Caring for Bit of earth

DO NOT WATER YOUR BIT OF EARTH ARRANGEMENT. 

As it turns out, I'm so good at making these little landscapes look real that people feel guilty not watering them. But seriously, it is not alive- and that's kind of the point. A Bit of Earth plant requires no care whatsoever. Yep, that's right: no water, no sun, no fertilizer, no pruning, nothing. 

WHY DOES IT LOOK FOGGY IN SOME PLACES ON THE GLASS?

I'm glad you asked. The moss in your arrangement is, in fact, preserved- not dead. Moss is one of the hardiest plants in nature and extremely adept at survival. This is why it stays green when preserved. In reality, the moss has water trapped inside it. When the closed containers, like lanterns and terrariums, experience a change in temperature, the moss will still react. Sometimes this means releasing water vapor. You can either clean the glass with a paper towel, or leave the "fog" and when the temperature goes back down, the moss will re-absorb the vapor.

WHY DOES THE REINDEER MOSS SEEM BRITTLE, NOT SQUISHY?

You are such a savvy plant owner- look how attentive you are! The reindeer moss, or big fluffy chartreuse and/or white moss in your arrangement, gains and loses water vapor much more dramatically than the more dense tree or forest moss. This means in winter, or in drier climates, it will become more stiff or brittle. First, don't poke it when it feels like that. Second, it will return to normal "squishy-ness" when the humidity increases.