Gratitude Lounge

I found things in and around the house, Mica. I’m not sure how I got these jars. They might be vases. I’ve been going through things in my house with an attitude of, “use it or lose it!” I tried food container lids out on them, as we normally keep a small stash of lids for saving leftovers. But I did notice they have jars just like these at a store called Dollar Tree where everything is $1. They have stones for crafts there, too. A similar store in the U.K. would be Pound Stretchers. You could probably use something like a large tahini or olive jar with the original lid, or use plastic wrap and a rubber band.

I used glass drops here that you can get at a dollar or craft store, but that is because I already had them in a craft box, and I wanted to use things up or put them in my “out” pile. I might have used stones or gravel instead. On top of that I put Perlite. Perlite is an absorbent puffed rock, sort of a “popcorn” of rocks. It isn’t really necessary, but it keeps the soil above from falling through and filling up the big rocks below, and I happened to have it in my gardening supplies. It is found in garden stores. Look around your home first. You might have something like a broken bead necklace that would work, or… I don’t know but you can’t use something like beans because they would sprout! Then I used a thin layer of activated carbon, like you would find in a water filler or get at a store that has aquarium supplies. I have never used this before, so I don’t think it is necessary either, but I thought I would try it because instructions I found online all use it. First time for me and I have never had a problem not using it But I think a substitute for either or both the Perlite and activated carbon, would just be pea gravel or sand. Then I put the tree right on top of that layer before putting in soil.. Then I put in the soil (I used something not too heavy but more like a potting soil) and not too much of it, and then the moss and plants. The size of the plants is limited by the amount of soil, so you need some but you don’t want that layer too deep. A spoon or chopsticks helped me to plant things. Then I put in a tablespoon or two of water and the lid, and start checking it each day. You should be able to see some evaporation in the jar the next day. If you don’t, add a little more water or spritz the plants with a sprayer. My glass drops in the bottom aren’t wet, but I’m not sure I have enough water in it yet so I check it each day to see if the plants look happy, and add water in tiny amounts each day until it seems to be quite happy. And then it is pretty stable and you don’t have to do anything but watch it. Sometimes the moss will get sporophytes (or whatever they are called), and that is fun. It will make little changes and find it’s own balance. 🌱