DIY Terrarium

What better way to spend a rainy Sunday than with an indoor project! 

You will need:

• Glass jar or bowl (I got mine from Michael's using a coupon)
• Cactus potting soil 
• Decorative rocks (and fine screen or mesh if you want your rocks to show and not get covered by dirt like mine...)
• Succulents a/o cacti
• Spoon (aka mini shovel)

Optional items:

• activated charcoal ONLY if you make a terrarium with a lid
• small rocks or sand to layer across the top

I purchased my medium glass bowl from Michael's. The original price was $11.99, but I used a coupon and got it for $8.34! The succulents and potting soil came from Lowe's. The succulents ranged from $2.98-$3.98 and I bought a total of six. We later saw the exact same ones in Walmart for 50 cents cheaper! The soil was $4.24. My decorative are from Walmart and cost $4.77. I purchased two bags but only used one! 

Total cost: $36.23 (this is with a Michael's coupon and military discount at Lowe's)

Instructions:

1. Place your rocks in the bottom of your bowl or jar. You need rocks! They will help any excess water drain from the soil. Otherwise your succulents and cacti may suffer from root rot. As I mentioned earlier, you may want a screen to keep your dirt from settling and covering your rocks. I really wish I had done that! 
2. If you chose a terrarium with a lid, layer your charcoal between your rocks and your soil. The charcoal you need is the same kind you purchase for fish tanks! The purpose of it is to help filter and circulate the air in your closed terrarium.
3. Dump in your soil! Make sure you have the kind for cacti :) 
4. Using your spoon as a shovel, plant your succulents.
5. Place sand or small rocks on top of the soil. I really wanted to do this, but couldn't bring myself to spend another penny on this thing!