Update: Microterrariums

Hey, friends!

Do you guys remember my microterrariums from way back when??
Well, with spring making its appearance here in the arid desert of Eastern Washington, I was reminiscing on plants of past and I realized I never did let you guys know how those turned out!

So here's that long overdue update!

Here's what the plants looked soon after I started them. Happy and warm on my sunny window sill!
April of 2012, so one year ago, I saw some cute little sprouts!!

And below are some closeups of my brain plant seedlings.

And here are the butterfly bushes. As you can see, I planted a few too many. :P

In May, I moved from Pullman and brought my plants with me.
Just before I moved, I replanted the seedlings in bigger pots.

The new home for my brain plants, last May (2012).

Transplanted and happy brain plant seedling!

And here are my butterfly bush seedlings in their new home (May 2012).

Butterfly bush seedling closeup!

Unfortunately, my brain plants were sprayed by the sprinklers not long after I got settled in with my parents again. The brain plants were only supposed to be watered with warm water and with the cold cold water from the sprinklers, they withered and died. Poor things never got much bigger than the seedlings seen above. :( 

But my butterfly bushes did really well, even though I put them outside at a pretty early age. Here's what they looked like October 1, 2012!

I checked on the butterfly bush this spring and the leaves are coming back strong; looks like my mom's got a healthy butterfly bush to tame! 

I just wanted to give you guys a quick update on those. I'm planning on trying the brain plants again someday. I kept the microterrariums and the extra seeds; we'll see what I can do with that!

I hope that you're starting to enjoy some spring weather in your neck of the woods, wherever you are! 

Until next time, stay excellent!

- Jenny -

Update: Succulents

Hey-hey!

Do you remember that succulents terrarium that I posted about last year?
Well, it's changed some since then.

Here's what my succulents look like now:

I know it's probably hard to tell, but they got a lot bigger! I'm to blame for this growth, haha. I watered them quite a bit and they did get plant food in their soil, since as a college student in an apartment complex, there wasn't a whole lot of rocks and dirt around. So I used stones and potting soil from the store. I also got them a new pot to give them a little more room. And you may have noticed, I'm missing one of them - the tall one. I decided that three was too many to cram into a pot (with the rate at which mine were growing), so the tall one got the cut. 

I still have the lantern too, and I love it! I love my succulents too - I think they are happier in this adorable pot that I got at a local craft store, on sale. :) And the little drip saucer I actually picked up after the fact at Fred Meyer thinking the purple would be close to the purple in the pot - turns out it's a perfect match! Destiny!

For Christmas, I decorated them with little pom-poms. Adorable! Heehee. They're cute little friends. I enjoy having them around. 

Another fun little plant friend I have is my porchulaca. 

Fun story about it: I actually found it growing in the gravel that I park in, when I am home. I straddled it every time I parked and didn't even know, until one day I noticed a bright red flower...

It was gorgeous! 

I left it there for a few days, being careful not to run it over, now that I knew it was there. 

After a few days, I couldn't take it anymore - I had to get it in a pot to keep! 

So I went back to Fred Meyer and picked up a small, cute, green pot and saucer. Then I went home, lined the bottom with a circle cut from a coffee filter, then some of the gravel from outside, followed by some of that sandy dirt we have in my neck of the woods (semi-arid desert!). Then I gently dug out the porchulaca and placed it in the freshly dug up soil in my pot. Once securely set, I covered the exposed soil with gravel from right where I took the plant. Thought it would feel more at home that way. ;) 

I watered it a little after the transplant, to help it cope with the stress. 

A friend of mine was actually the one that told me what it was. He said it looked a lot like some porchulaca he had in a garden box. I think it looks like it too! I guess I don't know for sure, but it makes sense to me! 

He's a great little guy - they barely need any care. Sparse water and as much sunlight as they can get, being a desert-y plant. But it seems to be doing alright in the sparse sunlight of wintertime, too. 

I love the little guy.

And he's doing well!  

So my porchulaca and succulents sit in my window soaking up what little sun the winter skies have to offer. They seem to be coping pretty well, even with the chill from the glass. :) 

My little green friends. I like plants. :) 

Do you have any lovable and loving pet plants??

Stay excellent!

- Jenny - 

Springtime Fun - Microterrariums

Spring finally made an appearance here, today! It was literally snowing every weekday this past week, but today is sunny and lower fifties! It's gorgeous and full of happiness. Every spring, I always get hit with the gardening bug. Granted I don't have the best gardening track record, I have been better at it these past few years. Last summer, I grew a big sunflower, a bunch of morning glories, and snapdragons. They all thrived and were so much fun!

On Friday this week, I was browsing through Michael's on a trip for mortarboard decorating supplies (hooray graduation!) and I stumbled upon these cute microterrariums:

There were all sorts of plants in the bin (in the kids' stuff section). I had to stop myself from buying these two and the pine tree, the cactus assortment, the herbs assortment, and the mint plant. That would be too many, I think. But aren't they awesome!? 

So on this sunny day in Pullman, I spent my early afternoon applying the second and final coat of poly on that box that I've shown you and getting these little terrariums on their way to having little sprouts! :) 

Soil disk + ~2 Tbs of water

The soil disk grows!

The seeds! Left: butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) seeds. Right: Brain plant (Celosia amigo) seeds.

Left: The brain plant seeds in the soil. Right: My microterrariums (complete with labels)!

Hope the sun is shining where you are! 

Have some fun in the sun and get your spring projects rolling. 

Have a great week. 

- Jenny - 

04.26.2013: 

Hey all! I have finally written an update on these plants. If you're interested in seeing how they turned out, check out the Update: Microterrariums post. :)

DIY: Succulents Lantern Terrarium

There are many exciting new developments going on in my creative life & it's really exciting! I'm finishing up the woodburning project, and I have just made myself a succulents arrangement!

I don't know if you've seen it around the web lately, but there has been a boom in the interest in succulents and terrariums. I personally am glad for it; I love these cute plants and adore having plants in my life. They add a little life to your everyday decor - They make me smile! That's a good enough reason to have 'em around, right??

Anyway! Inspired by these little plants, I made myself a succulents lantern! Here's how I did it - It's quick, easy, and awesome. Enjoy!
- Jenny -

01.16.2013:
Hello, friends!
My succulents have changed quite a bit since this post about the lantern terrarium! I have moved them from the lantern and they're doing great! Check them out in the Update: Succulents post!
---------------------------------------------------------------------

First, what you'll need:

• A container for your plants. I used a small glass cylinder that I found at Walmart (affordable!)
• A lantern in which the container can fit (only needed if you want to keep them in a lantern, haha). I got mine at Hobby Lobby with Anna!
• A few small succulents. I used three 2" plants. 
• Rocks/pebbles
• Cactus mix potting soil
• Floral moss

For more information regarding succulent soil and all other matters on succulents, this is a great resource.

Here are pictures of my supplies:

Steps:
1. Put some rocks or pebbles in the bottom of the container. I made a layer about an inch thick. This will allow the water in the soil to drain, which is important for your plants' health.

2. Add a layer of potting soil on top of the rocks, pressing on the soil to pack it a bit - not too firmly, just so it's not really loose.

3. Next, arrange your plants in the container like you would any other plant into a pot. Be sure to supplement more soil where needed to secure them in the container. 

4. Water the plants and be sure to watch an see if the soil moves when it is watered. Be sure not to over-water as well. Remember, succulents are water-retaining plants and are adapted to living with less water than most plants. 

Here's what my arrangement looked like at this point: 

5. Next, cover exposed soil with pieces of the floral moss. This is optional, really. I just think it gives it a nice finished look. 

6. And finally, to make this a "Succulent Lantern," insert your arrangement into your lantern! Of course, the arrangement would look great on its own, especially if you have a particularly beautiful container/planter. I have seen gorgeous arrangements in milk glass (the milky white looks stunning with the greens of the plants). But, I was smitten with this lantern and the idea of having a little lantern terrarium! 

Here it is all finished!