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Caring for your Miniscapes

Low Maintenance doesn't mean NO Maintenance

If you've recently purchased one of our Miniscapes, it's important that you read our helpful information to ensure your Miniscapes thrive in their new home.

Finding the perfect spot

Your Miniscapes are an indoor piece only. Place your Miniscapes where they will receive plenty of natural, bright light. Keep away from direct heat sources such as heaters, as the moss and plants inside prefer a consistent temperature that changes with the seasons.


While we generally recommend not to place your piece where it will receive direct sun (sun that shines directly through a window and onto the glass), some morning sun is ok and can even be beneficial. However, we stress that no more than 1 hr of direct sun a day and if in doubt, block it out.

Condensation

"My Miniscape is fogging up! What should I do?"


Condensation is a normal process and can be used as a guide in ensuring adequate moisture levels are present inside your Miniscapes. 


It's important to also note that the level of condensation will change throughout the day. It will often be higher during the warmer periods of the day or when the light is stronger and often when its placed closer to windows. This will ease off as the day cools into the night. 


Condensation is at its best when it appears as a hazy fog inside your terrarium, with very small or almost no water droplets on the glass sides. If large droplets of water are present and if condensation is consistently high through the day, then the conditions are too wet. Lift the lid for 1 day for small Miniscapes and 2 days for medium to large miniscapes and then replace. Monitor the condensation levels and repeat if required. 

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Watering

The beauty of our Miniscapes is that they require very little watering. As the piece is fully enclosed, they recycle their own water through evaporation and condensation.  

 

Monitoring your condensation levels is key. Once you notice that condensation has completely stopped on the inside of the glass vessel (no fog, no tiny droplets), its time to check on the moisture levels.

 

  1. Take off the lid

  2. Feel the base gravel and moss - is it dry to touch or still moist? 

  3. If it's still moist, pop the lid back on and check again in a week.

  4. If it's dry to touch, its time to water

  5. Watering is best done in the morning so that the mosses can metabolise while it receives sunlight.

  6. Using a clean spray bottle filled with either rainwater, spring water or distilled water, mist your Miniscape all over.

  7. We suggest 3-6 sprays, depending on the size of your Miniscape.

  8. Allow your Miniscape to air out for 1hr and then replace the lid.

 

Using only distilled water or rainwater is extremely important, as tap water can contain chlorine and fluoride which can be harmful to your terrarium over time. 

 

Aeration

While your moss will survive in an enclosed environment for a reasonable amount of time, we recommend that you allow for periods of aeration to improve circulation and allow for gaseous exchange. This will help keep your moss thriving, rather than just surviving. 


To do this, remove the lid of your Miniscapes once every 1-2 weeks for a day. After a day has passed, spray your moss very lightly (1-3 times depending on the size of your Miniscapes) with the finest mist setting and replace the lid. Monitor the condensation to ensure you haven't overwatered and remove the lid again if necessary. 

Cleaning

Some cleaning may be required from time to time. If you find that the glass of your Miniscapes is getting smudged or dusty on the outside, use a microfibre cloth to clean it. 


If you find that tiny grains of sand or dirt on the inside of your Miniscapes, you can clean these off easily by using a spray bottle with distilled water (no tap water or cleaning product!). Simply turn the nozzle onto "Jet" and give the side of the glass a few squirts, aiming downwards. Be careful not to spray directly onto the surface of your Miniscapes, as this may cause more dirt and sand to splat onto the glass. After spraying with the jet, be sure to let your Miniscapes breathe for 1-2 days to balance out the moisture levels. Monitor condensation levels and take action if required. 


Try and time your cleaning routine with your watering routine. That way if you do need to spray water to clean the internal glass, you can count this as your watering. 

Pruning & Fertilising

The moss and plants in your Miniscapes will naturally grow at a slow rate. If you find your terrarium is becoming a little crowded and you would like to open it up a little, you can clip back some of the plant leaves to give it more shape. Or you can simply let it run wild!


As for fertilising, there is no need. We add all the best ingredients at the time of planting. Dead plant material will naturally break down and recycle nutrients back into the soil. 

Green vs Brown Moss

Bright green colourings is what draws us into the moss world for its simplistic beauty, but there may be times when your moss turns dull and takes on a "browner" appearance. But don't panic! Moss is an amazing ancient plant that is very hardy and it will often go into periods of dormancy when the conditions are not ideal, however it quickly springs back to life when conditions are corrected.

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Dark brown moss often means either too inadequate moisture levels or not enough light. To assist with its recovery, move it to a brighter location if its currently placed in a darker location. Then, fell the moss. Is it moist to touch? If so, allow it to air out for a day or two (see "Aeration" tips above). If it feels dry, mist with water (refer to "Watering" above).

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Light brown or tan moss is a sign of either too much light/direct sun or a reaction to impurities in the water. If light is not the problem, then ask yourself - "have I been watering with distilled water?" It may be difficult to recover your moss at this stage and it may be best to replace your moss. If this is the case, contact us for help. 

Need to know more? We're here to help!

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