Learn how to make trees for your home from real bark and silk leaves and your friends will never know they're fake.
Silk plants have taken over in some households since they look good and require less maintenance than real ones. The challenge when choosing silk plants is to find ones that actually look good. Silk trees purchased from many department stores tend to look fake but finding one of better quality is going to be costly. The solution is to make your own from real bark and silk leaves. Not only will you save money but people will have to feel them to tell they're not real.
To hold the tree you'll need a deep pot and a can or two of expanding sealant spray. The tree is held in place while the sealant is sprayed into the pot. After it sets up it will be hard and will hold the tree in place.
Purchase silk ficus branches or something similar. The leaves should resemble ones you would see on a real tree but not ones you would find on a houseplant. These are available at craft stores and can be found in bunches. Choose the type that have long, skinny limbs with lots of leaves.
It's important to choose just the right tree branch. Birch is a good selection since it doesn't have heavy bark and the color looks good. Scrape the bark off of any tree branch that you choose and sand slightly if needed. If you choose to keep the bark on the branch use a clear sealant to keep it from peeling. The branch should be three to four feet long and should be slightly wider at the bottom than the top. The largest part of the branch shouldn't be over three or four inches around.
Use an eight-inch drill bit to put holes at various spots on the tree. Use a quarter-inch bit to drill a hole in the very top of the tree. Drill the holes deeply but not to where the bit will come through the opposite side. Drill the holes in a staggered pattern.
Use a liquid nail-type of adhesive to glue the limbs into the tree branch. It's usually found in a tube which makes it easy to fill the holes. Try to emulate the look of a real tree. Details like which way the leaves hang and how long the limbs are from top to bottom are important for a good look. Hold the limbs in place by laying the tree down on the floor. Put several limbs into the top hole then work your way down placing holes and limbs here and there to form the tree. When it's dry stand it up and see if extra limbs are needed anywhere. Give the tree an authentic look by filling the top portion with leaves then allowing several inches of bare stalk before drilling a hole or two to add limbs which stand alone.
When the tree is complete place it in the pot and add the expanding sealant. Place a couple of tree limbs with leaves in the sealant. Cover sealant with Spanish moss when dry.
You can do different designs with the trees by wrapping smaller green branches around the stalk of the tree. You can also put three or four stalks in one pot and entwine them before attaching the leaves. Make smaller versions or even larger ones but adjust the pot size to accommodate.
