| Living Wreath |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-210 |
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Q: Can Jessie show me a way to make use of my plants if I dig them up from my overcrowded garden?
A: (Jessie Mack Burns, Ask DIY Gardening Expert) A living wreath would give you lots of color and you can really get creative with it. Here's how to make one: Materials:
Round wire wreath form
Live sheet moss
Several live plants such as herbs, ivy and pansies
Ferning pins
Fishing wire
Spray bottle
Water-soluble fertilizer - Start with a round, empty wire wreath frame, the kind that has "legs" that will grip the greenery you put on the wreath (figure A). Set the wire form flat and pack nests of living sheet moss all around it, fitting the swatches of moss between the sets of wire "legs" (figure B). The moss will help keep the roots of your plants moist. You can order living sheet moss from your local florist.
- Select your plants. Herbs such as pineapple sage work great, as do ivies, because they'll drape down from the wreath. Flowers such as pansies add color. Take each plant out of its pot, loosen the roots a bit if necessary using your hands and water the root ball.
- With the moss covered wire form flat on a work surface, place the plants into the moss (figure C). Make sure each plant is above a set of wire "legs."
- Bend the legs of the wire form up so they press the moss up to the base of the plant. Overlap the edges of the moss and push in some ferning pins (which look like hairpins) to keep the moss from flapping open. Then wind fishing line around the moss to hold the moss in place and the plant inside the moss (figure D). Wrap the entire wreath this way with one long piece of fishing line, waiting until you've done the whole thing to cut the line from the spool and tie it off. You can also use florist's wire to close the moss and keep it and the plants on the wire form. Cover any visible soil with patches of moss and more ferning pins.
- Water the wreath by misting it with a spray bottle. Put water-soluble fertilizer right in the spray to feed the plants at the same time. Or, if you like water the wreath by submerging the entire thing in water.
More Questions for Jessie:
Q: When will I know if my gingko tree will smell? It's been growing for seven years.
A: If you took a seed from your neighbor's tree to grow the gingko and you haven't noticed an odor coming from that tree, nine times out of 10 your tree won't smell either. The male trees don't produce an odor, just the females.
Q: I am noticing patches of weeds popping up in my yard, especially when the ground is wet. What could be causing this and how do I get rid of the weeds?
A: It sounds like you have a problem with dollar weed, which is really attracted to excess water. If you have an in-ground irrigation system, you might have a leak, so check that out first. If you don't have an in-ground irrigation system, you might just have poor drainage.
Q: I planted some tuberoses two years ago in clay pots. How can I get them to produce flowers in addition to foliage?
A: You want to make sure that you're keeping them in enough sunlight and giving them the right amount of water -- not too wet, not too dry. Book: Living Wreath
by Teddy Colbert
ISBN: 0879057009
Gibbs Smith Publishers
P.O. Box 667
Layton, UT 84041
Phone: 801-514-9800
Fax: 801-544-5582
E-mail: info@bbs-smith.com
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