Preparing New Plants for Terraria and Vivaria

Getting new plants for your terraria and vivaria is always exciting, but there are necessary steps that must be taken before introducing any plants into a new enclosure.  I always recommend quarantining new plants for at least a few months in an area away from your established plants.  I understand that this isn’t always possible, so here are several fundamental steps that should be done before adding new plants to your naturalistic enclosures.

Supplies:

  • Pruning shears

  • Clear pot with large drainage holes

  • Isopropyl alcohol spray or wipes

  • Light Expanding Clay Aggregate (LECA)

  • Soil mix - I do 1 part peat moss, 1 part horticultural grade charcoal, 1 part perlite, 1/2 a part milled sphagnum, 1-2 parts orchid (fir bark), and about a 1/2 a part aqua soil

  • RO water

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Remove the plant from the pot it’s in and wash off all of the soil that it came in, preferably in RO or distilled water but tap is fine since it’s limited contact

Remove the plant from the pot it’s in and wash off all of the soil that it came in, preferably in RO or distilled water but tap is fine since it’s limited contact

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Soak the plant in a container of reverse osmosis or distilled water for 30 minutes to rehydrate the plant and loosen any stubborn soil stuck on the roots

Soak the plant in a container of reverse osmosis or distilled water for 30 minutes to rehydrate the plant and loosen any stubborn soil stuck on the roots

After the plant has soaked, wash off all of the leaves and roots again to remove any remaining soil from the roots and debris and potential pesticides from the leaves. Remove any rotting roots and dead or dying leaves with a sterilized pair of pruni

After the plant has soaked, wash off all of the leaves and roots again to remove any remaining soil from the roots and debris and potential pesticides from the leaves. Remove any rotting roots and dead or dying leaves with a sterilized pair of pruning shears.  This can easily be accomplished by wiping or spraying the shears with isopropyl alcohol. Soaking the plant in a 10% bleach solution used to be recommended, but I no longer do that since it can cause undue stress to plants. As I mentioned in the intro, I suggest that the new plant(s) should go into a quarantine area for a few months to mitigate the risk of potential pests.  It also allows time to observe the plant, prune as needed, and prepare it for its new home. Now it’s time to pot the plant for the quarantine period!

I use clear pots the size of the pot it’s in or one size larger, with several drainage holes. Put about a 1/2” layer of LECA as a drainage layer in the pot.

I use clear pots the size of the pot it’s in or one size larger, with several drainage holes. Put about a 1/2” layer of LECA as a drainage layer in the pot.

Now mix up some soil for the new plant by hand.  For most plants, I do 1 part peat moss, 1 part orchid bark, 1/2-1 part horticultural charcoal, 1/2 part milled sphagnum moss, 1/2 part aqua soil, and 1/2 to 1 part perlite.  For some of my aroids, I do

Now mix up some soil for the new plant by hand.  For most plants, I do 1 part peat moss, 1 part orchid bark, 1/2-1 part horticultural charcoal, 1/2 part milled sphagnum moss, 1/2 part aqua soil, and 1/2 to 1 part perlite.  For some of my aroids, I do an even chunkier mix.  See my anthurium repotting tutorial for that mix.

Place a layer of soil on top of the LECA, then put the new plant in, making sure the roots fit somewhat snugly in the new pot.

Place a layer of soil on top of the LECA, then put the new plant in, making sure the roots fit somewhat snugly in the new pot.

Now fill in the soil around the roots to the desired amount. Tap the side of the pot with your hand until the soil is evenly distributed around the roots.  There’s absolutely no need to pack the soil down from the top.  You want airflow around those

Now fill in the soil around the roots to the desired amount. Tap the side of the pot with your hand until the soil is evenly distributed around the roots.  There’s absolutely no need to pack the soil down from the top.  You want airflow around those precious roots.

Water the plant several times with RO, and place it in a quarantine box that receives good LED light 10-12 hours a day. Check on the plant regularly and water as needed. Once the quarantine period is over and the plant looks happy any heathy, it’s

Water the plant several times with RO, and place it in a quarantine box that receives good LED light 10-12 hours a day. Check on the plant regularly and water as needed. Once the quarantine period is over and the plant looks happy any heathy, it’s time to plant it in a terrarium or vivarium.