Whether for their extravagant silhouettes, unique textures or multiple shades, succulents have become the favorite of both expert gardeners and novices in the field, because they have found in them the ideal specimen to decorate interiors and exteriors. The fact that they take up little space, together with the minimal attention they demand, make them perfect candidates for planting in innovative places such as succulent terrariums. Making them is quite simple, and only a few elements are required to enjoy a small ecosystem at home.
Succulents: Adapt or Die in the Desert
Succulent plants, also known as succulents, are those that have thickened some of their organs (typically leaves, but also roots or stems), to allow them to store more water than any other plant. This adaptive strategy allows them to face prolonged periods of drought and heat, typical of the places they come from, such as deserts, arid environments and rock fissures.
Because of their enormous variety, in addition to the hybrids that are continually being incorporated, botanists differ as to which plants are technically succulents. Being so different from one another really makes the job of classifying them difficult, although the elementary characteristic is that their leaves and stems are swollen from water retention. There are currently 8,000 species of succulents, divided into 60 families. One of the most diverse is the cactaceae, since cacti are "fleshy plants" that store water, but do not have leaves. Hence the widespread confusion between the two plant groups. "All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti."
How to care for my succulents?
The care of succulents is relatively simple if you balance what they need to survive: light, water and soil. Given their place of origin, they prefer warm places, do not need frequent watering and require a substrate with low nutrients, but with good porosity and drainage. As they require several hours of light daily, the recommendation is not to expose them directly to the sun and better to look for a window or a well-lit place indoors. The substrate should be a light mixture of organic material with some type of coarse sand or gravel. As for watering, it is recommended that it be abundant but only when the soil is completely dry.
How to make my own succulent terrarium?
The most fun part of having succulents is to plant them in unique and attractive places, such as succulent terrariums. This is a scale recreation of their natural habitat (like a mini indoor garden), which you can easily make with very few elements.
You need:
A glass fish tank
Different species of succulents
Soil for succulents and/or cacti
Gravel, sand and/or some porous stone
Stones for decoration
Instructions:
1 - First you must make a porous stone base at the bottom of the tank, approximately 2 centimeters deep. This will serve as drainage.
2 - On the stone base you will place the special soil for succulents, almost to the point of filling the container.
3 - With the help of a spoon or your fingers you will dig holes and plant your succulents. It doesn't matter if the root is very small or just the stems. It won't take long for them to take root in the moist soil.
4 - Once the succulents are planted, decorate the surface with more gravel or some decorative stones.
Finally, water your terrarium avoiding wetting the leaves directly.