---
title: Bottle garden: a bottle garden terrarium recipe
description: A medium sealed bottle garden in a demijohn of 20 L, with 4 plants and 1 moss. a demijohn: narrow neck means tools and pre-rooted plants Every layer, plant...
url: https://glassjar.garden/starter-jars/bottle-garden/
---

Starter jar · medium

# Bottle garden
bottle garden

medium · Sealed · Demijohn

A medium sealed bottle garden in a demijohn of 20 L, with 4 plants and 1 moss.

[Open this jar in the simulator](https://glassjar.garden/?starter=bottle_garden)

## The container

- Glass: Demijohn, 30 cm across, 38 cm tall, 20 L

- Note: a demijohn: narrow neck means tools and pre-rooted plants

- Lid: Sealed

## Layers, bottom to top

- [Horticultural sand](https://glassjar.garden/guide/soils/horticultural-sand/), 2 cm (1.23 L)
- [River pebbles](https://glassjar.garden/guide/soils/river-pebbles/), 3 cm (1.85 L)
- [Horticultural charcoal](https://glassjar.garden/guide/soils/horticultural-charcoal/), 1 cm (0.62 L)
- [Peat-based soilless mix](https://glassjar.garden/guide/soils/peat-based-mix/), 8 cm (4.93 L)

## Plants

- 2 x [Wandering dude](https://glassjar.garden/guide/plants/tradescantia-zebrina/)
- [Bird's nest fern (dwarf)](https://glassjar.garden/guide/plants/asplenium-nidus-dwarf/)
- [Creeping fig](https://glassjar.garden/guide/plants/ficus-pumila/)
- [Baby's tears](https://glassjar.garden/guide/plants/soleirolia-soleirolii/)

## Moss

- [Common feather-moss](https://glassjar.garden/guide/moss/kindbergia-praelonga/), about 30% cover

## Cleanup crew

- 150 [Temperate white springtail](https://glassjar.garden/guide/critters/folsomia-candida/)

## Water and light

- Water at build: 1950 ml, rain or distilled

- Watering: sealed for years; open 1 to 2 times a year to prune and wipe glass

- Light: 3,000 lux, 12 h a day

- Light source: east window

## How to make it

- Pour the layers, bottom to top: Horticultural sand (2 cm), River pebbles (3 cm), Horticultural charcoal (1 cm), Peat-based soilless mix (8 cm).
- Plant 2 x Wandering dude, Bird's nest fern (dwarf), Creeping fig, Baby's tears.
- Lay the moss: Common feather-moss over about 30% of the ground.
- Add the cleanup crew: 150 Temperate white springtail.
- Water with 1950 ml (rain or distilled).
- Close the lid and give it 3,000 lux, 12 h a day: east window.

## Based on

- [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottle_garden](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottle_garden)
- builds shared on r/terrariums

[Open this jar in the simulator](https://glassjar.garden/?starter=bottle_garden)

[Woodland jar](https://glassjar.garden/starter-jars/woodland-jar/) · [Bioactive tank](https://glassjar.garden/starter-jars/bioactive-tank/) · [All starter jars](https://glassjar.garden/starter-jars/)