BY ALDONA BIRD
Spring is finally here with flowers popping up around yards and gardens. Some flowers disguising themselves as weeds are actually quite pretty.
Although you might not enjoy weeds growing in your garden, as you pull them out to make room for your chosen plants, you can enjoy the unwanted garden intruders indoors by making them into a sweet centerpiece.
To make a wild plant centerpiece, you will need:
- plants with roots, freshly dug
- potting soil
- container(s) to plant in
- water
While working in a garden, take note of plants growing wild. Find some with leaves or flowers you find attractive. Use a trowel to loosen the soil around them and carefully pull them out — keep the roots intact as much as possible.
Plants to look out for that can look nice potted as a seasonal centerpiece are Star of Bethlehem, ground ivy, hairy bittercress, corn speedwell, common vetch and yellow rocket. Other plants work well, too. Look for small, young plants. Those with smaller leaves look good in small containers. Gather a variety of plants, and experiment to create an arrangement pleasing to you.
Once you have dug up your plants and flowers, pot them as soon as possible, before they start to wilt or dry out.
Before potting, gently wash any dirt off the leaves. This is especially important if you gather them in wet weather when mud has splashed on leaves. They don’t have to be perfectly clean, just get the worst of it off.
Next put a few small scoops of potting soil into a container, and add a bit of water. Mix the water and soil together. The soil should be damp, not soaking wet. If you add too much water, mix in more soil, or squeeze some water out with your hands.
Choose your pot, or pots
Planting “weeds” in egg shells can make a particularly cute centerpiece.
To use eggshells as tiny planters first take care when you crack open the egg. You can tap the top with a spoon, and carefully pull back the broken pieces. Or when breaking it by tapping it on the side of a bowl or pan tap it toward the top of the egg.
Taking off as little eggshell as possible will give you a larger pot.
If you want drainage in these little planters add a few pebbles or sand at the bottom, or poke a little hole in the bottom of the shell. If you don’t want to add drainage, water modestly so the roots don’t rot.
Add a little soil into the eggshell, then add your plant and more soil around the roots to fill the shell. Repeat with the rest of your plants and soil.
Place potted eggshells into an egg carton or the egg holders featured in this DIY a couple weeks ago. If you make fewer than a dozen planters, cut a cardboard carton down to the right size and trim the edges until they look neat and tidy.
A set of half a dozen shells planted can add a seasonal flare to your home décor. For a colorful accent, dye or paint the shells before breaking them. The plants will not live forever in such tiny pots. But when they start too look past their prime, or when you are ready for a new centerpiece, this whole décor item (if unpainted or dyed or painted with natural dyes) is compostable.
