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kittiekat_gw

advice on repurposing a old jewelry case from a store into a ....

KittieKAT
9 years ago

Terrarium for my succulents and cacti and maybe a few of my CP's ....any advice on how to do this properly and also any idea what kinda lighting system would work well it has fluorescent lights inside it already but i was wondering what intensity compact fluorescent bulbs i should use or if a better light anyone can tell me about for my plants?

Btw, it has two tiers inside separated by glass shelving

Comments (17)

  • KittieKAT
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Back view with its sliding doors

  • KittieKAT
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Inside Bertie thru one of the sliding doors

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    9 years ago

    Cactus like and need air circulation. Why would you want to inclose them?

  • nomen_nudum
    9 years ago

    Concidering I have 3 four foot long clear color T-6 40 W CFL bulbs ( totaling 6 bulbs per shelf) on an five shelf open rack each rack has make shift small but effective old computer cooling fans for air circulating.

    Even with the dull glimmering halo seen from about a mile away on a cold night I could use more indoor lighting. ( I aso have a 1000 W ballasted halogen light set up )

    Best case you lift them screens up and use them windows you'll do better while making note where I mention air circulation

    In my honest opinion a display case might help over winter as long as the succulent inside of it is sleeping.

    Your display case isn't going to work for what you had intended it to do during your peak succulent growing season.

  • KittieKAT
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    It's not for summer, it's for winter when it's cold, and they need heat and lights, it's NOT completely air tightso air can get into the case for cirulation, plus i can slide the doors open. Till winter or cold windy nights idon't use it unless a chill could hurt my plants since MA is very rainy, windy and cloudy...cold My plants are all inside my house by a window

  • KittieKAT
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Btw, most of the Windows on Myscreened in Sun porch don't open very well and the screens are missing in sum and I've found chiefs pecking at my plants even squirrels!! Wheb left oopen, the Windows that have screens that aren't totally ruined are usually left open and when my cp's are out there feeding i open up one of the screens with holes so the bugs can fly in and get eaten, but at the moment since its too cold,windy and rainy my plants are inside and I'm waiting on some lighting equipment from a friend but I'm not sure what watts i should have on them constantly

  • pirate_girl
    9 years ago

    Pls say what are CPs?

  • nomen_nudum
    9 years ago

    My bad it's just that not everybody livining in Mass knows what cp's are me included

  • cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
    9 years ago

    CP = carnivorous plants

    Just livining the dream.

    And to the OP (original poster) - it's not a good idea to put your plants in such a case, but if you want to go against experienced advice, they're your plants to kill.

    This post was edited by cactusmcharris on Thu, May 1, 14 at 22:12

  • nomen_nudum
    9 years ago

    Thanks charris , no misting and yah might not want to sneeze Have a happy growing season

  • KittieKAT
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Cp's are carnivorous plants...bug eating plants
    Venus flytraps, sundews.....etc...etc

    I've done a lot of research online for winter Care for hibernating succulent she carnivorous plant, also have seen a few repurposed display cases used to house plants and haven't heard about them killing anything when set up properly

  • cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
    9 years ago

    Each time we try to give you advice, you seem to want to shun it and explain what you've learned online elsewhere. What's the point of asking here then? I'm genuinely curious.

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    9 years ago

    Carnivorous plants and succulents want different environments. Apple and oranges. Wet versus dry. humid versus no humidity. Good luck. This is all out of my realm of experience so I have no advice to give. I would go and talk to Carnivorous plant people and not C&S people. These plants that you want to grow are plants from the south east not the south west.

  • KittieKAT
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Actually i haven't shunned any one's Advice?
    I'm just stating that i want to use the display case that is lighted as a way to house my plants during the winter or when they are in hibernation and need humidity ...etc...etc... to survive e.
    I only mentioned the cp's because those are what some of my plants are..i wasnt asking for advice for the carnivorous plants because everyone in this forum has knowledge about cacti and succulent plants which are also more then half of my plants in my collection, i was stating that i have seen people online use repurposed display cases to house plants and was asking for advice from people (if any) had any experience on how to do that and any advice on what i should do to create it in the right way.

    I asked people on the Carnivorous Plant forums on there advice on the CP's aspect for help, and now im asking for people in this forum for there expertise on the succulent and cacti aspect on what could be done to do to this case.

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    9 years ago

    I would make a devider between the two types of plants and environments. What kind of cacti/succulents are you talking about. Many can survive a light freeze. We are talking about inside your house . Do you keep your house above 40F?I would have lights for your succulents and keep the doors open. The knots and bugs from the moist conditions for the CP will be injurious to the cactus. The mold that would happen to the cactus is a danger in mixing the two in a closed space. Really, I am making this up as I go. It is out of my realm of experience, but I am not very confident in how to go about this and it is something that I would not want to do , even in your situation with the cactus.. I live in Texas. I keep my greenhouse damn cold. I see people with shelves and lights for cactus and succulents. ventilation is important. Cactus don't like a terrarium situation. That is my read on the situation.

    there is not enough info given for us to be of help.

  • KittieKAT
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    if you look on my other forum it shows all my cacti + succulent's (and my CP's) it's titled under "finally a sunny day, I put my plants out on the porch but.." (or something really close to that for the title) so you can check out my collection of cacti + succulents that I own... of course my collection is always growing larger and larger as the days pass but that's the general idea of the plants I have now, to give you an idea.

    I was more thinking (since most plants hibernate at different times according to species) I would have the habitat inside accustom to which plants are gonna be in it at whatever times, it also has shelving on the out side open on the bottom to hold the cacti so there not inclosed but if it gets to cold I purfur to bring them all inside my house to prevent them from freezing or whatever, or maybe I'm just a baby when it comes to my plants!

  • KittieKAT
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    maybe a better word would be Greenhouse...instead of terrarium ?? cause I don't plan on planting them into the jewelry case only housing them in there in separate pots