Caring for your Jar

The oldest Jars we have at Pikaplant were sealed over 5 years ago, and the plants inside are still very much alive today.

General advice
There are many factors that can influence your Jar’s life expectancy, which can be anywhere between 3 months and 5 years or more. Increasing the lifespan may require some maintenance. Have a look at your plant every once in a while, and try to see if there is anything out of the ordinary. Each species has specific issues that you should try to fix, and some that are just fine and can be left alone. Maintenance might require you to remove parts of the plant. The core of the ecosystem lives in the soil, so do not be afraid to open your Jar and to help it live longer.

Finding the right spot
Pick a spot without direct sunlight, but some indirect light. Look someplace 2-3 meters away from a window. Sunlight will boil your plant.

Condensation
Condensation is part of the natural water cycle inside of the Jar and is a great indicator of how suitable the position of your Jar is. Ideally, one side of the Jar will be fogged up during the day. The plant will need about a week to acclimatise to a new spot. If the Jar is completely foggy after 2 weeks, it is probably because the temperature in that spot changes often. Try moving the Jar somewhere with a more stable temperature. If this does not do the trick, leave the Jar slightly open for a day or two to balance the humidity. Or open and lift off the top to wipe away the moisture with some clean paper towels.

Open your Jar
To open your jar, please follow these steps:

  1. Undo the clasp at the bottom of the Jar.
  2. Opposite the clasp you will find the hinge. Squeeze the two loops together and move the glass jar to unhook the hinge.
  3. Carefully lift the glass jar straight up and over the plant. The plant will touch the opening – that’s okay.

 

Remove a leaf

Take a pair of clean scissors and cut the leaf flush with the stem. Do not leave a stump.

Remove a stem
To remove a stem this is what you should do:

 

  1. With one hand, place two fingers on either side of the base of the stem and press down gently on the layer of coconut fibres.
  2. With your other hand, pull the stem upwards to remove the stem and its roots in one go. If it does not want to move, wiggle it back and forth a little while pulling. Try to avoid jerking it free.
  3. Remove any soil particles that came up with the roots. Often just blowing on them is enough.

Close the jar
To close your jar, please follow these steps:

  1. Hold the glass jar in one hand with the opening downwards.
  2. With your free hand, gently help the plant through the opening of the glass jar.
  3. When the entire plant has moved through the opening, use both hands to set the glass jar down on the base.
  4. Pinch the two loops of the hinge together and move the glass jar to get both hooks into the loops.
  5. Close the clasp, sealing the Jar airtight.
  6. Fungus
  7. Fungus is always present in the soil whether you can see it or not. Some fungi can be a threat but others are harmless or even essential! A plant’s natural defences are usually enough to protect it.
  8. If the stems or leaves are sick however, this can be an ideal opportunity for fungus to infect a stem. Harmful fungus often looks white and fluffy. If you see this, you should remove the stem it appears on.


Bugs and eaten leaves
Small insects can sometimes emerge from the soil. Little flies or spiders usually do not cause any harm. You can open the Jar and let them out if you want.
Caterpillars, however, have a huge appetite and will damage the leaves. If you spot half-eaten leaves there, you should keep an eye on your Jar. Find and remove the caterpillar, and remove any damaged leaves to prevent disease.

Spilled soil on the glass
We do our best to prepare your Jar for the dangers transport poses to a fragile product. However, if your Jar has been jostled or shaken too much, soil can spill onto the glass. It would be a shame to let that spoil your view! This can easily be resolved by opening up the Jar and wiping the inside with some clean paper towels.

Fungus
Fungus is always present in the soil whether you can see it or not. Some fungi can be a threat but others are harmless or even essential! A plant’s natural defences are usually enough to protect it.
If the stems or leaves are sick however, this can be an ideal opportunity for fungus to infect a stem. Harmful fungus often looks white and fluffy. If you see this, you should remove the stem it appears on.

What if the plant grows too large for its container?
Because a cramped space is not healthy for your bloom, Pikaplant recommends you remove the plant. Exposed growing is higher-maintenance, but still possible.