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Assignment 1B: TERRARIUM
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This is the second part our first assignment for the ENBE module (Elements of Nature and Built Environment), and we had make our very own terrarium! (Was actually needed to make with soil samples we took back from our site visit, but our site Tanah Aina doesn't allow us to take back anything including sand and rocks, so...)
I had alot of fun identifying, studying and collecting plants and soil for my terrarium~
For this individual part of ourfirst assignment, we are required to make our own terrarium in a bottle (glass or plastic) and also design our terrarium box that acts as a medium to present our findings, experiences, or observations during the proccess of making our terrarium.
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To make my terrarium, first I have to choose the plants I am going to put inside my bottle (I used a glass bottle as it is all I can find in my own house, and I don't want to buy them). I chose the theme "Rainforest", but as I wanted my terrarium to be special I used only herbs in it. It is because that people always tend to forget the fact that rainforests contain a lot of herbs, and I doubt that anyone would notice (or emphasize on) this. In fact, noone did. I'm the only one doing herbs.
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For Chinese, herbs are actually very important. Herbsis the main component that we use in our traditional medicine and therapies, and we still use them nowadays. As a Chinese myself, I would be more keen to use traditional medicine to cure my illness, and I would only use Western medicine when traditional Chinese medicines doesn't work, or should I say doesn't work quick enough when I wanted it too. This is also a reason why I chose to plant herbs in my terrarium, I want to remind people of the healing powers of rainforest, and the vast variety of herbs it contain, especially those that turned their backs on traditional herbs. Afterall, western medicines brings upon side effects, either in short term or in long term, and it is always healthier to use traditional medicines.
These are the herbs I found (in my backyard):
The Acalypha indica Linn, Indian Acalypha or Ren Xian
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It is originated from India, but also found in South Aast Asia and Oceania.
It is a common herb that could grow up to 75cm (maximum), with ovate leaves.
Medical uses:
It promotes the flow of urine,
Cures bronchitis, asthma, pneunomia, and rheumatism,
Cure scabies and other skin diseases,
Helps in blood cotting,
Detoxification,
Venomous snake bites,
Used as laxatives.
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Parts that can be used: Leaves.
The Houttuynia Cordata, Heartleaf, Fishwort, Fish Mint, Dokudami or Yu Xing Cao
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Got its name because of the foul fishy smell it emits when pressed hard on its leaves. Normally grows in moist places, up to 80cm maximum, with heart-shaped leaves. It could be used in culinary, and also in Chinese traditional medicines. It was used by some Chinese scientists in an attempt to treat SARS.
Medical uses:
Detoxification,
Remedy for environmental sensitivities,
Antioxidant,
Antiviral (even against HIV),
Antifungal,
Diuretic,
Treats fever,
Treats cancer,
Treat lung diseases (including cough and lung cancer).
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The Phyllantus Urinaria Lynn, Underleaf Herb, Leafflower, or Ye Xia Zhu
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It grows to a maximum of 35cm height, and gained its name by the hanging beads under its leaves.
Medical uses:
Treats diabetes,
Diuretic,
Treats digestive pain,
Treats fever,
Treats joint pain,
Treats asthma,
Treats gallstones,
Treats cough,
Used as laxative,
Treats urinary tract infection,
Treats bronchitis,
Breaks urinary stones,
Treats hepatitis.
The Peperomia Pellucida (L.) Kunth, Shiny Peperomia, Shiny Bush or Cao Hu Jiao
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It grows to a maximum of 45cm height, with shiny and heart-shaped fleshy leaves, dot-like seeds attached to several fruity spikes.
Medical uses:
Antifungal,
Antioxidant,
As antibiotics,
As diuretic,
Treats proteinuria,
Treats cough,
Treat renal problems,
Reduce inflammation and pain,
Decrease uric acid levels.
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Parts used: Leaves, Stems.
My Terrarium
My Terrarium
For the soil of my terrarium, I will use sand as the bottom layer, then small rocks on it, charcoals and lastlysoil, as the surface.
For the four layers of the rainforest:
Emergent layer :
Acalypha Indica Linn and Houttuynia Cordata (represents the emergent plant sp curare in rainforests)
Canopy layer:
Phyllantus Urinaria Lynn and Peperomia Pellucida (L.) Kunth (looks like pine trees)
Understory layer:
I decided to not do this layer because of limited space in the bottle, and alsoproblems of finding plants that are this small
Forest floor:
Moss and small rocks
I got the moss from my backyard too..There are plenty of them there
My Terrarium Box
For my terrarium box, on the first page inside, I described about the healing powers of rainforest, and some examples of herbs that could be found in the rainforest, as well as their medical uses.
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On the second page inside, I briefly introduced the four layers oof the rainforest, and also my personal experience on caring for terrariums, as well as the climate, location and flora of different layers of rainforests. There is a space at the middle to insert my terrarium.
Reflection
I didn't do good on the day of presentation. The main reason is that most ofmyplants were dead. It is very confusing for me because the night before the plants were still fine. Maybe it's because that I moved my terrarium into my room on that day. On the next morning, which is the day of presentation, i found out that my plants were half dead, they were all bowing down. But I couldn;t do anything so I just took it to the campus, with it inserted into my terrarium box. When it reached school, it was worse. And after putting it in an air-cond room for more than an hour, my plants were all dead. So.. I got a C for this assignment, but I still enjoyed the proccess of making my own terrarium, and to speak frankly, I don't regret my decision of doing my terrarium myself, as I know a lot (maybe most) of my classmates bought their terrariums at terrarium shops (I even know where it is), and some of them did their terrariums just a week (or a few days) before the presentation (and most of them got good grades).
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I had learnt a good lesson to be more careful on doing things. It is my carelessness that led my terrarium to death. Sometimes, I forgot to water them, sometimes, I water too much, and I brought them into my hot and stagnant room without thinking too much.
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In this assignment, I had developed the TGC 3.0 and 3.2, to define and analyse problems and arrive at effective solutions. When soemthing done wrong to my plants, I need to find out what is causing it to act so, like how i found out watering too much may kill my plants. Initially I thought I watered too less, so i watered more, but I found out then myplants continued (and accelerate) to die, so I stopped watering so much and luckily it slowly recovered.
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