If you are tired of growing indoor flowers in ordinary pots, we offer the opportunity to create a home mini-greenhouse - a flower florarium. This rather original solution will allow you to easily create excellent decorations for any room. Now you will learn how to make a florarium with your own hands and you can even get acquainted with the step-by-step instructions for performing this task.
What is florarium: a variety of compositions in the glass
Florarium is a real mini-greenhouse, where live plants are planted in glass containers of various shapes and sizes. Usually, several types of flowers are combined here, as well as a wide variety of decorative ornaments are used: ranging from stones to cartoon figures and rhinestones. Thanks to such additions, it is possible to create very attractive live compositions that can decorate any room.
Did you know? The tradition of creating florariums dates back to XІХ century. In those days, such compositions decorated the windows of shops and salons, as glass containers looked more attractive than clay pots or wooden tubs.
Another feature of florariums is that by creating them, you create a special ecosystem with your own hands. After all, it is usually for this purpose that semi-closed vessels are used, in which the humidity of the air increases significantly with the growth of flowers. Due to this, even tropical plants can be grown in florariums, which under normal conditions practically do not survive. Moreover, caring for plants in the florarium will not be difficult, since they themselves will accumulate moisture for themselves, and weeds in such an ecosystem appear very slowly.Features of arrangement of florarium
The question of how to make a florarium, includes many aspects of creating a home greenhouse, which, in particular, concerns the choice of planting capacity for plants, and the selection of the plants themselves. Below we list the main points that should be considered when creating a composition in cans with your own hands.
Choosing a place for florarium
The placement of the mini-greenhouse will depend on what size the capacity for the florarium has and what kind of flowers are planted in it. Since a large aquarium cannot be placed on a window sill, it is worth picking up a plant that can grow successfully in partial shade. But when planting succulents place for florarium should be as lit as possible.
Another aspect is the combination with the interior. Such mini-greenhouses look best in the foreground, as they attract attention not only to the upper part of the plants, but also to the filling of the pot (some “residents” can successfully develop even in white sand or special aquagrunt). It is best to put it in the middle of the table so that you can look at the flower arrangement from all sides.
What plants are suitable for florarium?
Plants for florarium must be selected very carefully, paying attention to such aspects:
- tolerance of high humidity, which will inevitably be present in the half-closed space of the glass container;
- plant size (each flower should not grow more than 20 cm, although if your capacity for florarium is very small, then the size of the plant should be the same);
- slow growth of plants that will allow for a long period of time to keep the original form of the composition;
- the compatibility of colors with each other in a decorative aspect, as well as in growth rates and care needs;
- if you want to see flowering plants in your florarium, then also consider their tendency to rot after flowers wither (with this characteristic violets, azaleas and cyclamens, which are best grown in open pots and in well-ventilated places).
To make it easier for you to cope with the task of choosing a plant for florarium, we will list the most suitable ones:- Ferns
- Fittonia.
- Crotons.
- Maranta.
- Selaginella.
- Alokazy.
- Dieffenbachia.
- Calathea.
- Cereal calamus
For decorating the glass container, you can use flowering plants, but in this case you will have to install special ventilation devices next to the florarium, due to which the humidity inside the vessel will decrease.Cacti - not the most ideal option for florarium, only if we are not talking about tropical species that can grow even at high temperatures and humidity. In this case, it is better to plant succulents in the aquarium, many species of which have an external similarity to cacti.
Important! In such compositions, special moss is often used for florarium, which, in addition to its decorative value, allows it to retain moisture inside the tank.Orchids are well suited for such compositions, however, in this case you will have to use special florariums, on which heating is already installed, a barometer and a fan.
Selection of the location and glass container for florarium
Mini gardens in glass can be placed in almost any transparent container, which does not have to be glass (plastic products are not inferior to glass). It is only important that, when filled with sand and other elements, the strength of the material can withstand the load and not split. If you want to create a geometric florarium, you can plant flowers in a chemical flask or bottle of interesting shape. By the way, bottle florariums are the most popular, since their creation requires the most effort. There are also such types of florariums as:
- miniature - planting indoor plants in glasses or glasses;
wall-mounted florarium, the capacity for which, usually, needs to be bought, since it requires a vessel of a special shape and with the possibility of fastening to the wall (similar flasks or glasses can be hung in the same way);- aquarium is the largest type of florarium, which can be created using real rectangular or round aquariums;
- fully enclosed - a glass bell is used for this purpose, under which the pallet with the soil is inserted.
wall-mounted florarium, the capacity for which, usually, needs to be bought, since it requires a vessel of a special shape and with the possibility of fastening to the wall (similar flasks or glasses can be hung in the same way);How to choose the soil for florarium?
For plants in the florarium, a loose soil that has neutral acidity is best suited. Therefore, the easiest way is to buy in the store a ready mix for ferns, which differs in the specified properties. But still, it is more rational to focus on the needs of each flower. For example, when growing selaginella, do not allow lime to be in the ground.
Another important aspect of the preparation of the substrate for florarium is the lack of need for its fertilizer. After all, if there are many nutrients in the soil, the plants will quickly grow and spoil the attractiveness of the composition. Also, the soil should be light, so as not to lead to decay of the root system of flowers. If you prepare the substrate yourself, then use equal parts for it:
- peat;
- perlite;
- vermiculite.
To the acidity of the resulting soil mixture was acceptable for plants, you can add 1 tablespoon of dolomite flour. If you plant cacti or succulents, add some coarse sand or fine gravel.Features placement of plants in a glass container
Before planting plants in a container, it is important to determine where you put it. If it is located near the wall, then all the “residents” should be placed so that the composition is attractive only on one side. For example, plant higher types of flowers behind, and leave moss in the foreground. But it is best to plant the plants in a centered way, since the florarium will still have to be periodically rotated with respect to the light source in order to ensure uniform growth and direction of flowers. In this case, the tallest plants are planted in the middle, and lower ones are placed around them.
Important! If you create a large enough florarium (for example, an aquarium), then the flowers in it can be placed directly in pots, which are simply decorated with moss or shells. If they are planted directly into a glass container, then it is also necessary to create a drainage layer, the ratio of which to the rest of the substrate should be 1: 3.When planting plants in the florarium, consider the following rules:
- capacity for plants must be clean, as when using the old aquarium, they can become infected with various diseases;
- do not try to plant at the same time many plants, because close plantings will provoke flowers to pull up;
- select plants for the composition with the same need for light, soil and moisture.
Rules for the care of florarium
Care of the florarium is practically not required, since inside the glass container a separate, independent ecosystem is created, which provides itself with moisture. However, some important requirements are still worth complying with.
What should be the lighting?
If you create a florarium with your own hands from succulents, then they need a lot of light, but it is important that it does not fall on the plants at a right angle. (this placement can cause burns on the leaves). Usually, all tropical plants that are suitable for growing in florariums, tolerate penumbra very well, so they can easily develop even in the far corners of the room. 
Did you know? Near the florarium, you can install different lights (lamps or LED strips), with which in the dark, the flower arrangement will look especially attractive. Also floraria can be decorated in the theme of holidays: New Year or Easter.
Humidity and temperature
Flowers for florarium do not require changes in temperature in summer and winter, so they can be kept at room temperature all year round. But the humidity of the air, in such a situation, will not be your concern at all, because the moisture after each watering can persist for a long time in a glass container and the plants themselves will create the desired microclimate for themselves. Therefore, even if you have dry air in your apartment due to the heater, the humidity in the florarium will remain quite high.
Features of watering and fertilizing plants in the florarium
Answering the question "How to care for florarium?", The most difficult part is related to watering plants. The fact is that to bring moisture into the soil with this method of cultivation will have much less frequently than with the standard cultivation of flowers in pots. If you notice that the soil began to dry up at least a little, then the plant should be watered. Periodically, you can spray the leaves with a spray bottle.
Fertilize plants in the florarium - not worth it. As noted earlier, this can lead to accelerated growth, which is not desirable due to the limited space in the container. The soil in the florarium is recommended to be changed every 2-3 years.
We hope that our own manual for creating a florarium for beginners will help to fulfill the dream of a home greenhouse and get your own floral arrangement. Remember also that the florarium does not have to be made durable: the flowers in it can be planted according to the season.
