Activated charcoal is used in filters in aquariums
ACTIVATED CHARCOAL Here are a few other ways to make use of activated charcoal’s absorption powers: • Use it in a pan in your refrigerator to absorb orders. • Seal your shoes in a plastic bag with activated charcoal for a few days to eliminate smelly feet odor. • Place small sachets filled with activated charcoal in closets to remove odors. • Add a pan of activated charcoal to absorb the moisture in wet basements and eliminate that musty mold smell.
Bark Chips
for the same reason that we use activated charcoal in
Bark chips are a very important ingredient in terrarium building for many
terrariums. Place shards or pellets of activated charcoal
reasons. Bark chips change the design with their earthy brown colors and varied
over the drainage material and under the soil in the
shapes. Bark chips can also be used to create the drainage well that is an actual
terrarium. It acts as a purifier against mold and fungus.
design element at the bottom of the terrarium. You can create multiple layers within a terrarium by alternating bark chips and river stone pebbles. Finally, bark
Potting Soil Mix
chips make an excellent groundcover around plants, as a topdressing, or as a
The potting soil readily available at retail stores is just
final design element.
fine to use for terrarium planting. Mass producers
Many retailers sell bark chips, but you can also check out some of the mail-
such as Miracle Gro® blend their potting soil mixtures
order sites in the Resource section (page XXX) for more specialized selections.
with perlite (a naturally occurring, white, lightweight
The wholesale company Supermoss 123 markets bags of small, very clean bark
volcanic substance) or vermiculite (a beige, granular
chips that are marvelous for this use.
mineral), to create the drainage. If the potting soil had no such additives it would turn into a solid mass of wet
Mosses
peat with no air circulation for our plants’ root systems.
This brings us to the most valuable ingredient in our terrarium-building
The plants would suffocate, turn black, and eventually
arsenal: moss. Today, event planners use mountains of moss for party décor
die. Remember, water will find a way to drain through
or table centerpieces. Now, moss is incredibly popular as topdressing, as a
the soil to the bottom. Using a potting mix with these
dividing layer over drainage components, and as the crucial component of
additives will prevent a wet mess in the planting area.
the moss terrarium. Moss can definitely affect the overall design or style of the terrarium garden
Here are some special notes about potting soil:
you are creating. There are so many choices, so experiment with each type and find your favorites.
• African violets thrive in a soil mix of higher acidity, but most plants do not need this specialized potting mix. • Unless you are planting only cacti or succulents, avoid cactus soil mixture, which contains sand to increase the ability of water to flow
Dried and preserved moss is not alive, and it has been treated to retain its appearance. There are many dried and preserved moss products in the marketplace, and there are many types: sheet, reindeer, Spanish, feather, mood moss, and sphagnum.
through it. Using a cactus potting mix would cause all the water to collect in the drainage well while the soil remains drier than most
Sheet Moss
tropical plants enjoy.
Hypnum curvifolium or H. imponens is the botanical name for sheet moss. It
• I tend to be a purist with my designs and want the soil to be
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C h a p ter 2
has a flat growth pattern, which is why it is called sheet moss. When you flip
absolutely black. I don’t like the white bits of perlite showing
the moss over, you will find a brown, mat-like, interwoven area (which can be
through the glass. I pick out some of the larger pieces that can be
thought of as its root system, but technically, moss has no roots). I have walked
seen at the top or on the sides if I feel they are marring the view.
through the forests of New York’s Catskill Mountains to find sun-dappled paths
T h e B asics
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