Teresa's Plants & More Store

Remember that your terrariums are better on the cooler side. High heat humid conditions are not as good as a cooler environment. Do not over water them and taking the lid off for air circulation is also a plus.Placing in front of a window with lots of sun really heats the glass up and can cook your moss & lichens.

 NEW Terrarium Tips for Assembly

• Using a steak knife is helpful in construction. The pointed tip allows you to push down the moss into the soil along the edge to give the terrarium a clean finished look. Kind of like the sand art in a jar...it pushes the moss down cleanly. This will not damage your moss. The knife is also good to remove items that are in those tall jars that is hard to get your hands into.

• Wrapping your ferns with moss of the sheet style will protect the roots and also give a clean finished look to the terrarium.

• Be sure to water the terrarium well when it is all put together for the first time. Then weekly watering or misting only as needed.

• Remember to take off the lid to give air circulation at least once a week for a few hours.

•  De-chlorinated water is best! You can fill a jug with water then let it sit for 24 hours to be sure it has no chlorine left. Distilled water can be use as well .

Remember earthworms are good for your terrariums and kids do like to see them travel in the soil!

 

Terrarium care instructions
Living moss does best if given plenty of moisture, humidity and light. I have found that the more light they receive the better they grow. When you first receive your moss it might be a bit dry. However this does not damage the plants. Thoroughly spray the moss with water (distilled or rain water seems to be better for moss) and they will green up within a few hours.

You can make both an open or closed top terrarium. The moss/lichen I have sent will take both. Also you may need to trim back your fern as it grows to keep within your container. I would also take the lid off for at least 24 hours every few days as moss and lichens do like the air circulation.
 
Build your terrarium this way:This is when you are using my kit that you purchased from me here or on other web sites.

1.Put down small stones
2.Next goes the small bag of shredded moss(moisten first)
3.Now put organic soil on top of wet moss
4.Time to put your moss/Lichens & fern on top of soil
Best to put fern in then plant the moss around it. This helps to cover the fern roots more and to keep it moist.

Most of all HAVE FUN!
Once all the moss has been planted, thoroughly spray them the water to help settle them into place. Under normal conditions, additional fertilization is unnecessary. 

Lichens can be tucked away into the haircap moss as it loves to grow in there anyway.They do not have roots so place them in areas to add interest. The lichens will shrivel and loose that spongy nature if they get to dry. remember to much water is NOT good for your terrariums and it is better to mist the moss rather than pour water from the tap.A video to watch from a friend who bought some of my terrarium kits and made this video.

More links are available for terrariums and moss care on my Links page above.

 

Charcoal use and terrariums

I do not use charcoal in most of my terrariums for the main reason that the moss does not die and decompose like plant material in regular terrariums. I do have it available for sale on my web store if needed.It is used because it adds a layer that helps to absorb odors from the decaying plant matter. It will not harm the moss to add it to yours. It does also give a visual addition to the laying in your jar. Click the link to take you to the store now.Web Store Items

 

Tillandsias air plants-4 individual "pup" plants

 

Air plants, the common name for Tillandsias, are one type of Bromeliad. They grow without soil, while most Bromeliads do best in soil. They are unusually hardy, surviving temperatures from 35 to 120degrees.

 

The native habitats of these attractive and fascinating members of the pineapple family are the southern United States, Mexico,and Central and South America, where they grow on rocks and trees,without soil. Their wire-like roots are void of root hairs and are used for anchoring only.

 

They receive all of their water and nutrients through the fuzzy gray scales on their leaves called trichomes, which can be quite developed (fuzzy leaves) or microscopic (green smooth leaves). Nutrients in nature are provided by dust, decaying leaves and insect matter.      

 

Tillandsias have a cycle of growth. It begins with a single plant which grows to maturity (different sizes for different species).and then blooms, with spikes lasting from several weeks to many months.This process is very colorful; some air plants turn pink, red, or orange before blooming; the bloom color varies with species.

 

When the bloom is finished, new plants grow out of the base of the parent plant and up around it (as it slowly dies off), reach maturity, and complete the bloom cycle in one to several years, depending on species and cultural conditions. These new plants can be separated from the parent.

 

You are getting 4 plants similar to those shown in the seashell photo.Web Store Items

LIVE SPANISH MOSS

This is  a LIVE Spanish Moss that I have been growing here in my yard and I overwinter in the house. Looks great hanging in your trees either outside or in your reptile tanks! Use in your bromeliads or orchids as well. You can tell that this is alive because it is still the beautiful green color when you mist it and not the DEAD GREY color.

This looks great draped inside the back of a vivarium tank as well! Your frogs will love sitting on this!

You can purchase a quart bag of this in the web store for only $4 a bag and FREE shipping when purchased with another item.

 

 

 

 

Live moss above on the left side,dead moss purchased from a local dept. store. You can see the green live moss when placed side by side. The quart bag shows you how much you get. The amount shown also in the photo with the moss draped on the white board background.

 

General Characteristics

General: Pineapple Family (Bromeliaceae). Spanish moss is a native, perennial epiphytic herb. It is not Spanish, nor a moss, but a flowering plant. The slender, wiry, long, branching stems (reaching 8m or more) grow as suspended, bluish-gray streamers and garlands draping among tree branches and sometimes telephone lines and fences. The plant and is not parasitic, as is often thought, but attaches itself to trees for support. The plant has no roots but derives its nutrients from rainfall, detritus and airborne dust. The stems and leaves are covered with overlapping silver-gray scales, which are important for absorbing water and trapping dust and nutrient particles. It is thought that these plants may play a critical role in nutrient cycling. The very narrow, linear, awl-shaped leaves (2.5 to 8 cm long) are whitish gray. Numerous, small, solitary blue or pale green flowers with three petals (6 to 8 mm long) grow in the axils of the leaves. The flowers, which bloom for a period of three to four months from spring to fall, form interesting seeds (2.4 to 3 mm) with hairy sails that float on the wind and stick to tree branches.

Required Growing Conditions

Spanish moss is native to the Southeastern United States and Tropical America. For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

Habitat: Spanish moss grows on trees in areas of high humidity. It can be found on live oak and pines that border estuaries, rivers, swamps, and along the coastal plains of the Southeastern United States.

Cultivation and Care

Spanish moss may be propagated by seed or by division. The plants are very easy to grow, as they need no soil or transplanting, requiring only warmth and moisture. They are grown in greenhouses or outside in warm climates. The plants need temperature of 70 degrees or warmer in the summer and not less than 60 degrees in the winter. The plants grow well in full sunlight to partial shade. To propagate by division, place divided plantlets on bark slabs in areas with plenty of light and moisture. Mist plants regularly with lukewarm water. Spanish moss rarely blooms in cultivation.

General Upkeep and Control

Although Spanish moss does not take nutrients from the host tree it should be thinned if it becomes too thick. This is because it may either shade the tree’s leaves or, when it is wet it can become very heavy and the branches may break under its weight.

 

Butterfly Terrariums

You get this beautiful Blue Butterfly Terrarium with the live pillow moss.The butterfly is attached to a very fine wire...this allows you to move him. He flutters on the wire when jar moves and looks so real!

                          Terrarium Dimensions: 7" Tall & 4" at widest part of jar.

                                Butterfly measures1 3/4" wide & 3/4" long

Butterfly and dragonfly can be purchased separately below. They will be attached to the wire to place into your own terrarium. Be sure to tell me what color you want
The top comes off of this terrarium for easy misting of your live moss.

All items are carefully packaged....and butterfly is wrapped separately

Great gift! Easy care instructions are also given.....moss needs light & moisture to continue growing.

                            Special orders on these are welcome.

I can make the vase red,lime green,amber,light blue, all crystal or dark green.
The knob would be the same color and on the crystal you choose the color.

                        The butterfly colors I have are:
                 Teal,Yellow,Red,Lime Green,Purple,Orange,Maroon,Blue

                                       Dragonfly Colors are:                                     Purple on purple,Orange on Orange and Pink on Blue

Dragonflies are a bit larger than the butterflies measuring from the small 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" and the larger measuring 1 1/2" to 2".

If I do not have the color choices you specify...I will just send what I have.If this is not o.k. with you please let me know when you order.

 

Order the jar color and butterfly color by typing in the colors I have listed above. Otherwise I will send the colors that I have available.

Dragonfly Terrariums

These are similar to the butterfly terrariums above. The dragonflies are either pink& Blue/Orange or Purple. There is a small and a large dragonfly. I fit the dragonfly that looks best in the container size.

The terrarium above was a special order and has been sold. More photos coming of some I will have to sell now,

 Large Glass Stemware Terrarium Kit 

Elegant Tall stemware used here as a beautiful Live Moss terrarium and candle! That's right...you get a live moss terrarium that is topped with a glass votive holder displaying a battery operated flicker candle. These look so real...they flicker like a candle but you do not have to remember to blow it out. This is great for weddings as place settings or even a main centerpiece. The moss is alive and this is an easy to care for setup.

The large stemware glass is shown next to a regular sized wine glass in one of the photos. this is a heavy duty glass and would look great sitting on your friends desk as a gift or just a spot that needs to be brightened with a bit of Spring Color!

The votive holder sits very easily on top of your glass so you can remove it to water if needed or just to allow your mini terrarium a chance to bring and get some air circulation. The battery is included with your candle.

    

Miniature Moss kits

The kit will include:

* small pyrex type dish 3 " diameter & 1 1/2" tall
* organic soil
* 1 small piece of reindeer moss
* 2 small pieces of pillow moss
* 1 section of Cladonia cup lichen
* section of bark moss(the first layer over soil)
* Care instructions

(Snail is sold separately)

These are great as wedding or party table place settings too!

Purchase this kit in the web store! Web Store Items

You will love putting this all together. It can be set next to a fern or hosta in your garden. Can be tucked into a larger potted plant or tree that will shade it. Great if you have a misting or sprinkler system that will hit it and keep moisture on it. The glass can be completely covered...I show a rim uncovered in a photo just so you see how I put together.

This is all moss that grows outside. Without water the moss will change to a lighter shade and may look dried and dead. They are not dead. Either mist occasionally with water or the rain will naturally keep it alive.

The organic soil is the same soil the pillow moss is growing on outside which is a more acidic soil. I have the cute snails available too that can be placed in the dish as well.

These can also be made up and use as individual place settings for a party or wedding etc.  They will stay pretty and green for hours when misted and in the shade.

Photos below of more outside moss shade gardens I have made. These are all using anything from old ashtrays,bonsai planters even old iron bird feeders. keep in the shade and a misting system or watering system you may have set up for other plants will be appreciated by these. Tuck the miniature into larger potted plants and place the larger ones in your fern and hosta shade gardens for a beautiful and natural look. You can find all the supplies you need for these here.

 

 

 

 

 Snails for your terrariums shade gardens etc.

These snails are perfect for your new terrarium creations or even in an outside shade garden. I have used them even in the open container terrarium.

They are made from old Ramshorn shells that I have collected over the years from old ponds. The antennas are made from wire so you can cut shorter and bend as you would like.(Be gentle)

There is such a variety in colors on the shells and they range in size from 1/2" up to 1" in length.

A piece of wire under the body allows you to place them on various materials as shown in the photos. (Moss,mushrooms etc.)

I will be putting together other kits that have the mushroom, moss,and snails etc. all together or you can purchase snails alone. Set of 2 snails 1 small & 1 Large $12

See the web store page to get yours Web Store Items

 

Snail,resin bird & pillow moss

 

 

Available in the web store! 

 

Create your own beautiful terrarium with my terrarium kits below.

• Assorted bag of moss & Lichens
• Small bag of polished stones
• Small bag of shredded moss(another bottom layer)
• Bag of my organic soil
• Directions for your moss care & Construction
  

The small  kit will be good for a bowl/jar that is about 6-12" diameter. bowl/jar. It depends on how you put it all together.

The shredded moss is good as another substrate layer. I like to place it (wet) after the stones then place the soil on top of this and moss on top of soil. It helps to also hold moisture and keep soil from falling down to the bottom of dish.

You can put in the charcoal that I sell if you would like...it is not necessary for (MOSS) terrariums but it does add a very nice look in the layering. You can mix with stones or add after stones. Be sure it is placed under the soil wherever you decide to put it.

Other items you might like are also listed  in the web store for separate purchase like the ferns and more of the fruticose or cladonia lichens.

 

Moss Choices for terrariums etc. 

Listed here are some moss and lichens that are good for terrarium use:

• Pillow moss
• Hair cap moss
• Carpet Moss
• Bark moss
• Rough stalk feather Moss
• Lichen mounds
• Cladonia lichens 
• Fern Moss
• Reindeer Moss

Remember the moss does best when misted/watered with non-chlorinated water or distilled water. Also some tap water may be to high in PH for them as well.

All the moss I sell looks great in containers like those used for bonsai but may need special care depending on the bonsai needs and requirements like water,sun etc.  These are so fun to build!   

The regular Tree lichens or regular flat lichen rocks do not like moist environment and will turn shades of brown and orange. Looks interesting but will not stay the green colors as when put in at first.

 

 More Terrarium Care facts

Remember that your terrariums are better on the cooler side. High heat humid conditions are not as good as a cooler environment. Do not over water them and taking the lid off for air circulation is also a plus.Placing in front of a window with lots of sun really heats the glass up and can cook your moss & lichens.

 

 A beneficial stow-away worth mentioning: earthworms. An earthworm or two is an excellent and welcome addition to a terrarium - especially large terrariums that will provide the earthworm a nice large habitat. For best results the terrarium should be placed so that it has abundant light but never direct sun as the closed container will overheat. Most un curtained north windowsills will provide sufficient light. Fluorescent light that are on 12 hours a day and are no more than 10 inches above the plants will also provide good light conditions.

Watering is seldom necessary. Water well at first when you put together to get the soil nice and damp. To determine when it is needed, check in the early morning when it is cool for condensation on the sides of the container. Also check the soil, if it looks and/or feels dry, add a few spoonfuls of water and check again in a few days. Heavy condensation indicates too much moisture. Wipe away the excess with a soft cloth or tissue or remove the cover until the excess evaporates.

Leaves, blooms or plants that die should be removed as soon as they are observed. Some plants may also need pruning to check rampant growth. Very large plants should be removed entirely.

Room temperatures of 65 to 85 degrees are ideal for most plantings.

Moss terrariums will benefit also with air circulation if they contain lichens. So remove the lid for a few hours then replace it. (weekly is fine). 

Moss terrariums do not require the charcoal as listed in regular type terrariums. This is because the moss does not die and decay like regular plants do. This is the reason that charcoal is used...to absorb the odors caused by decaying plant matter.

 

   River Rocks-Beautiful rounded rocks for many projects!

Photo shows a small flat rate box with 5 assorted sized stones however I also have the medium & Large flat rate box so you will get about 3-6 times the amount of rocks shown.

 

 

Gorgeous river rocks that have been smoothed by mother natures waters. These are so beautifully rounded and perfect for many applications. I love to use them in my water garden features as shown on a fountain I have. I also like to use them in my reptile cages as feeding rocks or even to make a tunnel etc. You can use liquid nails adhesive to put a small amount onto a rock and secure so that your design will stay that way and not fall so as to harm your critters. 

These are also very nice to put in your aquariums! be careful how you stack these when using in your aquariums. These are smooth so you do not want one to slide away if you are stalking to high and not really secure. DO NOT use the liquid nails inside your aquarium waters as it may harm your fish etc.

These rocks have been cleaned with just water and no chemicals or pesticides have been used. The photos show them paired with pieces of driftwood that I also sell. You are getting ONLY THE ROCKS HERE.

Sycamore Tree root sections (Driftwood)

I have many assorted styles and shapes of driftwood available for your vivarium tanks.

Photos below represent some of what I have available. Email me what special requests you may have. The smaller pieces you see with the river rocks range in price and size. Anything 6-12" is $3 each piece, 12-18" long $4 each piece, 18-24" long $8.00.

These will all be simple design pieces as shown in photos. For larger more ornate pieces see more photos below.

 

length

6-12" long $3.00 12-18" long $4.00 18-24" long $5.00

I also have large pieces of driftwood available in cedar too.

 

Live Moss covered Cedar Branches

Click below on the lengths I have or email me with the length you want. You are getting these gorgeous branches at $.75 per inch which includes your shipping price too. The branches vary in diameter and appearance from photo shown. A drop down box with assorted sizes to order these is listed below.

 

email me here

 

  

Moss/Lichen covered logs,stumps odd unique pieces etc. are also available... Tell me what you want and we can go from there.tnr@windstream.net

This photo below shows you the remains of tree log casings covered in moss and lichens.

 

 Order your branches here

Lengths

6" Branch $4.50 10" Branch $7.50 12" Branch $9.00 16"Branch $12.00 20" Branch $15.00 24" Branch $18.00

Organic Soil- Moss starter 

You will be getting the actual organic soil that my
moss was growing on outside! Great to use in your own terrariums!

NO PESTICIDES are ever used on my plants or moss.

Soil is harvested upon your purchase. Great start for your new moss purchases. Pillow Moss and others like an acidic soil and this is just what you get. This soil is harvested from under the cedar/pine trees where the moss has been growing for years! Bits of moss, spores, cedar/pine needles,etc may be present in this soil.

Remember that a lot of the premixed soils have those fillers like Styrofoam balls that you do not want in your vivariums with your frogs and such.

 

 

           Shredded  Green Moss

Great substrate layer for terrarium & Vivariums

This is  a dried green moss (some moss may have active spores still  in it) that I like to get wet then place on top of my small stones that I have placed first in my terrarium. I can then apply the organic soil onto the moss. I then place the moss or plant the ferns onto this.

Vivarium use:It is best to just get it all wet and lay down on your tank floor. Frogs love this damp moss! It can be used 3-4 times buy picking it up and just washing it out to get rid of the frog matters they leave behind.Then simply put it back down and there you go!

This is also great in other applications like for decorating birdhouses or anything else that you want a moss look but do not want to worry about the care of the moss.

  

The 2 photos above shows a 10 gallon aquarium with 2 oz of the green moss. It is a good even layer. This can be placed on top of soil, sand etc.This top moss layer can be picked up and rinsed off as needed to clean the cage from your critters. The 2oz bag is only $4,other sized bags also available. This is the same green moss I use in my terrarium kits.

Photo above shows assorted sizes of the lichen rocks,assorted driftwood pieces,turtle shell frog house,pillow moss,green shredded moss, and a few of the small polished stones set inside of a water dish for the frog and lizard.

Live Moss Starter Kit

You will be getting assorted Live moss pieces in a quart size bag. Included is the recipe for you to take this shredded moss and mix it to use as a paint to apply onto rocks, bricks ,outside garden structures and more.Can be poured between flagstone paths as well. Remember that moss is slow growing but worth the wait! You have a variety of moss and spores in the bag so it will take several weeks or longer to get this started and established.

Moss pieces may include but are not limited to :

Cushion,hair cap, fern,tropical, rock cap, reindeer and more.

Multi-colored Black/Brown Polished stones

See the quarter for size comparison.These are useful in so many ways. See below for some ideas.

See also my multi - colored brown River stones for sale.

Quantities over 1 pound are subject to extra postage-get with me if you need to know shipping cost before ordering.