One of the best ways to incorporate plants into your home is in a beautiful terrarium. These are delightful glass vessels that house a variety of plants inside, most often cacti and succulents.
They are aesthetically pleasing, and can help to add some more personality to the decor in your home.
However, you can’t always guarantee that you will have all the plants you want in a ready made terrarium.
Or perhaps you don’t really know which elements you need in order to create your very own terrarium. How can you create your own terrarium if you have to buy all of these elements separately and don’t know what to look for?
This is where a DIY terrarium kit comes in handy! This is a DIY kit that gives you everything you need all in one place. But how can you find the best DIY terrarium kits to grow your own miniature garden?
We’ve done all the hard work for you so that you don’t have to! We’ve selected the best DIY terrarium kits to give you the kickstart you need. So let’s take a look at the best DIY terrarium kits!
Out of all the terrarium kits that we put to the test, the CRAFTIVITY Tropical Terrarium Kit easily ranked on top. This particular DIY terrarium kit gives you everything you need to get started with your new terrarium!
What we really liked about this DIY terrarium kit was that it comes with seeds included to get you started. These are super easy to grow, and an excellent way to introduce beginners to the wonders of the terrarium.
Overall this is a DIY terrarium kit that is easy to grow, and will be an excellent choice for beginners who have never owned a terrarium before.
Pros:
Complete kit - gives you everything you need from the basic elements to the glass vessel
Plant seeds included - comes with polka dot plant seeds to grow in your new terrarium
Easy to grow - perfect for beginners who are just starting out with terrariums
Cons:
Plant choice - doesn’t give you a lot of choice in terms of the plants you can grow
Next up is the excellent JM Bamboo Terrarium Essentials Kit. This particular terrarium kit gives you all the essentials that you need for creating the perfect environment in your terrarium.
You get the rocks, charcoal, and potting soil that you need as standard.
The only thing to bear in mind with this terrarium kit is that it doesn’t come with a glass vessel included.
However, this does give you more freedom in terms of the glass vessel that you opt for. You can better choose one that suits the rest of the decor in your home.
A feature we really liked about this particular DIY terrarium kit is that it comes with a comprehensive list of instructions for you to follow. This easily shows you how to set up your new terrarium.
Pros:
Basics included - gives you all the rocks, charcoal, and potting soil you need
Instructions - comes with a comprehensive list of instructions to follow
Green moss - included with the potting basics
Cons:
Glass vessel - not included as standard so will need to be bought separately
If you want to ensure that you have everything you need for creating your new terrarium in one easy to use kit, then the Syndicate Sales DIY Terrarium Kit is just the thing you need.
This particular DIY terrarium kit includes a glass vessel complete with lid so that you will have everything you need from a single purchase.
What we really liked about this terrarium kit was that you get everything you need included as standard.
There are hydro-stones included to give your plants extra drainage, as well as the potting soil you need for planting your chosen succulents.
This DIY terrarium kit is ideal for beginners who haven’t owned a terrarium before. As well as giving you everything you need to set it up, it includes easy to follow instructions for setting it up on the exterior of the packaging.
Pros:
Complete kit - includes everything you need to set up your terrarium
Potting basics - comes with hydro-stones, potting soil, and moss
Easy to use - features easy to follow instructions for setting up your new terrarium
Cons:
No plants - you will need to choose and purchase your plants separately
Looking for high quality components to construct your new terrarium with? Then the Nautical Crush Trading DIY Terrarium and Succulent Planter Kit is just the thing you should opt for.
This particular DIY terrarium kit features high quality items to help your plants thrive.
What we really liked about this terrarium kit was that you get all of the potting basics you need.
This includes the rocks for your base layer, the charcoal for the next layer, orchid bark for an additional drainage layer, and the well draining potting soil for your plants.
There is no glass vessel included with this DIY terrarium kit, however, this gives you more freedom in terms of choice. You can select the glass vessel that best suits your chosen plants.
Searching for a DIY terrarium kit that gives you seeds to grow your own succulents? Then the Succulent Cactus Seed DIY Terrarium Starter Kit for Indoor Garden Growing is perfect for you.
This DIY terrarium kit includes succulent seeds so that you can truly cultivate your own terrarium.
You get all the essentials you need for creating your own terrarium. The potting soil, charcoal, and rocks are included as standard. There is also moss to create more depth in your terrarium.
There is no glass vessel included, so you can purchase this separately. However, there are well draining burlap sacks included so you can start off your terrarium.
Pros:
Basic essentials - includes the potting soil, rocks, charcoal, and moss you need
Succulent seeds - comes with succulent seeds for you to plant
Burlap pot bags - features well draining pot bags to get your plants started
Cons:
Glass vessel - no glass terrarium included so this will need to be purchased separately
Best DIY Terrarium Kits to Grow Your Own Miniature Garden Buying Guide
Searching for the best DIY terrarium kits can be a real challenge. Especially if you’ve never handled a terrarium before and aren’t entirely sure what you’re meant to be looking for in a terrarium kit!
You will need to ensure that you have all the components that you need to construct your terrarium. It will also be worth thinking about any extras you need to purchase.
To help you in your quest to find the best DIY terrariums, we’ve put together this handy buyer’s guide to give you everything that you need to know.
We included the strict list of criteria that we used to select the best DIY terrarium kits that we reviewed in more detail above.
So as long as you bear each of these factors in mind, you can rest assured that you have found the best DIY terrarium kit for your needs.
Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about DIY terrarium kits below, or skip ahead to the frequently asked questions!
Complete Kit
The first thing that you will need to do is ensure that you have a complete kit in front of you. This might not include the glass vessel, which we will cover in more detail later, as you may have a certain vessel that you want to use.
The plants you wish to use in your terrarium will likely also be something that you purchase separately.
However, you will need to ensure that you have all of the other potting components to hand. Does your kit include the rocks that are needed for the bottom layer?
Does it include the charcoal needed for an additional drainage layer? What about the potting soil that will go on top of these elements?
Without these essential components, you won’t be able to construct your terrarium kit. You may also wish to opt for moss included in this kit, which can help to add more variety to your terrarium.
Potting Soil
Next, you will need to think about the type of potting soil that has been included in your DIY terrarium kit.
For the vast majority of terrariums, succulents are the plants of choice. And unfortunately this means you can’t just use standard potting soil that you would use for other plants like a spider plant!
Succulents and cacti need a loose soil that allows the excess water to drain out. These types of plants also enjoy having lots of air getting to their roots, and don’t like the more compacted potting soil of other houseplants.
So it will be essential to ensure that the potting soil that’s included as part of the DIY terrarium kit is suitable for use with succulents and cacti. This will ensure that your plants thrive in the environment that you create for them.
Glass Vessel
Once you’ve got all the basic components covered, you will need to think about the glass vessel that you choose to use.
Some DIY terrarium kits will include this as standard, however, this may limit you in terms of what vessel you can use or what plants you can include in this, depending on the size of the included glass vessel.
Another thing to consider is some of the DIY terrarium kits currently available on the market only give you the rocks, charcoal, potting soil, and sometimes moss.
This will mean that you will need to purchase your preferred glass vessel separately. You can hardly create your own mini garden if you don’t have anywhere to put it!
It will be worth considering whether you want to buy a separate glass vessel for you to use, or whether you want this to be included as part of your DIY terrarium kit.
Versatile
A feature that will be handy in choosing a DIY terrarium kit is whether it is versatile or not.
You will ideally want to select a DIY terrarium kit that will be versatile enough to use with a variety of glass vessels - whether you want this enclosed or open - as well as for a variety of purposes.
Is this a fun project that you want to do with the kids? Is this something you want to transform into a fairy garden? Are there specific plants that you want to use in your new terrarium? These are all key factors for you to consider.
By opting for a versatile DIY terrarium kit, you can ensure that you have everything you need to create the mini garden of your dreams.
Plants Included
When it comes to buying your own DIY terrarium kit, the essentials will of course include all of the potting components needed to house your plants.
Sometimes the glass vessel is also included as part of a complete kit. But what about the plants you want to use?
Some kits may include plants as part of its package. However, not all of them do this.
If you’re looking for a fully complete DIY terrarium kit that you don’t want to have to spend more money on buying separate components, then this is something that you should prioritize when it comes to choosing the best kit for your needs.
However, you will give yourself more freedom if you opt for a DIY terrarium kit that doesn’t come with set plants included.
You can choose which plants you would like to decorate your mini garden with, and decide how many of these are included.
You will have to purchase these separately at an additional cost, but it will be worth it to have a customized terrarium that will be more unique to you.
Budget
Lastly, it will be worth considering how much budget you have to play with. If you want to add additional elements to your mini garden, then you can budget for these alongside the DIY terrarium kit.
However, if you have a set budget to last you for the entirety of the terrarium, then this is something that you will need to consider.
Take a look at each of the features that we’ve mentioned in more detail above. How many of these are important to you?
Are there some that you are willing to negotiate on such as the type of glass vessel you want to use and what plants you want to include? This will help you to choose the best DIY terrarium kit for your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Best DIY Terrarium?
The best DIY terrariums are:
CRAFTIVITY Tropical Terrarium Kit
JM Bamboo Terrarium Essentials Kit
Syndicate Sales DIY Terrarium Kit
Nautical Crush Trading DIY Terrarium and Succulent Planter Kit
Once you have purchased your DIY terrarium kit so that you can create your own mini garden terrarium, you can start to set everything up properly.
The most important thing to remember is to only choose plants that thrive in similar conditions, such as succulents. These plants prefer an open air terrarium, as they like having fresh air around them and their roots.
Plants such as ivy, ferns, and begonias will be better suited to a closed terrarium.
First, you will need to build up a layer of rocks at the bottom of the terrarium. This will give your plants the drainage that they need. Rocks should cover at least an inch of the bottom of your terrarium.
Next, you will ideally need half an inch layer of charcoal. Place your succulent potting soil over the top of the charcoal layer.
Finally, it will be time to plant your plants and arrange them as you would like!
Can You Grow Any Plant In A Terrarium?
No, you can’t grow any plant in a terrarium. Terrariums are better suited for certain plants, including air plants, succulents, moss, violets, as well as several other tropical plants.
These types of plants will thrive in a terrarium environment, whereas those that are better suited to a standard pot will prefer this alternative method.
The only thing to bear in mind when you are choosing the best plants for your terrarium will be their watering schedule.
Hi, my name is Amy Enrich and I have had a keen green thumb since my parents first taught me how to sow a sunflower seed. The process of watching it grow from seed to sprout, sprout to shoot, and then to a full-blown plant is a wonderful sight - I never get bored of it!
I love talking to anyone who will listen about plants, different varieties, how to look after them, and more. That is why I have created Plant Vessel, to help other plant lovers look after their new family members properly and keep them thriving!
Please stick around and enjoy my plant content, and don’t blame me if it influences you to go and buy some more plants!
