Create a sand terrarium in 5 simple steps
Building a sand terrarium is actually a simple process, and it is also a great opportunity to get creative by customizing your terrarium to your own taste! This tutorial will show you how to build a cactus sand terrarium for a special occasion!
Prep work:
- Polish your terrarium before doing anything! Finding fingerprint marks when you have finished your terrarium is a difficult problem to solve!
- Water your plant two days before planting it
Which plants to choose?
Typically, a cactus or succulent is not well suited to terrariums for the long-term since they don’t enjoy moist conditions, and terrariums don't have drainage holes. However, we chose a cactus for this terrarium since it is a temporary one for the Christmas holiday and will be re-potted soon! We will soon release a tutorial for long-term terrarium plants!
What you will need:
- Cactus soil (this allows good drainage for the cactus to prevent rotting)
- Terrarium (shop our Pyramid terrarium here)
- A size-appropriate cactus or succulent (measure it against the size of your terrarium)
- Colored sand (choose colors to match your home décor, or to represent a celebration such as Christmas or Halloween)
- Aquarium stones (these not only look pretty but also provide drainage)
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2585/9194/files/25484948_10159870527950604_1308577832_o_1024x1024.jpg?v=1513542138)
STEP 1
Line your terrarium with a thin layer of stones for drainage so that water can drain from the roots of your plant.
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2585/9194/files/25485115_10159870527755604_591439731_o_1024x1024.jpg?v=1513542130)
STEP 2
Using a teaspoon, place two layers of sand around the edges of the terrarium, leaving a dip in the middle for your plant.
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2585/9194/files/25508953_10159880575860604_435032928_o_1024x1024.jpg?v=1513542528)
STEP 3
Place a thin layer of stones in the middle of the sand for extra drainage for your plant.
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2585/9194/files/25440702_10159870527900604_662024262_o_1024x1024.jpg?v=1513542173)
STEP 4
Place the cactus soil into the dip of the sand and place the cactus on top of the soil.
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2585/9194/files/25434301_10159870528090604_293198497_o_1024x1024.jpg?v=1513542202)
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2585/9194/files/25435468_10159870527740604_504346900_o_1024x1024.jpg?v=1513542195)
STEP 5
Using your teaspoon, continue to surround your cactus or succulent with layers of sand before placing the aquarium stones on the top layer of sand to finish.
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2585/9194/files/25435505_10159870528240604_332178369_o_1024x1024.jpg?v=1513542187)
Remember that this is a temporary terrarium and you may want to re-pot your cactus or succulent after 2-3 weeks ensuring you use a planter with a drainage hole since cacti and succulents don't enjoy moist conditions!
Tag us in your sand terrarium creations @thegeometricplanter on Instagram!
ENJOY!