Sealed terrarium still going strong after 40 years

[Becky]

How incredible is this?!

How DOES this garden grow? Astonishing plant is still thriving inside sealed bottle after 40 years without fresh air or water

Amazing! Has anyone here ever tried making their own terrarium?

 

[zigs]

Is that the guy that was on Gardeners Question Time at the weekend Becky?

Great stuff.

I did have one back in the 70's till I worked out I could make 7 gallons of wine in it

 

[blueiris]

I've always wanted a terrarium but mine would be a bit different than this bloke's. Hahahah. To me, his looks like been sprouts, but it is amazing that it is 40 years old!

 

[claudine]

This is amazing!...plants are amazing . And it looks so beautiful, almost magical. I only wish this plant had more space.

 

[zigs]

I had a mold garden when I was a kid. Put a bit of wet bread in a sealed container & left it in the shed for years. The mold was still alive feeding off the decayed remains of its predecessors. Great when you are 7

 

[maddie]

I do feel sad for the plant.. it is so over crowded in there.. and yes how does it survive without air ... Sheesh I wouldn't want to do this to my plants even if they thrived.
A miracle or does he open and feed it on the sly?

 

[zigs]

Plants produce oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis. They convert sunlight into food by using the carbon dioxide within their leaves.

At night they give out carbon dioxide which is re absorbed during the day.

The water and nutrients are recycled. As long as the sun continues to shine it will carry on, its the perfect closed system. Just like our planet.

A system like this will one day enable your species to travel to and colonise planets round distant stars.

 

[taskeinc]

I read the story behind your picture, simply AMAZING, and you know I have to try that.. The guy is 80 years old and the plant is 53 years old and hasn't been watered in 40 years. I'm sure he has placed this plant in his will because he can't just leave it to someone who will not take care of it. From the article, all the plant needs is sunlight and to be turned, probably once every couple of weeks so it grows evenly.

I especially like this part of the article:

The bottle garden has created its own miniature ecosystem. Despite being cut off from the outside world, because it is still absorbing light it can photosynthesise, the process by which plants convert sunlight into the energy they need to grow.

How incredible is nature? Reading stories like this, is why I love horticulture so much. Thanks for sharing the story and image, Becky!

I'll be back a little later, I'm about to start a smaller version of what this guy has ..

 

[ChanellG]

...I did have one back in the 70's till I worked out I could make 7 gallons of wine in it

I had a mold garden when I was a kid. Put a bit of wet bread in a sealed container & left it in the shed for years. The mold was still alive feeding off the decayed remains of its predecessors. Great when you are 7

You are hilarious! Mold garden indeed!

@Becky, that thing is huge! Even before the soil, etc., was added it must have weighed a lot!

@Task, you are also hilarious, but I am guessing if he has a will, the plant will go to some kind of museum.

 

[taskeinc]

I read the story behind your picture, simply AMAZING, and you know I have to try that.. The guy is 80 years old and the plant is 53 years old and hasn't been watered in 40 years. I'm sure he has placed this plant in his will because he can't just leave it to someone who will not take care of it. From the article, all the plant needs is sunlight and to be turned, probably once every couple of weeks so it grows evenly.

I especially like this part of the article:

The bottle garden has created its own miniature ecosystem. Despite being cut off from the outside world, because it is still absorbing light it can photosynthesise, the process by which plants convert sunlight into the energy they need to grow.

How incredible is nature? Reading stories like this, is why I love horticulture so much. Thanks for sharing the story and image, Becky!

I'll be back a little later, I'm about to start a smaller version of what this guy has ..

The post above, I made on 02/02/13 .. today is 02/10/13, started my bottle terrarium a few days ago and here it is.... it's nothing close to what the guy has, plus I have it in a much smaller bottle, but I'll see how it goes and keep you all posted .. if you're interested..

 

[ChanellG]

You didn't leave your plant much growing space. Are your planning on sealing it like the other one? I have a feeling that if you leave the bottle open the plant may make it's way up through the neck and even "climb" out of the bottle.

 

[ACSAPA]

You didn't leave your plant much growing space. Are your planning on sealing it like the other one? I have a feeling that if you leave the bottle open the plant may make it's way up through the neck and even "climb" out of the bottle.

I agree, the bottle is a little bit of a tight space and that plant barely has a couple of inches of space to spare. But what do I know? Maybe it's a plant that grows slowly and it'll take years to outgrow that bottle. I'm sure taskeinc has experience with terrariums. I also wonder if taskeinc is going to seal the bottle.

 

[Pat]

My question also do you plan to seal the bottom? One of the reason for putting a plant in a terrarium is so it does not need to be water often. I took a fish tank and created a terrarium in when I was younger. I put slow growing plants in the terrarium along with some rocks, I really enjoyed the terrarium, may do it again soon.

 

[Trellum]

This is amazing! I think I read about an experiment involving a sealed terrarium a while ago, they explained something like this can be possible, but I never thought this could go on for 40 full years! Wow! I'm starting to get interested in terrariums, but I don't think I will ever try creating a sealed one I'll just focus on creating unsealed ones, because I want them to give them as gifts