For Healthy Feng Shui

Maybe I’m biased, but some of my best friends are plants! I know without a doubt that one of the best ways to revive a room with fresh energy is with indoor plants. One of the funnest ways to achieve this is with your very own little biodiverse homemade terrarium. The best part is, even if the outside soil is poor, or your climate is unsuitable for certain varieties of plants, you can still create a healthy life indoors. Not only that, you can create an indoor mini garden any time of year! A Terrarium can last several years or even longer, if well maintained and the entire family will enjoy your new greenery in the home.

A Terrarium can help keep your home air fresh too, plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which creates a self-sustaining environment inside the terrarium itself and if you have an open terrarium your plants may even be absorbing toxins form the air. Terrariums also come in many shapes and sizes, it’s all up to your creativity! Perhaps, you or your kids are interested in rainforests. You could easily create a mini scene or even a cute little fairy garden to enjoy with littler ones! There's so much to choose from: orchids, moss varieties, ferns, mushrooms, airplants and so much more! You can observe and learn about the new life that you’ve housed and are tending; you can even utilize it for propagation, making many more offspring to plant outdoors or in new containers. They make wonderful and very thoughtful gifts, as well! And what’s more the act of bringing in fresh, energetic life will bring abundance and a positive shift in energy wherever you place your new creation!

Join me with tips and tricks to bring the outside in with your own terrarium garden!

I have a gift for you (below), a newly designed Feng Shui Energy Map. It’s so pretty you might want to hang it up!

Simple steps include:

1.      Choose your plant preferences.

2.      Pick your desired container

3.      Purchase the proper soil composition required

4.      Choose a desired location in the home (Look at the Bagua to help). Print your own below, too!

5.      Provide adequate sunlight and water, weekly

Some may be trial and error, you may find that some plants can be finnicky, or sometimes we get a little overzealous with watering. The soil may need more gravel, for better drainage or the opposite could be true and moss is needed to maintain a level of moisture. Whatever the right consistency, it will be a lovely addition to your home. Really learn about your choice plants and their needs and setup a general weekly plan to keep your new little green babies happy!

When selecting plants, one of the easiest ways to decide if they will be happy were you place them, is to think pf their natural habitat. Creating a likeness of such, is the perfect start.

Let me help you choose, medium to low light loving plants because they are the easiest to keep indoors, here are a few that I love:

Choosing your plants

Pothos- (Epipremnum aureum) is my absolute favorite, I cannot say enough about this plant. They are actually native to the South Pacific, Solomon Islands and are considered tropical. The variegated (One’s with light streaks throughout the leaves) are the best in virtually no light. They seem to thrive in crowded plantings and trail all over, so you will have fantastic opportunity to gain tons of cuttings and root in water easily. Let this houseplant dry completely between waterings and provide it with houseplant potting mix or well-draining mix. It can thrive in either open or closed terrariums. Closed, will need a monitor to make sure it doesn’t stay too humid, however.

Syngonium podophyllum (Arrowhead Plant)- Soaking up rainforest like humidity, this plant would love a closed style terrarium. You’ll find tons of lovely growth before long and this (Syngonium genus) has a stunning array of pinks, reds and greens with each sleek, arrow-shaped leaves gleaming in beauty. Make sure to give it plenty of room, an abundant grower or choose a “pixie” version to keep smaller and contained.

Ficus pumila (Creeping Fig) is a gentle, cascading plant. It looks more chartreuse against darker plants and had a tendency to be quite stunning in color. It trails in fern like tendrils with rounded, closely packed leaves. It is originally from Asia, but it may very well already be something you’ve seen clinging to architecture and abundant ground covering. It can take many kinds of soil, standard potting mix is fine, but needs to dry out between waterings. It can be planted in open or closed terrariums.

Maidenhair ferns (Adiantum raddianum) is a delicate wispy fern. They are a slow growing, compact fern. They enjoy dappled light; they enjoy humidity but also well-drained soil. This plant can perish quickly, however if it sits in water for too long. It will benefit from organic matter, mushroom and other composting soils to mimic its natural preferences and good drainage too!

Succulents (succulentus) can be grown in terrariums, there are so many varieties. A great choice are cute little “Hens and chicks” (Sempervivum tectorum) variety. The are small and tightly bound clusters that look almost like little flowers, but cacti! They will need dry, light soil and lots of rock drainage. Provide these with adequate bright light, it can be indirect but do not place in dark areas.

Airplants have become very popular. The versatility alone, has many creating very cool and eye-catching design ideas. They work nicely in an open terrarium and don’t even need any soil to grow. They will attach to surface, like driftwood, shell, stone, moss, for its survival via their roots. The plant will absorb water and nutrients through its leaves. Giving it a little spritz from time to time, will do ya! Some will dunk the plant under water every few months, as well if it looks dehydrated. They enjoys medium, indirect light to bright light.

Pick your desired container

Now, picking a container, there are generally two types to choose from. Basically, Closed terrariums and open. It is beneficial to allow some air to escape so that the plants can breathe, regardless of the container you choose.

Closed Terrariums are best for humidity-loving plants, and lower maintenance varieties. Think rainforest type varieties that love moisture beading around the edges.

Open Terrariums are just that, open.  They have no top or lid on them. They can be perfect for plants that need to be easier to access for frequent care. The plants that require more fresh air which in turn, will reduce the risk of mold.

The proper soil composition

Soil is not as difficult as you might think. However, regular garden soil may be too compact and heavy. Try light, airy sandy soils for succulent gardens, and general potting soils for most other varieties. Also, remember airplants do not require soil, so utilize wood chips, ceramic pieces, stone or other materials that won’t get too wet or soggy. One of the most important things to consider is drainage in a terrarium. Most plants do not like to sit in water, having: “wet feet,” as many call it is most often why plants dwindle. Create a bottom layer for drainage you can use: clay aggregate, gravel, pebbles, rocks, or horticulture charcoal. If you’re looking for a very lightweight drainage rock, try lava rock or the clay aggregate that looks like little clay balls. They will not only soak up too much water, but maintain a nice humidity.

Next, provide a potting soil. If your plants like a moist environment, you can add mosses (like sphagnum or peat) to retain more moisture on the top of the soil layer. Rocks can be scattered, driftwood, shells and pretty much anything you’d like to decorate with. Next, if you want a soil layered effect, you can utilize different sand colors and thinly spread layers between the potting soil.

Finally, you can google and purchase specific soils for terrariums that take the guesswork away, look for “terrarium substrates.” Make sure to create enough depth to cover the entire root ball of every plant, while still letting the plant have a little room to grow. You can stagger the soil higher on one side and utilize interesting objects that won’t rot as structure to hold the soil in place, such as larger stones, petrified wood and crystals. Consider sprigs of moss as a topper or even dwarf grasses to try. Moss has a natural ability to filter air particulates, such as dust from the air, as an added bonus to health!

Choose a location

You can utilize Feng Shui with the location you place your terrarium. The terrarium itself can symbolize the wood element with the greenery planted, the earth elements with rocks and soil and even the water element if it’s housed in glass. The Bagua, or energy map used in Feng Shui tells us the locations to place the terrariums to strengthen, subdue or maintain your desired attributes associated with the map. The Bagua has many concepts we deal with in life that bring us joy and balance. It is a great method that can really help pinpoint the mental work that manifests physical change. Each natural element tells a deeper story of our own life’s purpose. If we look closer at the elements, we then look closer at out connection and our own truer self.

Wood Elements are utilized for vitality, kindness and inner growth. Wood elements are nurturing and foster a deeper wisdom to better define life goals. Place wood elements in the East for wealth and abundance and the Southeast rooms of the home for family, health and a healthier connection to community. Wood shows its bark, weathered from time, strong and enduring. The wooden layers upon layers, rings of years lived.  What we do with our own time can be mirrored in our thoughts without realizing, as we gaze at these ancient inhabitants of earth. Many mysteries of life inherently woven amongst the trees that we have not yet fully discovered ourselves.

Earth Elements are found in the center of the home for good fortune, well-being and harmony in the home with those that live together. Earth can be added to the Southwest rooms to support and nurture relationships and love. In the Northeast space, earth elements will aid knowledge and self-cultivation. In my life it seems, clarity can be found often easier with bare feet! Try a hike, or sifting through soil, stones or shells, you may very well get the same result too. Excitement and a feeling of peace with nature, inevitably arrives. Perhaps, the connectedness of all living things to the dust of the earth gives us a sense of wholeness. Dr. Karl on Australian mentions in a 2023 study, that “about 86 percent of our mass is stardust.” Amongst the fascination, I was struck with the statement that the “carbon atoms we carry are mostly many billions of years old.” (austrailiangeographic.com Jan, 2023).  It’s certainly interesting, don’t you think?

Water Elements can be found in the north area of the home to reflect on career goals and your ideal life path. Its main concept is to focus on your inner-self. Try sitting by the water’s edge, do you notice the feeling of being small, introspective or emotional? The water is a powerful element, brimming with life and energy! We ourselves are composed of “nearly 60% water.” Moreover, The Water Science School notes that, you might be surprised that even our brain, heart, muscles, lungs, kidneys and bones contain vast amounts of water. Water is part of us and we part of it, it’s a crucial nutrient to the life of every living cell! (The Water in You: Water and the Human Body https://www.usgs.gov, 2019).

Sunlight and water

 Sunlight: In general, placing your terrarium away from direct sun lit windows is preferrable, unless you have chosen to grow a cactus, or succulent garden. Bright, indirect light is typically the best option, as most plant problems come from too much light or too much heat. The great thing about terrariums, however is that you can move them around if needed.

Watering Basics: Open terrariums should be watered at the very least, once a week. Closed terrariums should be watered every two to three weeks, minimum. You can spoon in or pour water, but many hand-held water sprayers will mist the plants perfectly, be sure to spray the leaves too. Tap water is ok, but distilled water is preferred because tap water contains chlorine, salt, fluoride and many other chemicals treated for general consumption. They won’t necessarily harm the plants, but can leave a film on leaves and streaks on glass.

Whatever you choose, start with just a couple plants that have similar needs. Look at light, soil and watering requirements on each tag during purchase. Get to know them before adding more. You’ll find many plants thrive together, while some may need to be replaced. But above all, enjoy the feeling this brings to your space and in turn your home life!

I hope you enjoyed my ideas for creating an indoor plant terrarium and feel free to comment, we can brainstorm together.