We’ve all been there. The beautiful terrarium gift from a friend resides on the mantle, the piano, a table, a shelf, or somewhere around the house but mostly because terrarium plant care is lost on us. Luckily for those of us with a less than green thumb, terrariums are very easy to care for. Terrariums thrive best with slight neglect, normal amounts of light, and almost no watering and fertilization. The easy care of terrariums make them wonderful gifts for houseplant beginners as well as experienced planters.

Plant care for terrariums is pretty simple. Leave it alone! Neglect it for a while! Terrariums tend to recycle their own moisture so it is essential not to over water the plants. Check the water level of the soil monthly and apply more water when the soil has become almost completely dry. Terrariums are self-contained for the most part because they live off of the moisture and nutrients already present. Therefore, replenishing the soil is rarely necessary but may be done from time to time by scraping off the top layer of soil and replacing with a fresh layer of well-draining potting soil. This will keep the appearance of the houseplants in royal order while maintaining a healthy plant. Care for terrariums by placing them in areas with a moderate amount of light but never direct sunlight. If you can read by the light, your terrarium plant can live off of it. Pruning your terrarium is also easy. Simply pinch off new plant growth for a bushier appearance once the plant has nearly reached its desired height. That’s it! It’s as simple as that.

There are several plants suitable for terrariums. Fittonia (Nerve Plant), Podocarpus (Buddhist Pine), Creeping Fig, Sinningia, Boxus (Boxwood), miniature African Violets, several small palms, many small ferns and more are appropriate for small to medium terrariums. Some larger houseplants are also suitable for medium to large terrariums. Philodendron, one of the most popular houseplants, does very well in large terrariums. Golden Pothos houseplant care gains a new level of excitement inside large plant terrariums. Arboricola, tall palms, Dracaena plants, and Prayer Plant are just a few of the plants that perform beautifully in terrariums.

Looking to buy plant terrariums for a friend? Florists are now adding terrariums to the product mix. Terrariums make great gifts for loved ones in a variety of ages. Aquarium terrariums are a fantastic way to recycle those unused glass boxes by turning them into fantastic terrariums for kids. After all, it’s never too early to perk a child’s interest in science and nature. Glass terrariums beautifully accent a variety of home décor styles so you can never go wrong with this gift idea when you see terrariums for sale. Contact your local flower shop for more great terrarium gift ideas and care information. Oh, and fret no longer. That terrarium is now in good hands!