Build Your Own Terrarium: A Step-by-Step Guide from Sprouts

Fancy creating your own tiny, self-contained world of green? Our DIY terrarium kits are the perfect way to bring nature indoors—whether you’re a houseplant pro or a complete beginner. With a few easy steps, you’ll have your own living centrepiece, bursting with charm and character.

Each kit includes all the core ingredients (minus tools), so you can get stuck in straight away. Let’s walk you through how to build it—and how to care for it too!

What You’ll Need

While our kit includes all the essential layers and materials, you might find the following tools helpful: 

• A small stick or chopstick for digging 
• A mister bottle for gentle watering
• Scissors for trimming plants 
• A teaspoon or small spoon for placing soil 
• Long tweezers or tongs for fiddly plant positioning

1. Drainage

Start by adding the aggregate to the base of your terrarium vessel. This creates your drainage layer, preventing water from pooling around roots. Want to shape a landscape? Now’s your moment—use the stones to form hills or dips.

2. Separation

Next, add a layer of sand. This not only separates the drainage layer from the soil but also adds a lovely visual touch. Gently pat it down to keep everything stable.

3. Purification

Sprinkle activated charcoal evenly over the sand. This helps absorb excess moisture and keeps your terrarium smelling fresh by filtering out odours and impurities.

4. Substrate

Add your terrarium soil on top of the charcoal. You should now see your three neat layers through the side of your vessel. If the soil’s dry, lightly mist it to help with shaping, and consider angling the soil to add depth and dimension.

5. Greenery

Now for the fun bit—adding your plants and moss! Start from the edge and work your way in. Use your stick or tweezers to make small planting holes, and firm the soil gently around each plant. Don’t worry if the moss is too large—you can give it a trim to fit.

6. Decorations

Finish with your own creative flair. Add tiny figurines, pebbles, shells, or pieces of driftwood to personalise your new planty world.

Watering Wisely

Closed terrariums don’t need much water—too much can lead to mould or rot. After setting up, give it a light mist and monitor it for the first few weeks. If you see condensation on the inside of the glass, that’s a sign you’ve got enough moisture.

Choosing the Right Spot

Terrariums love bright, indirect light. Avoid putting them in direct sun, as it can act like a magnifying glass and overheat your little ecosystem.

Keeping It Healthy

Remove any dead leaves, trim leggy growth, and check for signs of overwatering. A bit of gentle upkeep keeps everything looking fresh and thriving.

Make It Bioactive

At Sprouts, we love adding springtails—tiny, helpful insects that clean up dead matter and balance the ecosystem. They’re not included in the kit, but if you want to go full bioactive, they’re easy to find online.

Grab your DIY Terrarium Kit in-store or online, and start building your own miniature green world today.