I found this at a used store we have called Value Village. I thought it would great to use as a mini terrarium for small AF's.
:) Donna
Neat Terrarium
What a neat idea. I have never thought of that. :)
JesseK
Great find. I like to search for clear glass cookie jars, too.
That would be great for growing the sinnigias in or even an Episcia cutting.
MsC
Thanks Jess and MsC. I've been looking for the clear cookie jars but couldn't find them there. I did buy a jar with a hinged lid for a little plant.
:) Donna
I have another idea that might work. We eat a lot of those really large dill pickles, and we buy them by the gallon jar. I was thinking that maybe those jars would make a good terrarium. I am going to experiment and see how this works out.
JesseK
I think it should work fine. Glass cookie jars are good to.
:) Donna
I found several different sized cookie jars at WalMart.
Some were really large, like gallon size, around $12.00.
You can also look at flea markets and garage sales. I have an old antique set that I found with 4-5 different sizes and have planted some small AV's and begonia's in them, they turned out really cute.
I love them becuase I don't over water them and they look pretty nice all the time.
Good luck with your search.
MsC
Thanks, MsC. That's what I'm going to keep doing.
:) Donna
May I ask a silly question? When you plant your AV in one of these cookie jars or other jars that have been mentioned, do you keep the lid on or off?
Linda
I haven't planted in a cookie jar yet, but as far as I understand that you can leave it off or put it on but watch the moisture content.
:) Donna
Linda,
Some of it depends on the plants you plant in the cookie jar.
Ki has some nice sinnigias and said that it prefered to have the top off. I have some jars that I leave the top on and never take it off. Also, some of it depends on how wet you get your mix when you first set it up.I got one way to wet by accident and had to leave the top propped up for a while to let it dry out a little.Then I put the lid back on and it is doing fine now.
Hope that helps.
MsC
My sister in law found me this 25 gallon hex tank that a friend of hers didn't want. I promptly turned it into a propagation terrarium. The pots are sitting in pyrex casserole dishes, with a coated wire rack to hold the second layer of plants, and there's an inch or two of wet gravel at the bottom for humidity.
The clownfish in my 10G tank have been giving the baby violets envious looks from across the room, but fortunately I've recently acquired a 45G tank that I'm hoping to have ready for them by March or April.... I figure I have to set up the new fish tank before "spring planting" gets underway, or it won't happen until fall!
Now you've got me looking at cookie jars in a new way..... :-)
-- Jill
Great idea, Critterologist! I'm going to be keeping my eyes open for one of those to. I do have a few african violets in my 20 gallon fish tank.
:) Donna
Oh, I like your style critterologist!
Nice set up and your plants look happy in there, too.
Thanks for sharing the idea.
MsC
Critterologist that is a lovely terrarium you have. I can see why your clownfish is looking at your baby violets with envy. I'm sitting here at my computer looking at your picture with envy. I will have to start looking around for a hex tank so I can copy you. 1 question for you: you have your AV's in clay pots, do the AV's do better in them, or is that just your preference.
Actually, I keep AVs in all kinds of pots when they get bigger. The ones in the terrarium are mostly babies, with leaf starts at the bottom, and they are in little clay pots for 2 reasons: 1) the clay pots work well for bottom watering, sitting in the glass pans and 2) the clay pots were really cheap on sale at the craft store! I've also used little plastic pots for the babies, but I think they seem to like the clay pots better. Sometimes I've had root rot with leaves in little plastic pots (they just melt), so I'm thinking the clay might be better for keeping the soil moist but not too wet.
Most of my AVs seem to adore living in the self watering pots. My husband says I have a vicious cycle going -- I buy a couple of pretty self-watering pots, and then I "need" more violets to put in them, but pretty soon I have more violets and then I "need" more pots. :-)
I should note that some of my AV varieties seem to think those pots are too wet, even if I lighten up the soil mix with 50% pearlite, so I've gone to bottom watering for some (fairly deep saucer under the pot that I fill up once a week, some have wicks but others don't). I can tell which ones don't like wet feet because they start to droop.... oddly, the drooping from too much water looks just the same as when they desperately need water, but when the pot is sitting in water I know dry soil is not the problem.
Amen on the cheap pots at the craft store! It's sure nice when you have a LOT of little AV plantlets that need pots... I've heard other people say that their AVs don't do so well in clay pots, but I my AVs do great in them. I water them more often than the ones in the plastic pots (I just water them from the top, avoiding the leaves), and they are all thriving.
I do have a few AV's in clay pots that aren't in the terrarium, and they're doing great.....
I use a clay saucer that's one size larger than the one that's "made for" the pot, and that works fine for bottom watering.
Donna..I LOVE it..and it is a neat idea!
Jilly..LOVE the hex look! I never thought to use one but it is a fabulous idea :)
I have a 20 gallon long tank on my bakers rack :) which I showed in another thread but here it is again.
Lorry, that new terrarium is fabulous! I can't wait to see it all grown into a mini jungle... :-)
I'd forgotten about this thread... had marked it to "watch" over a year ago... What fun to find it reactivated and to discover we had our new terrarium forum!! Now, to add the new forum to my favorites......
Hehe I am excited about this forum critter! I love terrariums..I just didn't know much about starting one :)
Donna, I was at Target one day and they had a cheese dish- plastic round plate w/ a decent lip and a glass dome, it was on sale and I needed something w/ a cover for some plants- I have been using it for one of my pings to keep it from drying out but I had been thinking it would be a decent sort of terrarium, not for large plants, but for some it would work- will try it. Let's post pictures.
Thanks, Chris. April way to go! Does someone want to do a trade for it? I just can't seem to find the right plant for it or have the room for it.
:) Donna
i love the idea about the glass pickle jar! i am kicking myself because i throw these away all the time. my kids love pickles and we buy them in the gallon as well. i will be keeping the next one. thanks for the idea!
kelly