DIY Tea-rrarium

Honest Tea was nice enough to send me a fun little surprise in the mail.  I arrived home to find a box containing materials to make my very own tea-rrarium!  It is such a creative and fun way to repurpose and recycle the glass bottle that their delicious teas come in!  What is a tea-rrarium exactly?  Well, it is a homemade terrarium in your tea bottle.  A terrarium is a closed container or enclosure that contains living plants.  This fun project makes a great rainy day activity for any age. 

Making A DIY Tea-rrarium

Step 1: You can make your very own Tea-rrarium in any empty glass bottle of tea.  It's nice to be able to reuse your bottle for a fun activity.  The first step for me was the best step, drinking it!  

Step 2: After I enjoyed my chilled beverage, the next step was to wash it out.  I rinsed my bottle thoroughly to get rid of any sticky ingredients and let it dry overnight. 

Gather the materials you are going to use in your terrarium. Everything included in my kit can be found at your local home improvement store or craft store.  Have fun with it and get creative! Here is a list of what was included. The terrarium supplies provided are from Sandhill Shores.

-Orchid bark
-Potting soil
-Assorted dried and preserved mosses
-Activated charcoal
-River rocks
-Accents (mushroom and pinecone)
-Small spray bottle

Step 3: Put down some orchid bark for the first layer in your terrarium. The bark lends a hand with aridity as well as drainage. Don't worry about fussing with it. Once you get it all in your glass, shake it around to even it out.  I used a coffee filter with a hole cut into the bottom to help get the bark into my container. Made less of a mess that way. 

Step 4: Lightly sprinkle the activated charcoal evenly over the bark. This is a must if you are making a sealed terrarium. It helps the air in your container stay clean as well as preventing it from becoming smelly.  It keeps microorganisms like algae from growing as well as bad buildup at bay. 

Step 5: Now it's time to put down your layer of soil. You can purchase soil specifically formulated for terrariums, but potting soil works just as well.  Make sure whatever soil you are using is high in organic matter and clean.  Soil that you buy in bags is sterilized so you don't have to do any other kind of prep with it.  If you would like to make your own soil for your terrarium, you can do that as well.  Use one part peat moss, one part sand, and one part garden soil.  You can also add vermiculite to help with water retention as well as perlite to increase air circulation. 

Step 6: Lightly mist your soil with some water. After this, it's time to put in some assorted moss.  Remember when adding moss to a terrarium, it requires good drainage as well as air circulation. If moss stays too damp, it will attract mildew. As long as you don't add an abundance of water to your container and allow it to evaporate and not linger, your moss will thrive. Live moss likes bright indirect sunlight. Make sure to keep it out of direct sunlight if possible so it doesn't burn.  Types of mosses you can add are Spanish moss, reindeer moss and cushion moss.  Add types of moss with different texture and color to add visual interest.  Make sure to mist your moss with your spray bottle every 2 to 4 weeks.

Step 7: Now it's time to add some decor!  My kit came with some river rocks, tiny pinecones and a whimsical mushroom. You can get creative and also add woodland creature figurines like rabbits and foxes. Adding branches and small twigs covered with lichen is another great option.  If you can imagine it, try bringing it to life in your new terrarium.  Make it your own enchanting mini forest! 

Step 8: Enjoy your new tea-rrarium and show it off!  With a little maintenance and upkeep, it should do great.  This is a wonderful project for children as well as adults who are looking for a fun and easy gardening activity.  Doing something small like this can really teach you so much.  It's a great first step if you are looking to enter the wonderful world of terrariums.  Adding natural elements together shows me how they all work with each other to create something beautiful.  Not to mention just a regular glass bottle can turn into something amazing!  I have to admit, I was pretty  impressed with how creative you can get with just an every day object found in most refrigerators! Give it a try, you won't be disappointed! 

A Little About Honest Tea

Back in the fall of 2015, I received a box filled with a bunch of Fair Trade Certified goodies.  In this box was a glass bottle of Honest Tea.  I had noticed it sold at my local grocery store, but never took the leap and tried it.  When I did, I loved how refreshing it tasted.  I also noticed that it contained natural ingredients.  As a organic gardener myself, this definitely peaked my interest.  All products that are Fair Trade Certified contribute to improving farming, healthcare and education around the globe.  Each bottle of tea is also USDA Organic and non GMO.  This is something I really value and appreciate when buying foods as well as other products alike. They source the natural ingredients that flavor the teas from the USA all the way to Argentina.  You can check out a source map they provide here.  I am familiar with some of the plants they use like lemon balm, spearmint and stevia.  I grow these plants in my very own garden!  The Honest Tea company supports recycling, repurposing and environmentally friendly methods.  Anyone who believes in green living, eating healthy and growing your own food should definitely check this company out! 

A Few Delicious Flavors To Try!

I had such a fun time putting together my own tea-rrarium.  It is doing great so far, I'm always looking forward to taking a peek inside my tiny magical moss filled world.  I want to thank Honest Tea for sending me this fun project along with some delicious tea. Such a wonderful garden activity that I hope you all give a try!  Have you put together your own terrarium? What kind of plant varieties have you used?  Feel free to share with me if you create your very own tea-rrarium! Comment here or share your photos with me on twitter @thefreckledrose. Have fun planting!

Disclaimer: I am not receiving payment from Honest Tea, and all opinions about the products are my own. I received a DIY Tea-rrarium kit as well as a bottle of Honest Tea at no cost. I enjoy sharing products with my readers that I enjoy and use myself.