
10 min
7. Air and trim
Open the bottle for a few hours once a month. When a ficus shoot gets close to the glass or the stopper, cut it with the long scissors just above a leaf: the tree branches out and stays compact.
10 min per month
Care, afterwards
- LightNear a window, never in full sun: the glass heats up fast.
- WaterMist only if the condensation has not come back for several days.
- CondensationThere all day long: open the cork for a few hours, then close it again.
- PruningCut the leaves that touch the glass and remove dead leaves with the tweezers.
The guides for this project
All guides
The project
A 25 cm bottle with an LED stopper, a ficus ginseng bonsai, a fern, a pink fittonia and all the filling. A closed landscape around a tree.
The ficus ginseng is the bonsai that copes best with life under glass: it likes humidity, grows slowly and keeps its thick roots on the surface, which give it all its character. In a closed terrarium, it becomes the tree of a small landscape.
This project starts from the bonsai kit: a recycled glass bottle, Ø 23 cm and 25 cm tall, its cork stopper with LED, the ficus ginseng, a fern and a pink fittonia, with the complete filling (two moss cushions, 1.75 L of soil, clay pebbles, activated charcoal).
The difference from a terrarium of low plants is trimming. The ficus puts out new shoots upwards: a pair of long scissors shortens them without opening the bottle wide, and the tree keeps its silhouette.
The same project, done differently.
- Opening cloche version
The XL bonsai kit: a Ø 28 cm cloche that splits in two, with ficus, fern and fittonia. You plant flat, with your hands inside.
Beginner - Open version
The bonsai kit in a 30 cm open jar: ficus ginseng and fittonia, plants within reach at all times, with a little water regularly.
Beginner - Zen Bonsai version
Our largest kit: 11 litres, the ficus ginseng with calathea, asparagus and two fittonias at its feet.
Beginner
FAQ
Your questions about this project
Is the ficus ginseng a real bonsai?
It is a Ficus microcarpa grown in bonsai form, with its thick roots on the surface. It grows slowly and copes well with the humidity of a closed terrarium.
Does it need frequent trimming?
A few cuts a year are enough, when a shoot gets close to the glass. Cut just above a leaf with long scissors.
Does the LED make the plants grow?
No, it is an ambient light. The plants live on daylight. Batteries are not included.
How often should I water?
Once or twice a year in the closed bottle. Open it for a few hours each month to renew the air.
