Semi-accidentally made a moss terrarium and I have lots of questions about how not to kill it.

the terarium in question after I first set it up. The water around the edges is from using a wet paintbrush to get the dirt off the edges of the jar.

I have no experience with moss. I scraped some off the edge of my trampoline and put it in a jar lid, as I do to propagate succulents, but then I decided to put the jar over it to keep it humid since it's not a succulent. I decided that looked way nicer than whatever my original plan was for it once it grew, so after a couple weeks it had actually formed a semi-solid disc which I was able to move into a nicer jar along with a pieve of mulch that really makes it for some reason.

Just today I went out and scavenged more moss from the trampoline, from some constantly wet plant pots, and from a log in the yard (I think they're different types. the one on the log is lighter green and the one from the pots is a green film on the soil). I put them over the original moss. I also chipped off some peces of a wood mushroom and dropped them in there today because why not

Will that work? Just putting a different type of moss on top of another one? My objective was to thicken up the moss cover.

There is mold in the terrarium. I decided to leave it because the moss didn't seem to mind, but the moss is looking less green and more brown lately. Should I take additional measures besides taking the top off to let it breathe for a day or 2?

Should I add more substrate? I'm not planning on adding any plants or anything and the moss seems happy but all the terariums I looked at here have rocks for drainage and charcoal for bacteria/fungus/smell control and a decent layer of dirt. Is that really necessary if I don't have anything rooting?

I have it about 3 feet from a window that gets full sun. Generally it will get direct sun for a couple hours in the mornings but that's it. Is this a good spot? Is it too dark/bright?

I've had the lid off for awhile but I put it back on because there were tiny flies buzzing in and out of it today. Good decision or no?

If I add a decent size piece of wood mushroom will that work with the current ecosystem I have in there?

Is breathing into it until the glass is fogged up and putting the lid on and letting the condensation drip down a good method of watering or nah?

Would my moss be happier if it was warmer? It had been in partial shade outside in around 80-90 degree weather, but inside it's room temperature

Posted Jul 21, 2017, 10:14 PM UTC

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