Gardening Lab

Who doesn’t like to get flowers? And giving them is just as fun—especially when the flowers are gifts from your very own garden. Before starting, wash the sauce jar well and remove the label. You may need to soak it in hot, soapy water to remove the label glue.

DIG IN!

1. Using the pruners, cut the sticks to the height of the glass jar. Apply a bead of silicone to the outside of the jar and press a stick into it. Continue around the entire jar, creating a fence look, and let it dry for a few hours or overnight. (Fig. 1)

Fig. 1: Glue the twigs around the jar.

2. Cut two 20" (51 cm) pieces of twine to wrap around and tie at the top and bottom of the jar. This will help hold the sticks in place. (Fig. 2)

Fig. 2: Tie twine around the jar.

3. When you are ready to harvest your flowers, carefully fill your jar halfway with clean, lukewarm water. Avoid getting the glued sticks wet. Collect your flowers first thing in the morning if possible so that they last longer. Cut the stems at a 45° angle. This opens up the most surface area for the stem to take up water. (Fig. 3) Arrange the tallest flowers in the middle of the jar, with shorter flowers around them. Use some leaves around the outer edge for a nice border, and voila! You have a beautiful, handmade creation for someone special (or yourself)!

Fig. 3: Cut flower stems at an angle.