Roost Hanging Terrarium

“Siiigggghh.” Yes, we admit it. We’re enamoured with our Roost Recycled Glass Hanging Terrariums, and we fully intend to gaze upon them with delight all year round. You can enjoy your own Roost Recycled Glass Terrarium (in the small size, or large, or both) all year round, too.

Check them out! Not only are they eco-friendly because they are made of recycled glass, but they also quite literally redefine the term “hanging planter.” Their design is so simple and elegant- we think they create a look that is entirely clean and uncluttered, while still being positively eye-catching.

Tips for All-year Hanging Terrarium Use

Fall

If you read our blog “Time to Spook-ify Your Garden For Halloween,” then you know that we consider the entire month of October to be Halloween Month. And this year, we have the the dang coolest idea for Halloween decor. We are going to turn our Roost Hanging Terrariums into mini hanging graveyards. We got the idea from L. Brandt in Utah, who sells these awesome Terrarium Decor Headstone Picks in her Etsy shop. They are going to look just perfect stuck into some Spanish Moss. Spooktacular!

Winter

For wintertime, when our gardens are brown and gray, we love the idea of adding a splash of vibrant green to our homes. We think that Club Moss is just the plant to get the job done. Club Moss, or Lycopodium clavatum, thrives in cooler temperatures and low to moderate light. So it can handle the chilly temps and gray days that winter tends to bring. It also grows well with plenty of air circulation, so the open design of the hanging terrarium will really allow it to flourish. We can’t wait to see how this creeping plant looks as it crawls down and out of the terrarium opening, creating a pretty waterfall of foliage. What a way to brighten up a winter day!

Spring

When winter transitions to spring, we turn our thoughts to all things flowery and refreshing. It’s time to shed heavy winter wear and replace it with all things light and airy. This makes it the perfect time to plant an air plant. Air plants, also known as Tillansias, don’t require soil to grow. We’ve seen many a person do a double take at a hanging air plant- they’re a bit unexpected in a terrarium, and definitely turn the glass bubble into a gorgeous piece of modern art. Try placing a mini purple Aeranthos in the small Roost terrarium, or a brightly colored Concolor Paucifolia in the large one.

Summer

“Summa, summa, summa tiiiiime…” We all know that summer brings warmer temps and plenty of sunlight, so it’s time to plant something in your Roost Hanging Terrarium that will thrive in these conditions. For summer, try planting an Earth Star, Flame Violet, or Golden Pothos. Each of these does well in bright, plentiful indirect sunlight and warm, humid conditions. For a little summery twist, why not try adding in some pretty aqua colored marbles, or some sea shells from your vacation?

10 Steps to Plant in Your Roost Recycled Glass Hanging Terrarium

When it looks like this outside, it's definitely time to bring some green into your home. Image source: Andrew Prokos Landscape Photography (http://andrewprokos.com)

With the frigid months of winter upon us, it’s all too easy to find ourselves sitting around and twiddling our green thumbs. We can’t wait to dig our hands into some spring soil, but alas, months of frozen earth lay ahead. And our mood is starting to reflect the gray, black, and brown shades of our frozen gardens.

What’s the perfect cure for the winter blahs? Bring some green indoors! After all, nothing brightens up a room like a cheerful indoor plant. As a bonus, houseplants also help to clean the air by taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, which is a definite plus when it is too darn cold to open the windows and get some fresh air in your home.  There are numerous  Benefits of Decorating with Houseplants; click here to learn all about them.

When the weather prevents you from gardening outside, some friendly and perky houseplants can come to the rescue. They also make the perfect hostess gifts, as they are considerably more creative than the obligatory bottle of wine. Our favorite houseplants here at aHa! Modern Living are cheery, low maintenance, and easily portable.

Check out the Perch! Campy Planters

These simple yet stylish handmade planters come in three different vibrant color combinations: green and turquoise, gray and green, or white and yellow. We absolutely love their mini size; each planter stands just 6 1/2 inches tall. They can fit even on a small space such a bathroom sink or nightstand.We love the idea of planting a succulent in a Campy, which is pictured on the left. This is super low maintenance, since succulents can survive for long periods of time without water. Perch! Campy Planters also have a perforated bottom for water drainage, which is integral for healthy plants.

Another great indoor option: Eggling Seed Starters

At just 10 bucks a pop, you can afford one as a gift for each of your friends and still treat yourself. Check out both varieties: basil and chrysanthemum.Eggling Seed Starters are simple as pie to use. All you have to do is crack open the top, and water the soil within, which is already filled with peat mixture and seeds. One thing that we really love is how easily the Eggling may be transferred from the indoors to the outside. After 5 months, the whole egg can be planted outdoors. This way, your Eggling can brighten up your home all winter, and come spring it will be ready to take root.

Looking for something a little bit quirky and fun?

Then you will love the iGrobot Planter.  Again, we just can’t help but love how fool-proof this planter is. It comes with instructions, two measures of peat, and a packet of rye grass seeds. Once your grass sprouts, you can trim it into a mohawk, or any other shape you may desire. We are sure that it will make a fun addition to your home or office space, not to mention a great gift for any techie.

New aHa! Monthly Newsletter

We will be “growing” our Grow Category this February, so check back soon for new products!  Or why not make it easier on yourself?  You can receive updates on new products, special promotions, earn aHa! Customer Rewards, and unique content you won’t find on the blog, by subscribing to our new aHa! Modern Living E-letter.  Take a peek at our December issue.

About 17 years ago, Kamal Meattle discovered that he was allergic to the air in Delhi, India.  His doctor’s told him that his lung capacity had dropped to 70% and it was killing him.  With the help of NASA and a team of experts, Kamal discovered 3 common indoor plants are all you need to grow your own fresh air.  >>More ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

1.  Areca Palm removes carbon dioxide and converts it into oxygen.  You need four shoulder-high plants per person.

2.  Mother-in-Law’s Tongue is called “The Bedroom Plant” because it converts carbon dioxide into oxygen at night.  You need six to eight waist-high plants per person

3.  Money Plant removes formaldehyde and other volatile chemicals. Best grown using hydroponics.

Care of Plants

• Wipe leaves clean every day or once a week in cleaner air cities.  Layers of dust block sunlight and reduce the plant’s ability to photosynthesize, which is how plants feed themselves.
• Soil used should be vermi manure (worm poop) or hydroponics
• Place plants outside once every three to four months

Kamal’s Research Findings

Kamal spent the last 15 years researching these plants and their effects on air quality in his own 20 year-old, 50,000 square foot office building in Delhi.  He found that by using 1,200 plants for the 300 office occupants, there was an increase in human productivity by over 20% and reduction in energy requirements by 15% since the office spaces required less fresh air.

Why Is this Important?

The results of Kamal’s study are important on many levels, but the impact on the environment speaks loudly.  Kamal’s mission with his current project, GreenSpaces, is “to reshape the way commercial buildings are designed and built, with a view to reduce impact on environment and contribute to social development and sustainability.”

• 40% of the world’s energy consumption is taken up by buildings
• World’s energy requirements are expected to grow 30% over the next decade
• In the next 15 years, 60% of the world’s population will be living in buildings in cities with populations over 1 million
• A growing preference for living and working in air conditioned places

How to Grow Your Own Fresh Air – TED 2009 Talk

Recycled Cement Bag Potters

Have you ever browsed through a cookbook, decided to try a new recipe that calls for fresh herbs, then found them rotting in your fridge a week later?  Off to the compost pile they go.  Not everyone has the time, or possibly the desire, to organize another 5 meals that use parsley as a main ingredient.   With the holidays behind us, now is a great time to start an indoor herb garden.  Think about the convenience of snipping off a few sprigs when you need them, and the waste you’ll save from forgetting about them in the bottom of your crisper drawer.

Windowsill gardens are perfect for apartment dwellers and for those of you who like cooking with fresh herbs during the winter months.  This Cement Bag Potting Kit pictured above is a great gift idea for someone starting an indoor herb garden for the first time.  The kit comes with the most popular culinary herbs and their own growing containers made from reused cement bags.

Herbs Are Easy To Grow

Light Place in a south or west facing window that gets at least 5 hours of sun.  Otherwise use supplemental fluorescent lights.

Potting Find a pot, or any container, that is at least 6-12 inches deep.

Water Herbs don’t like to sit in water. Just stick your finger in the soil and water when the soil feels dry.

Feeding Once a month with a fertilizer suitable for edible plants.

Herbs not only add greenery but they are exceptionally useful in the kitchen.  Some of the more popular herbs are chives, mint, rosemary, oregano, thyme, sage, basil, marjoram and parsley.  Chives are a good choice for beginners since they are so easy to grow.

Turn over a new leaf in 2009 and start your own indoor herb garden.  Happy New Year!

Photo by SDCDeaCerte

Growing beautiful container plants doesn’t have to be hard or require a lot of resources.  Smart plant choices, like the succulents pictured above, and stylish containers can create a calming effect within your home in today’s technology age (sidebar: ironic that I am talking about creating soothing environments with plants on the internet).

Why Decorate With Succulents?

Every modern garden lover should have potted succulents.  The architectural elegance and minimal maintenance of succulents complement the essence of modern design. In my humble opinion, very few low maintenance plants offer such an eye-catching arrangement like the echevarias, aeoniums, or agaves.  These varieties look great by themselves in a bold, colorful pot, or grouped together by contrasting colors in larger pots.

Caring For Indoor Succulents

Watering Their fleshy leaves allow them to store large amounts of water, which make them the perfect companion for the forgetful dweller.  Water often during the growing season, spring through fall, but keep them drier and cooler during the winter.  Best to set them in a tray of water since their leaves can be damaged by splashes of water.  Once the roots have soaked up the water, remove your pot and wait to water again when the soil is dry.

Temperature The warmth and low humidity of living rooms provide the perfect environment for most succulents.

Light Since succulents are native to warm, dry areas, find a sunny windowsill to make them feel at home. Many succulents can live in their pots up to three years before needing a new home.

Feeding Liquid fertilizer is the easiest way to feed your succulents.  Keep a bottle next to your watering can and add a few drops once every couple weeks.

Potting Good drainage is important.  Use a free-draining potting mix made up of at least one part sharp sand to two parts loam.

Pests & Disease Fortunately succulents don’t suffer from many pests and diseases, and the few that cause you problems are easy to get rid of.  If the idea bug juice doesn’t make your stomach turn, hand picking is a good means of control.  These plants are easy to care for but prevention is the key to successful indoor plants. If you have to resort to chemicals, use them outside or in an area that is well ventilated.

More The above info should help you get started. If you’re beyond the basics, try learning more about propagation, more varieties and troubleshooting