Turn a houseplant into something to show off - a sealed terrarium, a moss ball, or a climber trained up a pole.
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Closed Glass Terrarium
⏱ 1-2 hours · Beginner Good for: Ferns, fittonia, moss, baby tears, small calathea
A sealed glass terrarium is a tiny, self-sustaining rainforest - once it is balanced, the water cycles round inside and it can go weeks without attention. It is the most rewarding beginner project and shows off humidity-loving plants that struggle in a dry room.
You need
- A clean glass vessel with a lid or stopper
- A layer of drainage (leca or fine gravel)
- A thin layer of activated charcoal
- Peat-free potting mix
- Small humidity-loving plants and cushion moss
- Long tweezers or chopsticks, a spoon, a mister
How to
- Wash and dry the glass thoroughly so the walls stay clear.
- Add 2-3cm of drainage, then a thin scatter of charcoal to keep it fresh.
- Add a layer of potting mix deep enough for the roots, and shape a little landscape.
- Plant from the back forwards using tweezers, firming each plant in, then tuck moss over the bare soil.
- Mist lightly, wipe the inside glass clean, and fit the lid.
- Set it in bright, indirect light - never direct sun, which cooks a sealed jar.
Tip: Balance is everything: if the glass fully fogs and stays wet, take the lid off for a day; if it looks bone dry, mist and reseal. A little condensation in the mornings is perfect.
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Kokedama Moss Ball
⏱ 45 min · Intermediate Good for: Pothos, ferns, peace lily, small foliage plants
Kokedama is the Japanese art of growing a plant in a ball of soil wrapped in living moss, with no pot at all. Hung or sat on a dish, it turns a single houseplant into a piece of living sculpture.
You need
- A small plant, roots gently teased free of most soil
- A firm soil mix (akadama or bonsai soil blended with peat-free compost)
- Sheet moss (sphagnum), soaked
- Cotton twine or fishing line
- A bowl of water
How to
- Mix the soil with a little water until it holds together like a firm dough.
- Wrap a handful around the plant's root ball and press into a tight sphere.
- Lay the soaked moss around the ball, green side out, covering the soil completely.
- Bind it firmly with twine, wrapping in all directions until the ball holds its shape.
- Trim loose ends and tidy the moss.
- Water by dunking the whole ball in water for a few minutes whenever it feels light, then let it drain.
Tip: Weight is your watering guide - a heavy ball is still moist, a light one needs a soak. Choose plants that like even moisture; drought-lovers such as succulents are a poor fit.
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Moss Pole for Climbers
⏱ 30 min · Beginner Good for: Monstera, pothos, philodendron, syngonium
Climbing aroids grow bigger, healthier leaves when they can attach to something and climb, just as they would up a tree in the wild. A moss pole gives their aerial roots something to grip, and it is a quick, cheap project.
You need
- A stake or PVC pipe, or a ready-made pole
- Sphagnum moss, soaked
- Garden twine or a mesh wrap
- Soft plant ties
- A tall pot
How to
- Soak the sphagnum moss until it is fully wet and squeeze out the drips.
- Pack the moss around the stake and bind it on firmly with twine or mesh, leaving the base bare to push into the pot.
- Push the pole deep into the pot, close to the stem, without spearing the roots.
- Gently tie the plant's stem to the pole, guiding the aerial roots towards the moss.
- Mist the pole every few days so the roots are tempted to grip and grow in.
Tip: Keep the moss damp - dry moss gives the aerial roots nothing to hold. As the plant climbs, add height by extending the pole rather than letting it flop.