Here we will focus on the two most important basic points of growing moss terrariums.
①Where should the terrariums be placed?
The most important point of moss terrarium management is placement.
Two points to keep in mind
・Is the temperature inside appropriate?
・Is it bright enough?
Is the temperature inside appropriate?
Terrariums are usually grown with a lid on the container to maintain humidity inside.
This tends to make the terrarium more prone to get overheated.
For example, if you place it near a window in direct sunlight, as you would a normal plant, the temperature inside will rise and it will become a steam bath.
Moss is not very tolerant of high temperatures. Make sure to place it in a place away from direct sunlight.
Depending on the season and conditions, even light coming through lace curtains will often cause heat to build up, so be careful.
Even if the terrarium is not in sunlight, it is important to look carefully at its surroundings, as it may be exposed to heating breezes or to heat from the lights under the shelves on which the terrarium is placed.
In addition, indoor temperatures during the summer season can be very high.
It is best to keep the temperature as low as possible, not exceeding 30°C (ideally 25°C).
However, this is often difficult to achieve.
For example, if the temperature exceeds 30°C (86°F) every day, it is a good idea to store the terrarium in a refrigerator.
Basically, moss in good condition can be stored in the refrigerator for about two months without damage.
(It is best not to take it in and out too often.)
However, it may be difficult to store in refrigerator if it is planted with regular plants.
Is it bright enough?
On the other hand, without sufficient light, moss will gradually lose its vigor.
You may think that mosses like dark places. It is true that mosses often live in the shade, but as plants, they need sufficient light to photosynthesize.
In fact, many people fail in their moss terrariums due to insufficient brightness.
So, how much brightness is needed?
Brightness can be easily measured with an inexpensive illuminance meter. It should be at least 500 lux, and if you want to grow vigorously, it should be at least 1000 lux. Since office brightness is considered to be 750 lux or more, this is roughly the level of brightness needed. Do you have an image of a "bright office"? Compared to your room, you can see that it is quite bright. In reality, you cannot rely on your senses, so we recommend using an illuminance meter.
Except near a window, many places in your room are too dark (probably around 20-200 lux), so a light is basically a must. Of course, it is possible to grow without a light if the area is close to a window, but near windows is often difficult because of the direct sunlight. For example, near a north window would be a perfect spot. We strongly recommend the use of lights, even inexpensive ones, to ensure the growth of moss terrariums.
②How to water a terrarium
The most appropriate explanation for watering moss terrariums is to "keep the soil reasonably moist". Moss absorbs water vapor and water from its entire body, so it is necessary to keep the humidity in the container stable. If the soil is moderately moist, the humidity in the container can be kept stable and high.
However, although this explanation is essential, most of us do not know the optimal moisture level of the soil. For this reason, as a guideline, we suggest watering the terrarium once every 2-3 weeks with a fine-tipped squeeze bottle (below). For several reasons, we basically do not recommend misting.
However, the amount of water you give at one time will naturally affect how quickly the soil dries out. It also depends on the size and ventilation of the container and the surrounding environment. Therefore, please consider this as a reference only.
Unless you are a professional, you may not be able to determine the "optimum soil moisture," but you can tell if the soil is dry or soggy by looking at it or touching the soil. Soil moisture is not so strict, so it is best to start by watering once every three weeks, and if the soil becomes dry, water more thoroughly, or if it becomes too wet, water less or less.
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