Last Updated on September 19, 2022 by Ellen Christian
This desert terrarium DIY craft was inspired by a craft I found in Terrariums Reimagined. Learn how to make a mini dessert planter of your own.
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Desert Terrarium DIY
We don’t have a desert in Vermont to enjoy and I had never seen a real cactus growing anywhere but in a pot before my recent trip to Texas. It was really neat to see cacti growing along the side of the road, and since I was missing the sun and warmth, I decided to make my own little desert.
Of course, it still isn’t warm and sunny in my desert but I can pretend for a while. I found this desert terrarium craft in Terrariums Reimagined: Mini Worlds Made in Creative Containers by Kat Geiger.
Materials
- Open topped glass jar or planter
- Gravel or Perlite
- Cactus potting soil
- Sand or gravel
- Grafted cacti or succulent plants of your choice
- Decorative materials
Instructions
- Pour Perlite or other drainage material into the bottom of your glass vessel until it is about 1″ deep
- Gently remove the cactus from its pot and place it with the soil on top of the Perlite.
- Add cactus friendly potting soil to the container until it covers the Perlite by 1″ and surrounds the bottom of the cactus root.
- Add colored soil or gravel until the soil and the top of the cactus root are covered. Adjust the plants so they are standing up.
- Add decorative objects.
- Lightly water your cactus terrarium with 2 tsp of water from a medicine dropper once a month. Place it in bright indirect light.
Variations on this craft
One of the fun things about making a desert terrarium is that each one looks so different. A variety of different containers can be used from a large fish tank to a small canning jar. You can choose any type of grafted cacti or succulent that you like. The decorative materials you add will really make your desert terrarium unique. I chose plastic horses since I was missing my them from my trip to Austin. Plastic lizards or tortoises could be added as well.
I found everything I needed except the glass bowl at our Home Depot. I used Miracle Gro Perlite, Miracle Gro Cactus Palm and Citrus Soil, and Mosser Lee Pearl Stone Soil Cover.
There are lots of different types of terrariums you can make including tropical, tilandsia and even children’s themed terrariums. If you are looking for more ideas or more in depth planting information on the types of soil for each type of terrarium, I recommend Terrariums Reimagined: Mini Worlds Made in Creative Containers by Kat Geiger.
Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
This would be so great for my grandchildren to do. I love that it doesn’t need a lot of attention to maintain it. Which is perfect for my grandchildren.
My Grandson would love to do this! Awesome
It was definitely fun to do!
The horse is an awesome addition!!!
Thanks!
This was totally going to be my craft this week until I went to Home Depot, lost and confused and not a soul who saw me asked if u needed help, I walked out very disappointed, but it’s nice to see one made! Lovely!
Aw that is too bad. The book told me exactly what I needed so I didn’t end up needing help from anyone thankfully.
That is really cute!And the cactus you used are pretty.This would be perfect for someone who doesn’t have a green thumb 😉
Definitely! You only need to water it once a month!
What a great idea! I was planning to give my grandkids their own “pet cactus” plant – but this is such a better way to get them involved in the care of it. I appreciate the step by step directions for doing it right! Thanks!
Definitely a fun activity for kids!
This is so adorable, can match different themes for party decoration too.
That would be fun to do!
So cool! I’ve always wanted to try a terrarium. This looks like a project I could actually tackle 🙂
It was very easy to do. The book shows you exactly what soil you need for each type of plant.
What a cute little project! My teenage daughter would love this.
Thanks! It would be great for a project for kids!
So cute. Love the horses. Great touch!
Thanks, Mary. I thought they were cute!
I love the plastic horses! It’s a very unique twist!
LOL thanks, Greta!
Adorable!! You could make it to match anywhere. Love it Ellen!! Pinned & Tweeted!
Appreciate it, Jamie!
Perfect! Great craft for my Grands–something for them to care for…but not too much.
Very true! It’s fun too!
This is so pretty!! A great project idea!!
Thanks, Katherine!