Do you like the look of plants but can’t handle the commitment? We have a project that will add a bit of greenery to your room without the stringent upkeep that most plants require. This project is to make your own light bulb terrarium! You can create your own mini ecosystem inside a light bulb (which is pretty cool, right?).
We’ve created a short explanation of the process, but for more details you can check out the website that inspired us here.
1. Supplies
The first obvious material you will need is a light bulb. For the sake of the aesthetic, we recommend a large clear light bulb, so that you can actually see your terrarium! There are a few essentials you will need to prepare the light bulb, which will be the most difficult part of the project. To do this, you will need pliers, scissors, tweezers, and a flathead screwdriver. As a safety precaution, as glass will be involved, we seriously recommend wearing glasses and work gloves for the first step.
As far as the contents of your terrarium are concerned, you can use your own creative liberties! However, dried sand or small pebbles would be your best choice for your base. You can choose to include Tillandsia because they require very little water. Finally, if you would like to include moss in your terrarium, make sure to use preserved moss. The moss will actually hold moisture in a way that will make the tillandsia very healthy.
2. Getting Started
The most intensive part of the project is preparing the light bulb. This means removing all of the insides of the light bulb. First, use your pliers to remove the metal tip from the bottom of the bulb. After you have removed the metal, you can move on to the black glass on the neck of the light bulb. Hold on to the bulb firmly and use your pliers to snap the glass by grabbing one side at a time and firmly twisting up.
Once this part is finished you will be able to see the inside of the light bulb. You can then use the screwdriver to snap the interior tube from the side so that you can then remove the remaining wires from the light bulb using your pliers.
3. Now for the fun part!
After you have prepared your light bulb you can get your creative juices flowing. Add in your sand and whatever greenery you choose to include in the terrarium. You can check out one option here. Your terrarium can include virtually anything that will fit inside the neck of the light bulb. Be creative and have some fun, these can turn out beautifully in a number of different ways!
4. Display your hard work
When you’ve finished creating your terrarium, make sure to find the best place to display it! Some sunlight is great for the plants but try to avoid constant sunshine. Hang them up or set up a display on your desk, whatever your heart desires. Just have fun and enjoy!
Featured Image by Sonny Abesamis on Flickr
Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
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