WHAT'S NEXT??????

They've been sprayed using a clear finish spray that I had on hand.

They're hanging to dry - they've been there for about 4 weeks now.

Am I starting off correctly??? If not, where did I screw up.

If I am, what's next????????

BTW: I purposely selected bigger shoots for 2 reasons: 1) I remember reading about having to trim them to shape, and 2) I wanted slightly bigger trees than the ones that I've made in the past using English Lace (or Ivory, I keep forgetting)

thanks - walt

They should be cured by now. Stick them in the styrofoam or if hard surface, drill.

BTW, it is now weed picking time.

They should last for years.

Walt, how old is that photo? They should have lost there color and turned more brown as they dried out. Are they still soft? I usually let mine dry out for a few weeks before I do anything to them, I have not tried your technique before by spraying them first. Let me know.

Paul

let them dry throughly without spraying. You most likely have coated the plant and the mositure can't escape. After drying spray with dark brown at base to top (lightly then spray with forest green on top.

Bill D

Sounds like I messed up for this year's weed season by spraying right away. The photo is right after I hung them up - like 5 minutes after picking and spraying.

I thought for sure it was on this forum that someone posted, in one of the many tree threads over time, to spray them first. I guess the fine details of waiting until they were dried out passed me by

They are still, 4 weeks later, yellowish.

Oh well, try again next year.

BUT.... to get to my question, so that next year I'll know, assuming these were dried out and UNSPRAYED , what would be the next step(s)?

thanks - walt

Walt, It's not too late. I drive by golden rod on the sides of the road still every day. Stop and pick some. After they dry out you can spray the "trunks" brown and I use hair spray to coat the top then dip them in fine ground foam, spray again with hair spray then let them dry. After that I plant. I have heard that some will paint the tops green first but I guess it's a preference. I like the under foliage to be brown not all green.

Paul

It may take longer this year to fully dry them out, due to all the rain we've had. Very unusual Fall we're having, in the east...

John

quote:

Walt, It's not too late. I drive by golden rod on the sides of the road still every day.

After reading your comment, I looked at the area where I "harvested" the ones shown in the picture above and they seem to be "blooming", for lack of a better word. Instead of doing what I would expect (drying out and dieing) the tops of the plants are turning white and puffy.

I'll check other places this weekend.

I looked at the ones hanging in the shed. Still yellowish and still "soft" to the touch. Time to pitch them I guess.

I don't need them for this year's layout so I have a full year to get ready for the next harvest

thanks - walt

Walt,
Exactly what "Clear Finish Spray" did you use? Whatever it is, it works!!

quote:

Exactly what "Clear Finish Spray" did you use? Whatever it is, it works!!

I'm at the library right now but will check when I get home. I know you are most likely only joking around, but who knows, maybe someone does want to know, right?

- walt

It's still not too late to pick them. Although they aren't yellow anymore, they still have the same shape and the brown color doesn't matter because it'll be painted anyway.

I just harvested a bunch of sedum that's going to make some good looking trees.

quote:

It's still not too late to pick them. Although they aren't yellow anymore, they still have the same shape and the brown color doesn't matter because it'll be painted anyway.

The ones along the roadsides where I live that I looked at today are way past the brown stage - they are like I weakly tried to describe above - they "bloomed" so to speak.

I'll try again next year. I'm a patient one!

BTW: the spray that I used is Krylon Acyrlic Crystal Clear.

- walt

Walt,
Thank you for the info on the Clear coat. No, I wasn't joking! Any sealer capable of preventing moisture from escaping will be capable of preventing moisture from entering (or so I figure!)

Thanks!

Walt,
Don't be so fast to pitch them. It just may work. Try putting some spray adhesive on one and a little ground foam and see what happens. Put it in a piece of styrofoam, upright and see if it holds it's shape. You just may have sealed it up enough. Besides you probably want to paint them anyway unless you are going for a fall scene then they would be alright.

Gene Anstine

Walt, if you can, hang them upside down in a warm dry place. Above a furnace or radiator is great! If you sealed the stalks, cut off a little the ends to let the moisture out. Let them hang for a month or so, then take one down and turn it right side up. If it holds its shape, its probably dry enough. Then its time to have at it with the spray paint and other foliage.

Chris
LVHR

I'm glad I checked this thread again - Gene and Chris: you've given me hope!

I've had them hanging upside down in my shed for a good 5 or 6 weeks now - it gets warm in there since it sits in direct sunlight. I really don't have a way to hang them in my house anywhere over something warm. They're on their own in the shed

I don't remember sealing the bottoms of the stems, at least not on purpose, since I was holding them in my hand when I sprayed them.

Before I "experiment" do you think I should trim them down a bit? If you look at the picture in the initial post you can see how big they are (and read why I picked bigger ones).

springoflife: Good thought!

Walt,
Trim them only as necessary to fit the spaces where you want them to go. I'd pull the leaves off the stems. One advantage of using these is that they ARE big! You will pay a lot for commercially made trees of this size, which is a big reason you seldom see trees of this size on layouts. What's nice here is that if you mess one up, you've lost very little $$.

Chris
LVHR

Chris, your earlier comment:

quote:

turn it right side up. If it holds its shape, its probably dry enough.

will be the key. Thanks for making it. Possibly though, if I see them sagging I will try to shorten each "branch" to see if less weight helps them stay tree-shaped.

- walt