A mini terrarium under a dome
A single plant, a glass dome that opens in two, and a spot on the desk.
- Beginner
- 30 min to set up
- 4 pieces
- Ø 12 × H 25 cm
The steps
Six steps, in building order. Work on a clear table, with the plants out of their pots next to you.
1. Open the dome and set it flat
Separate the two parts and set the base on the table. Choose its final spot: bright light, no direct sun, which would quickly heat such a small volume of air.
5 min
2. Lay the drainage and the charcoal
Pour the clay pebbles 1.5 to 2 cm deep at the bottom of the base, then a pinch of activated charcoal. Keep the rest in its bag: you will use it for topping up.
5 min
3. Add the soil
Moisten a little soil in a bowl, then spread it 3 cm deep. Check that the top of the dome still fits on without touching the ground: the soil must not reach the joint.
5 min
4. Plant the fittonia
Take the fittonia out of its pot, remove some of the soil and reduce the root ball so it fits within the 12 cm diameter. Plant it in the centre and close the soil around it.
10 min
5. Lay the moss around it
Cut a moss cushion into pieces and lay them around the base of the plant, green side up. Leave a little space against the glass.
5 min
6. Mist and close again
Three or four sprays are enough for this small volume. Put the top of the dome back on. The next day, light condensation should appear in the morning and disappear during the day.
2 min
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 3-litre two-part dome, a fittonia and the filling with moss. No neck: you build everything flat, in thirty minutes.
The smallest closed terrarium in the shop fits on the corner of a desk: 12 cm in diameter, 25 cm tall. The dome separates in two: you plant on the base, in the open, then put the cover back on. No long tool is needed.
This project brings together the 3-litre recycled glass dome, a fittonia with veined foliage (about 10 cm tall) and a refill with moss, sizes S and M: two cushions, soil, clay pebbles and activated charcoal.
The diameter is narrow: one plant, not two. The refill is designed for containers up to 20 cm: you will only use part of it, and the rest is for topping up later.
The same project, done differently.
- Moss-only version
No plant: the two cushions from the refill and an extra bag of two cushions, in a small hill. Nothing grows, nothing needs trimming.
Beginner - Fern version
A fern in a 6 cm pot instead of the fittonia: finely cut foliage, taller, reaching up towards the top of the dome.
Beginner - Round dome version
The 20 cm, 4-litre round dome, also in two parts: wide enough for two plants and a little more moss.
Beginner
FAQ
Your questions about this project
Is the dome airtight?
The two parts fit together without a stopper. The moisture stays inside as in a closed bottle, and you lift the top to let air in or remove a leaf.
Why only one plant?
The diameter is 12 cm. Two plants touch each other and the glass within a few weeks. A single plant keeps air around it.
What should I do with the leftover filling?
Keep it dry in its bag. You can use it to top up the dome or to build a second small terrarium.
The fittonia is drooping, is that serious?
A drooping fittonia is thirsty. Mist it and close the dome again: it straightens up within a few hours.
