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Live Ivy Topiary
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Supplies you will need:
Wire topiary form
Planter (I bought mine for $1 at the dollar store..spray paint if it is the wrong color)
Concrete
Dry foam (to line the planter)
12-14 test fishing line(to help hold in moss)
Sphagnum moss - the long fibered kind.(for filling topiary form)(Not needed for NO WAIT METHOD)
Spanish moss (for covering topiary form....not needed for the NO RISK)
Wire pins (you can make these with straight wire......just cut off a piece and bend)
Ivy plant (small leafed variety works best....the large leafed plants my be harder to start)
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(1)Wrap fishing line around one of the spokes at the bottom of the cage. Now go to the next spoke and do the same. You have to do this in order to keep the moss in . Keep doing this until you are half way up the topiary cage.
(2) PREPARING THE POT OR PLANTER Line the inside outer edge of the pot with thin pieces of dry foam (if you don't do this your pot or planter may crack when you put in your concrete......just a small amount is needed). The concrete will not touch the edges of the planter.
(3) Put your topiary main stem into the center.......the foot is for leveling only. You may secure it with hot glue if you wish. MAKE SURE THE TOPIARY STEM IS STRAIGHT. Once the cement is dry you cannot remove it.
(4) Fill with wet concrete about half way up the planter. After it is set remove any excess dry foam that is showing. Let the concrete set until hard.
(5) Wet the moss, well, in a bowl with hot water and fill the form. It took half a bag to fill the topiary form because it compacts when wet. Cut off excess nylon stocking at the top of the topiary form. You may wire the top shut with a wire pin. The stocking holds everything together so well.(7) Pin on wet Spanish moss all over the topiary form to cover the nylon stocking.
There are three ways to add plants to the topiaries. One takes quite a lot of time. If you have time.....go ahead and do that way. It is a no risk way to go. This is the way a florist will do them because it will cost VERY little money to do. I call it the NO RISK method. The QUICK START method is another way to go when you have very little time......5 weeks minimum. The third way to go is the NO WAIT method. Just like it suggests..........you put them together and go. You can do them in as little time as a week before the reception. So decide how much time you need. The most expensive way is the Quick Start method but one that I think is best because it continues to live on after the reception plus it takes less time than the NO RISK method. Figure out your circumstances and budget and pick one method and go with it. The following is the NO RISK METHOD.
*********************************NO RISK INSTRUCTIONS*********************************
FOLLOW STEPS 1-5
(6) Move back the moss and make a hole with your fingers big enough to make room for your plant.
(7)Take your purchased ivy plant (using a smaller plant will fit in better) and remove from the container. Plant it roots and all in the space at the top inside the sphagnum moss.
(8) Add more moss if you need to cover the roots. Water the topiary ball.
(9) Use pins to pin down all the stems firmly at the nodules (little bumps where the leaves come out) to the sphagnum moss (you can cut a tiny hole in the stocking to make sure of contact with the sphagnum moss on the INSIDE of the topiary ball.
(10) Fertilize you topiary so it will grow faster. Go to a garden center and buy liquid fertilizer FOR HOUSE PLANTS and mix according to THE DIRECTIONS.
(11) As it grows.....continue to pin it down to the topiary AT THE NODULES. Pinning anywhere else will not make it grow roots. You can snip at the nylon stocking to make sure the nodule connects with the wet moss inside the topiary. No need to follow a pattern. Just go all over the head to cover.
(12) Keep out direct sunlight BUT you want bright light.
~Finishing~
(13) You may plant some ivy in the planter or fill with moss.
(14) A few of days before the wedding you can stick in some mini carnations if you want some flowers in the topiary.......water the topiary first. The day of the wedding you can put in some fresh roses if you want.....it is a good idea to water it again before putting in the roses......just use water. Any place you need some leaves just snip off some leaves and hot glue on to cover any bare spots.
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QUICK START DIRECTIONS (minimum time 5 weeks)
(6) Pin wet Spanish moss all over the topiary head.
(7) ADDING YOUR PLANTS Start with one stem. Cut off most of the stem. You will see bumps all along the stem.....these are nodules. That is where the roots will form when you put them into the topiary form.
(8) Start at the tip and measure down 3 nodules. Cut stem just below the nodule. Remove all leaves on the two nodules and leave one on the end. This is your first cutting.
(9) Poke a hole in the wet moss with your finger and stick in your cutting....making sure the nodules are below the moss. They won't root if they are above. You may use a sharp pencil to poke a hole. Position the leaf just as you wish it to look on the finished topiary.(11) Continue all the way over the topiary until it is covered with ivy leaves. Space the ivy as close as you can yet still far enough to see the whole leaves. Stagger each row. I have it in the graphic so all the leaves point in the same direction.
(11) Cover the topiary form with a large clear plastic bag. Put in bright light but NO direct sunlight.......it will cook the ivy. Once the ivy roots you can remove the plastic bag. Just keep the moss wet. Spraying with water is a good idea. If after 5 weeks you notice any leaves turning yellow..........that means that cutting has not rooted. Some may not. Just pull that leaf out and fill with another leaf. Cover again with a bag. If you don't have another 5 weeks just keep it covered until the wedding. Spray again with water before setting on the reception table. It will be fine.
*****************************************Finishing*****************************************
(12) Once your topiary is rooted the way you like you may put sticks around the forms main metal stem. They should be as long as the metal main stem. Wire or hot glue. If you use wire you may cover that with ribbon. Add your spanish moss to the planter.
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