Close the lid securely. Place the jar in —east-facing windowsill or 2 feet from a south window. Direct sunlight will cook the biosphere like a greenhouse.
: Must have a tight-sealing lid (cork or screw-top). bottle biosphere guide full
For a sealed environment, select small, slow-growing plants that thrive in high humidity and indirect light. Making a Bottle Terrarium + Closed Terrarium Basics Close the lid securely
: If a plant touches the glass or grows too large, give it a quick trim to maintain the balance. : Must have a tight-sealing lid (cork or screw-top)
The longest-known sealed bottle biosphere was created by David Latimer in England in 1960. He sealed a bottle garden with a single spiderwort plant and opened it only once in 1972 to add water. As of 2025, it is still thriving—over 65 years. Your goal is not perfection; it is stability.
For the first 7 days, open the jar for 10 minutes each day. This allows excess CO2 to escape and oxygen to build. After a week, seal it permanently. You should see condensation forming on the glass every morning and disappearing by afternoon. That is the water cycle working.
Select Language