How to Build a Terrarium for Nepenthes

Remove the top from a fish aquarium and set the base on a sturdy surface on which to work. You may want to place it in the final resting location, since it is heavy once filled with soil, water and plants.

Fill the entire bottom of the aquarium with a 1/4-inch layer of crushed charcoal and spread it out evenly. The charcoal absorbs excess water and prevents mold and mildew growth.

Fill a bucket with a mixture of half long-fiber or milled sphagnum moss and half perlite. Mix them up using a hand trowel until well combined. Potting soil is not required, since Nepenthes acquire nutrition from insects. Use enough of each so the bottom of your aquarium will contain at least 1 to 2 inches of the mixture.

Insert the bucket mixture into the aquarium and smooth it out into an even layer.

Open a bottle of purified water and pour it slowly into the aquarium until the moss and perlite mixture is completely damp. Stop adding water just as you see it begin to pool on the bottom where the charcoal is located.

Pat the top of the soil mixture using your hand to firm it, but not to pack it down.

Dig a 1-inch-deep hole in the mixture in the location where you want to plant the first Nepenthes. Remove the plant from its pot, insert the roots into the hole and cover the roots with soil. Add another 1 to 2 tsp. of purified water to the base of the plant.

Plant additional Nepenthes in the same manner, spacing them at least 3 to 4 inches apart, and place the lid on top of the terrarium.