Ideas for Great Curb Appeal

Lively flowers and a fresh coat of paint can turn your home into an eye-catching gem.

100 Container Gardening Ideas

Enjoy nonstop color all year long with these container gardening ideas and plant suggestions. You'll find beautiful pots to adorn porches and patios.

Poinsettia Tree Container
Photo: Ralph Lee Anderson, Laurey W. Glenn

Poinsettia Tree Container

To create a poinsettia tree, follow these instructions: First, cut the larger blooms, leaving about 6 inches of stem. Sear them quickly to stop sap from dripping out. Sap should bubble under the candle flame, and the ends of the stems will turn black. You may also need to sear the points where larger leaves were removed along the stems. Insert each seared stem into a water-filled florist tube. Stems are hollow and will absorb water after being seared. Place the stems into the base of the ivy topiary. Then repeat this process with the medium-size and smaller poinsettia blooms, cutting the stems so they're about 4 inches long. Insert blossoms into the topiary, working your way toward the top. Once it's complete, care is simple—just add water to the tubes every few days, as needed.


  • Loading comments...

Add your comment

The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. An asterisk * indicates a required field.

500 characters remaining

More Ways To Get Southern Living
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • You Tube

Advertisement

Most Popular

  1. 41 Party Appetizers

    Start your party off right with these easy recipes for dips, spreads, finger foods, and appetizers.