How to Build the Teardrop Kit: A Beginner's Terrarium Tutorial

There's a specific kind of hesitation that comes with buying a plant: the quiet worry that you'll be the exception, the one person who can't keep something alive. If that sounds familiar, the Teardrop Kit was designed with you in mind. It's a full terrarium build, on its own display stand, that walks you through every layer so nothing is left to guesswork. Start to finish, it takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

Worried you'll kill it? Don't be. Here's exactly how it comes together.

What Makes the Teardrop Kit Different

The Teardrop Kit takes its name from its glass vessel, which has a soft, elongated silhouette that sets it apart from the more angular or rounded shapes in the collection. But what really distinguishes this kit is what comes with it: a matching metal stand that holds the terrarium upright and display-ready, and a burlap gift bag for storage or gifting. Add in a live mini succulent, two colors of preserved moss, a natural gem crystal, gem chips, white pebbles, fertilized succulent soil, a spray bottle, a randomly selected figurine, and a printed care guide, and you've got a self-contained project that also happens to double as a finished piece of home decor.

That stand matters more than it might seem. Most terrarium kits ask you to figure out where to put the finished piece. The Teardrop Kit answers that question before you've even started: it comes with its own place to stand.

The Build: Seven Simple Steps

No plant experience required. Just follow the layers in order.

Step 1: Set up your stand. Unpack the metal stand and set it on a flat surface first. Building the terrarium directly in the stand keeps everything steady while you layer, so nothing shifts or tips as you go.

Step 2: Lay your drainage base. Pour the white pebbles into the bottom of the teardrop glass, about half an inch deep. This keeps water away from the roots, so your succulent never sits in standing moisture: the leading cause of terrarium failure.

Step 3: Add the soil. Spoon in the succulent soil until it fills about a third of the glass. It's pre-mixed with fertilizer, so there's nothing else to measure or add.

Step 4: Plant your succulent. Loosen the roots gently with your fingers, nestle the succulent into the soil, and press the soil around the base so it stands upright on its own. A slightly off-center placement tends to look more natural than dead-center.

Step 5: Layer in moss and crystal. Tuck the pink and green moss around the base of the succulent to hide the soil line, then nestle the gem crystal and scatter the gem chips wherever you want a little extra shine.

Step 6: Place your figurine. Set your random decorative figure wherever it tells the best story inside your little glass world: peeking out from behind the succulent is a popular placement.

Step 7: Mist, display, and find its light. Give the moss a light mist from the included spray bottle, set the terrarium in its stand somewhere with bright, indirect light, and avoid direct sun through glass, which can scorch the leaves.

Seven steps, and you've got a finished piece that's ready to display the moment you're done building it.

Keeping It Alive: Simple Care That Actually Works

The build is the fun part, but the real success is what happens in the weeks after. Succulents are forgiving by nature, as long as a few basics are covered.

Watering should only happen once the soil is completely dry, which typically works out to roughly every two to three weeks. A few teaspoons around the base is plenty; succulents already store water in their leaves, so more isn't better.

Light should be bright and indirect for at least four to six hours a day. A windowsill with filtered sun usually does the trick.

Airflow is easy to forget but important. Leave the terrarium open or uncovered part of the day to prevent mold in the moss layer, and use the spray bottle for light misting between waterings.

And when the time comes, growth is a good sign. Your succulent may outgrow the teardrop glass after 12 to 18 months; a sign you kept it thriving long enough to need a bigger home.

The Mistakes Worth Avoiding

Most terrarium setbacks trace back to one of these:

Overwatering is the number one cause of loss. When in doubt, wait; succulents bounce back from being too dry far more easily than from being too wet.
Direct sun through glass can do more damage than expected, since glass intensifies heat.
Skipping the pebble layer removes the drainage space your succulent needs.
Sealing it fully shut is a common instinct, but this isn't a closed terrarium; it needs airflow, not a lid.

Why This Kit Works for Beginners

The Teardrop Kit isn't just a pretty finished product; every material inside is measured so the steps are nearly impossible to get wrong. No separate trip for a stand, no guessing on soil quantity, no scrambling for tools. Everything ships in one box, hand-packed here in Miami, ready to build and display the same day.

As one customer shared after building her own: "The metal stand makes it feel like a real piece of decor, not just a kit. Two months in and my succulent is still thriving."

Ready to Build Your Own?

If keeping a plant alive has always felt like more trouble than it's worth, the Teardrop Kit is designed to prove otherwise. It's a satisfying, guided project you can finish in one sitting, and unlike most DIY kits, it comes with its own stand, so the moment you're done building, it's already ready to display.

Shop the Teardrop Kit today, and build something you'll actually want to keep around.

Available on Amazon.

Visit our tutorial page for the Teardrop Kit.