By creating a closed terrarium, you will have a real interior garden that lives in total autonomy, an ecosystem that will be similar to a real little miniature planet.

Except that, unlike our planet Earth, the environment you will create will be completely protected from pollution.

Plant respiration mechanisms in a closed terrarium.

Two mechanisms are implemented in a closed terrarium.

• Plant transpiration.
• Photosynthesis.

Plant transpiration.

Once the jar is closed, the transpiration of the plants will generate a phenomenon of evaporation, then condensation of the water. Quite quickly, we will notice steam appearing on the walls of the jar which will turn into real small water droplets. These droplets will then fall to the bottom of the jar and make precipitation, similar to rain. The roots of the plant will then be able to recover the water that has accumulated at the bottom of the terrarium. This water rises in the saddle of the plant to the leaves. It will be eliminated through tiny holes that are located on the leaves. Thus one observes in the terrarium, a true cycle of water practically without end.

The rate of hygrometry, or rate of humidity of the air, is about 100 if in an apartment or in a house, this rate is about 30 percent. However, indoor plants, to have a good development, would like to have about 70 to 100 percent.

This explains why plants like to grow so much in such a humid atmosphere, provided you put there, of course, plants that like humidity. Carnivorous plants will also love this medium. It's a real little paradise for them.

This type of terrarium will not require a lot of watering. Two to three waterings per year are more than enough.

Be careful not to put cacti or succulents because inevitably, they would die in the space of a few weeks; they would not support the humidity level inside the jar.

Photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis occurs during the day, because it needs the sun's rays. Four elements are essential to its smooth running. It takes water, light, carbon dioxide and chlorophyll. If only one of these elements is missing, photosynthesis cannot take place.

Plant leaf cells contain chlorophyll in small sacs called chloroplasts when exposed to sunlight, chloroplasts will separate hydrogen molecules and oxygen molecules which form water molecules. They will thus manufacture carbohydrates, that is to say sugar, by combining hydrogen with carbon dioxide, and they will reject the oxygen which they do not need.

In this way, they will provide the energy necessary for the development of the plant and release oxygen into the atmosphere which will allow the cycle of life. At night, on the contrary, the leaves of the plants will release CO2.

This is how plants breathe. It is these tiny solar power stations that are chloroplasts which, for billions of years, have sustained forests, ocean plankton and all living beings, us humans, including the energy thus produced, is wonderful because it does not pollute. It has a totally neutral carbon footprint, unlike oil or coal.

Between plant respiration and photosynthesis, you now understand why the medium you created in a jar is completely self-sufficient.

We will first discuss the creation of a terrarium in a jar.

Then we will explain in detail how all these little things that we are going to put inside will be able to survive in a space that will be completely closed.

The indispensable.

We would need several essential elements to make a terrarium.

• A jar: Of course, the first thing to get is the jar; it does not matter its size, since we will adapt the size of the plants to the size of the jar, it is just necessary that this jar can be closed hermetically.

If the jar you have chosen does not have a lid, you can put some cling film in it and, over it, a little bit of fabric that will look pretty at the bottom of the jar.

• Pebbles.

• A small fence: which will be placed on top, which will prevent the earth from falling to the bottom of the stones.

• Earth and charcoal or peat: The role of charcoal and peat is to prevent the plants from rotting in this humid environment because the permanently present humidity means that the peat does not not break down and turn into mineral even after a long time.

• Plants: The choice of plants is important. It is necessary to take plants that like to live in humidity.

So you have a choice. You can put ficus, spare agus, ivy, a type of plant that loves moisture. These are phyto nian.

• Moss and gravel: You will need to put a little moss at the end and probably a little decorative gravel.

The process.

We will start our terrarium by putting the pebbles at the bottom of the jar.

Then, we will have to adapt the mesh to the size of the jar, cutting it accordingly; this will allow the earth to fall to the bottom in the pebbles.

The next step is to gently lay the earth on top.

We can add decorative gravel all around the jar, and a little charcoal in the middle.

Then comes the time to put the plants. We will start with the tallest one that we will place in the middle.

Once all these processes are done, we spray abundantly to hydrate the terrarium.

Leave the jar open for a few hours, the time for the exchanges to take place, before closing the jar definitively.

Our latest recommendations.

For its proper development, the terrarium must of course be placed in the light. But be careful, not in direct sunlight. Otherwise, you can imagine the walls of the jar where we make a magnifying effect and it will become a real oven inside which will completely roast the plants.

We congratulate you because you too will have given life by creating your own terrarium in a closed environment. Besides the satisfaction of creating the terrarium, you will see how observing the development of plants can be a source of relaxation in this world where everything is stress and constant race.