Interesting handmade items will always attract the attention of people who admire craftsmanship and ingenuity. Such an object in your apartment can be a miniature terrarium placed in a large light bulb.
Even an ordinary aquarium attracts attention, and a terrarium in a light bulb with live plants will become the subject of close attention and delight of each of your guests.
Making such an “exotic” piece of furniture is not difficult. All you need is desire, attention and patience. It is also necessary to follow simple rules when making a miniature terrarium and its operation:
- For the soil in the light bulb, you need to use sand or pebbles; in a poorly ventilated place, the soil can quickly become moldy;
- You need to plant tiny plants in the bulb that feed from the air and do not need soil. This plant is called Tillandsia and it absorbs nutrients and water through its leaves;
- Use dry moss for decoration; it retains water better, which is important for the growth of tillandsia;
- Such a terrarium cannot be kept either in the sun or in the shade. The place where it is stored should be well lit, but protected from direct sunlight;
- Water and spray the living plants inside the terrarium once a week with soft water that does not leave salt stains on the glass. It is convenient to water the plants in the terrarium with a syringe without a needle.
Preparation
We will make a terrarium from the most ordinary incandescent lamp. First we need gloves, pliers and a screwdriver.
Using pliers, remove the contact point of the light bulb and its mount from the base. To put it simply, it is a metal nickel in the bottom base of the light bulb and its insulation, reminiscent of black glass.
Next we need to remove all the contents from the glass flask. We take a screwdriver and push the contents inward with progressive movements, after which we successfully remove it from the light bulb. Ready. After this, it is advisable to treat the inner surface of the base for sharp fragments.
You also need to think about the mounting system for your closed ecosystem. This could be copper wire, hot melt glue on some flat surface, or an ordinary nylon thread for hanging a light bulb.
But don’t forget: even though the terrarium is a closed ecosystem, it needs sunlight. This must be taken into account when designing the mount.
The preparation of our future terrarium is completed, and now we can begin filling it.
A little history
It all started back in 1960. David Latimer, who lives in the UK, came up with the idea of making a garden in a bottle. He took a forty-liter container of sulfuric acid and began his experiment. Of course, it was not a success right away. David planted ivy, pilea, and chlorophytum in a bottle, but they died.
But the experiment with Tradescantia was a success. The gardener watered the plant only twice: when planting and in the 70s. After that, he sealed the bottle tightly and never opened it again. And for almost 50 years now, Tradescantia has been living safely in its untouched ecosystem.
Selection of terrarium contents
At a minimum, for the normal functioning of the terrarium, it needs: gravel or small crushed stone for drainage, sand and soil for soil formation. All these materials are quite accessible and sometimes lie right under your feet. Next, you can select several small plants of your choice.
For example, moss - this choice is due to the extreme vitality and durability of the species. Let's add a few more random plants and some kind of wild object, be it an acorn, a small pine cone or a shell and much more that comes to your mind, as an entourage.
We collect everything you need
What materials will be needed to create a terrarium?
- gravel
- fertile soil, soil
- charcoal
- pebbles
- moss
- plants
- decorations (stones, figurines, other interesting elements)
It is worth dwelling on plants in more detail. Since we are considering "mini" terrariums, the plants should not be tall. Another important point is unpretentiousness.
For a closed terrarium, moisture-loving plants are suitable; the best choice would be various types of moss and ferns. Plants of the bromeliad family from tropical forests will also like the conditions. Saltirolia, called baby's tears, is another option.
For an open terrarium the variability increases. Succulents and cacti are the leaders in size and variety of appearance, especially since they are unpretentious. Some types of plants absorb moisture from the air and do not require watering - only spraying. For a terrarium this will be the most convenient option.
Filling the terrarium
Since we will be making our terrarium in a light bulb, and it will be quite small, we suggest you make a funnel out of paper, with which you can easily distribute bulk materials evenly over the surface of the inner wall of the glass flask.
At the very beginning we pour gravel, then sand, and cover everything with earth on top. The soil formation stage is completed. Next we need tweezers. Using this tool, we can easily distribute all other plants and objects in the soil of the newly made terrarium.
Naturally, our plants will need moisture, so before sealing the bulb we add a small amount of water from a syringe. Then we need to seal the base so that outside air does not penetrate there. This can be done using a cut branch of a suitable cross-sectional diameter and hot glue. You can easily come up with your own options.
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Do-it-yourself lamp terrarium
Sometimes, in order to notice and realize that the world is beautiful and magnificent, a mere trifle is enough. Literally and figuratively. After all, in order to bring joy to yourself or others, it is enough to simply create something unusual, funny and... microscopic. For example, this little world in an ordinary light bulb.
You will need: - a light bulb (you can take a light bulb of any size and shape. Just keep in mind that if you are creating a light bulb terrarium for the first time, it is better to use a larger one), - sand or small (very small) pebbles (use regular soil for planting not recommended - it can become moldy in a confined space) - Tillandsia and various types of moss are best suited for planting in a terrarium. This plant is very unpretentious, which makes it an ideal “resident” of our lamp terrarium. You can buy Tillandsia in a regular flower shop or online store. - decorative elements for the terrarium - pieces of colored glass, beads, plastic figures, you can place inhabitants made of fimo in the lamp terrarium. Do not use: regular soil, freshly collected moss, do not store the lampoterrarium in the dark or in direct sunlight. Once a week, use a spray bottle to moisten the microflora of the terrarium. To prepare the lamp space you will need:
- tweezers, - thin-lipped pliers, - scissors, - flat-head screwdriver, - safety glasses. Take a transparent light bulb. Then, perhaps, you will decide to use frosted lamps, but they require special care in thinking through the decor, so for now, start small and simple.
Now the first and only difficult stage of the work. Wear safety glasses (there will be microscopic fragments) and carefully, one by one, remove the light bulb socket.
First remove the metal tip. Pull the tip of the black material slightly towards you.
Gradually pull the black element until it is completely out of the socket.
Gently but firmly grasp the lamp and remove the glass inside the lamp.
Use the screwdriver as leverage. Use it to carefully break the small tubes inside the lamp (it will take a little force). Follow. So that the light bulb does not slip out of your hands.
Remove any remaining wires with pliers.
Sand the edges of the hole so that there are no sharp pieces left.
The base for the lamp terrarium is ready! Glue small plastic pads to the bottom of the light bulb to provide stability.
Now all that remains is the most pleasant and interesting part. Take sand or the smallest pebbles. You can use a special substrate for terrariums. If you use river or sea sand, rinse it thoroughly before use.
Fire the sand on a baking sheet to remove dirt and dry it. The temperature should not be lower than 300 degrees. Be careful with hot sand!
After washing and drying, the sand is ready for use.
Pour the required amount into the lamp using a small funnel or folded sheet of cardboard.
Take a dry floral mixture (containing moss, reindeer moss) or Tillandsia seeds. Sow a small amount inside the lamp. Alternatively, take pieces of dry moss and a plant and place them inside with tweezers. Pay attention to choosing the most beautiful arrangement of individual elements (you will need patience, but the result will exceed expectations).
Add tiny toys, animal figurines, fimo crafts, beads, beads, decorative pieces, beautiful stones, twigs, wire. At this stage, it is important to maintain balance and not oversaturate the composition with an abundance of details.
Well, that’s all – a wonderful work of floral art, a magnificent and super original gift, a joy for children and adults – ready!
Source - Trozo.ru
How the terrarium works
The point of sealing the glass flask is that the terrarium, thanks to its integral, closed and autonomous ecosystem, is almost completely self-sufficient.
The only thing he needs is sunlight. Almost the same processes occur in it as on our planet. There its own life will develop, the water will evaporate, settling as condensation on the walls of the vessel, then flow back into the soil.
Some plants will grow upward, others will begin to decompose over time, releasing carbon dioxide and allowing new ones to grow. All you have to do is watch the process and enjoy the new acquisition you made with your own hands.
What it is?
A unique simulated ecosystem is known as an eternal terrarium. It works in a closed cycle. Living organisms included in such a closed florarium form a self-sustaining ecosystem. For the first time, such projects were invented by ecologists and other biologists to observe closed communities of organisms.
It has been established through experience that such a terrarium will exist in a jar or other container for a theoretically unlimited time.
Such designs allow children to demonstrate how life works in nature. An eternal terrarium, unlike ordinary pets, does not require care, no walks or other care measures are required.
How to make an eternal terrarium from a light bulb
First, let's prepare the light bulb. Using pliers, carefully remove the central contact and ceramic filling. We don't touch the base. Using a screwdriver, we destroy all the “insides” and remove them from the light bulb. The base is ready.
Now you need to make a holder for the terrarium. A stone or thick wire is suitable for this. Glue the light bulb to the mount and wait for it to dry.
Further, the technology is the same as with a can. Only when filling up drainage and soil is it better to use a funnel or paper rolled into a tube.
When all the plants are laid out and watered a little, you can cap the bulb. A wine cork, an acorn or a piece of wood can be used as a lid.
If you are giving the ecosystem as a gift or simply aren’t happy with the appearance, it’s time to think about how to make your eternal terrarium beautiful. Cover the base with lace, ribbon or jute, paint the glass with acrylic paints, add other decorative elements, and your craft will be transformed.
