Superb handcrafted - Miniature succulent plant greenhouse
For most women, when it comes to the content of succulent plants, the superb handcrafted miniature succulent plant greenhouse, please refer to the detailed introduction below.
After a period of observation, I found that the succulent plants in my home have shown no significant growth this spring, and their growth rhythm seems to have stagnated, with most leaves being shriveled. Following this is another long and humid summer, during which many succulent plants, due to poor plant condition and weakened resistance, did not survive, resulting in significant losses.
I then decided to thoroughly inspect the roots of all the succulent plants at home - turning over all the succulents to check them. As expected, the roots of most succulents had not grown well, with a large number of dead and decaying roots. It must be that during this hot summer, bacteria must have been thriving happily in my flowerpots, eroding the bodies of the succulent plants. Learning from experience, I decided to replace the planting material completely, discarding the old soil that was not thoroughly sterilized and had poor breathability, and replacing it with new mixed media. Although it means spending more money, it is a worthwhile decision for the long term.
Additionally, a troublesome issue is that the climate in Beijing is too dry, with very low humidity, which is quite different from the original growth environment of succulent plants. These succulents are essentially cultivated in greenhouses and are pampered, not as robust as their native counterparts. To keep the succulent plants plump and full of vitality, it is necessary to put some thought into the care environment. So, I decided to design a "greenhouse box" for the succulents. Given the limited space on the balcony, I could only make a miniature version. However, everything needs to be considered comprehensively. I measured the dimensions, drew my own design plans, and had a "miniature greenhouse box" custom-made by a boss who does acrylic processing. (Let's call it that for now)
In the past, I was used to arranging succulent plants in beautiful pots to showcase their elegance and taste in life. However, as the number of succulents at home gradually increased, I decided to gather them together to keep them tidy and manageable, and of course, to improve their living environment.
I will post the process of making it below, along with a casual sketch of the effect and structure diagram. I want to share the joy of labor with my friends, although the process is tiring, it is very rewarding.
Continuing to move forward with the spirit of "tinkering and exploring" on one hand and "discovery" on the other.
The internal structure should be quite clear, and of course, all materials need to be sterilized and disinfected. From bottom to top, there are the drainage layer, the filter layer, the planting material layer, and the plant layer. Then, covering the top of the greenhouse box with transparent film can increase humidity, and it should be opened for ventilation and aeration at regular intervals, with the plastic film also being removable at any time.
The mesh is mainly used to prevent the upper planting material from being blocked and can effectively filter the fine soil and silt that is washed down. Activated carbon adsorbs and filters harmful substances and bacteria in the water, ensuring that the remaining water in the drainage layer does not deteriorate or breed bacteria.
Mixed red jade soil, deer沼土, large particle orchid stones with fungicides, insecticide powders, granular insecticides, slow-release fertilizers, and calcium superphosphate, then exposed to sunlight for a day before use. However, what needs to be considered next is that with winter approaching, I need to design a heating and exhaust system to control the temperature inside the box. It seems that I can only make adjustments to the lid, so let's take it slow.
The roots of plants are like human teeth. As the saying goes, "Good teeth, good appetite, robust body, delicious food!" The same is true for plants. If the plant's roots do not develop well, the plant cannot absorb nutrients. The root cause of all problems lies here. If plants do not absorb well, their resistance is weak. Therefore, if combined with some objective conditions and uncontrollable external disturbances, plants may die. This part underground is often neglected by people. One reason is that it is not easy to understand the condition of the roots at any time, and the other reason is that most people's visual focus is on the most beautiful and ornamental parts of the plant - the stems, leaves, and flowers, often neglecting the roots. Then, humidity is like a human's nose needing to breathe, and plants also have "noses" - pores that need to breathe. When the air is too dry, a person's nose will also feel uncomfortable, let alone plants. Once these points are understood, everything becomes simpler. These are some of my shallow insights.
Physical photos:
The transparent box is finished! Put the drainage board in:
Details of the drainage board:
Large particle orchid stones are placed on top:
The soil layer structure,呵呵, looks a bit like geological stratification.
The planting material layer is basically finished:
Gradually transplanting them inside is a very time-consuming project.
The most tiring task is to trim the roots of all the succulents at home, removing the old, diseased, and damaged roots, and then disinfecting them in a fungicide solution. The succulents are still soaking in a fungicide bath to avoid introducing bacteria into the medium and ruining all the effort. They also need to be planted separately by genus and region, with those of the same genus and habits grouped together. Luckily, there is enough space to water them in different areas. The process of exploration is also very pleasant, although the path of experimentation is full of thorns!
The above is an introduction to the method of making a super handcrafted miniature succulent plant greenhouse, which can be used as a reference for everyone.