A miniature desert in an open jar

1. 
   1

   1. Find the brightest spot

   Succulents want a lot of light: near a window, ideally with a little gentle morning sun. Far from the window, they stretch towards the light and lose their compact shape within a few weeks.

   5 min
2. 
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   2. Pour in the drainage

   Pour the clay pebbles 2 to 3 cm deep at the bottom of the bottle, then level them with the tamper. They take the excess water and keep the roots dry. Don't skip this layer: without it, water stands at the bottom.

   5 min
3. 
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   3. Add the soil, dry

   Pour in the soil as it is, without moistening it, 5 to 6 cm deep. Raise it a little towards the back of the scene: a sloping relief gives depth and is easier to see from the front. Press it down lightly.

   10 min
4. 
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   4. Plant the three succulents

   Take each plant out of its pot, remove the old soil around the roots, then bury it up to the collar, no higher. The tallest at the back, the other two in front, in a triangle. Leave a few centimetres between them and the glass.

   15 min
5. 
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   5. Place the stones and the tillandsia

   Arrange the decorative stones around the plants with the tweezers: they cover the soil and keep its surface dry. Lay the dried tillandsia last. It is decoration: it is not watered.

   10 min
6. 
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   6. Wait a week before watering

   Don't water on the day you build it: roots damaged by repotting heal better when dry. After a week, pour a small glass of water at the foot of the plants, never on the leaves.

   2 min
7. 
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   7. Water only when everything is dry

   After that, allow a small glass of water every three to four weeks in summer, less in winter. Push the tweezers into the soil: if they come out damp, wait. A soft, translucent leaf means too much water; a wrinkled leaf, not enough.

   2 min per month

The project

An open 7-litre bottle, three succulents and all the filling. The simplest terrarium to look after, as long as you give it light and don't water it.

The same project, done differently.

• All-in-one kit version

  The 30 cm tall succulent kit: the open Ø 21 cm jar, three succulents and the filling in the same box.

  Beginner
• Low bowl version

  The glass bowl, Ø 29 cm and 8 cm tall, with the same refill: a flat desert, viewed from above, on a coffee table.

  Beginner
• Compact version

  An open bottle in size M (Ø 17 to 20 cm) and the succulent refill, sizes S and M, with two plants: for a narrow windowsill.

  Beginner