|
Mon, Mar 14, 11 at 10:17
| Okay, beginner here. I was told by garden center that African Violet soil (and I'll mix in some garden charcoal) will work well in my terrariums (one with lid; two open). I was looking for a soil with no vermiculite or perlite. On www.monkeysee.com, there was a demonstration on how to build a terr that included gravel in bottom, then landscape fabric cut to fit over the gravel, then soil and that seems to make sense to me. What do you think about the method and AV soil? |
Follow-Up Postings:
|
| The method described is a very common one. As far as the soil is concerned, that will depend in large part on what type of plants you're thinking of using. |
|
| Got your response after building my three terrs but making one for my sister next weekend so if mix isn't good, please respond again or if you have other input. Here is the plant list. Maidenhair fern, rabbit foot fern, varigated creeping fig, green/white Fittonia, some sort of tree looking low light plant that could be too tall someday, and a "ground cover" that I didn't save the tag for (kind of ferny looking but a clump :o). Guess we'll see if the AV mix will work in time. Ingredients 55-60% Aged Fir (Softwood) Bark, Redwood compost and sand. Making these was an absolute blast! |
|
| Interesting sounding mix. I would say it would probably be okay. The only issue might be just how well "ground" the mix is. Very finely ground mixes tend to get compacted very easily and that can interfere with gas exchange in the soil. Larger particals tend not to compact as easily and so the soil remains "airy" far longer. Most Maidenhairs get quite tall and so you may find it out growing your tank faster than you'd expect. They also require very high humidity, IME, so be aware of that. (Pity they can be so fussy -- they are such beautiful plants!) Do keep an eye on the fig -- they can be 'thugs'. Never tried a rabbits foot fern in a terr -- they generally are too big for what I have in mind. I will be quite interested to hear how yours does for you. How bout some pics? |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Terrariums Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.