A terrarium can be a very expensive and time-consuming hobby, so some people quickly come up with the idea of saving some money by making it themselves. Moss grows everywhere, but can you use any moss for a terrarium?
How can I make moss for my terrarium myself?
For a homemade moss terrarium, you should use moss from your own garden to comply with conservation laws. Pay attention to humid conditions, suitable climatic preferences, sufficient ventilation and careful removal in order to let the moss grow successfully in the terrarium.
Can I collect moss in the forest?
A lot of moss grows in the forest and there are even different species there. Simply collecting these for the terrarium at home is not a good idea. Some mosses are protected and collecting them is prohibited. White mosses and grove mosses are threatened with extinction, as are peat mosses.
What do I need for a terrarium?
If you want to create a mini terrarium to decorate your home, all you need is a used mason jar with a screw lid, some soil, a piece of moss and a few other small plants such as wood sorrel, which grows under similar conditions like moss. You can definitely use moss from your garden here, you may even find different types there.
Create a small landscape with soil, moss, small plants and maybe pebbles or a piece of wood on the lid of your mason jar. Moisten the moss a little and carefully screw the jar onto the lid. Your mini terrarium is ready.
Which moss is suitable for terrariums?
If you want to design a large terrarium in which insects or lizards will live, then the moss should have the same climatic preferences as the animals. Native moss usually grows in partial shade or shade, on cool, slightly acidic and slightly moist soil. Lizards, on the other hand, prefer warmth. You can find suitable moss for these conditions in special terrarium shops (€11.00 on Amazon), and also on the Internet.
The most important things in brief:
- do not collect protected species in the forest
- only take non-protected species in small quantities
- Removal from the garden is generally unproblematic
- Do not damage roots when collecting
- Keep moss moist so that it grows well
- move as little as possible
- ventilate adequately
Tip
Use moss from your own garden for your terrarium, which you want to remove anyway. This may save you additional measures.
