[Demo]
Pat Rubin: Welcome to In the Garden with the Sacramento Bee. I am Pat Rubin, Garden Writer for the Bee. Today, we are going to learn to make basket bouquets of living plants. My expert guest with us is Joan Coulat from the Freeport Boulevard location of Capital Nursery in Sacramento. Joan is an authority on indoor plants. Joan, can you tell us about the supplies we will need for this project?
Joan Coulat: Yes, you need a basket, a liner, you need moss, and assortment of plants.
Pat Rubin: First, we are going to need to choose a basket. Joan, I am sure you have some advice on how to choose the perfect basket for this project.
Joan Coulat: All right, you should choose a basket that you are happy with the color. We have light, we have dark and then we choose the plants to compliment the basket. You have to have a liner. So, be sure if the basket does not have a liner, that you add one.
Pat Rubin: Next, the plants. What advice you can give us on choosing the perfect combination of plants.
Joan Coulat: All right, in plants, you want different colors. You need a green, you want variegated, so you have a little different color there. A fern with different type of leaf. You want leaves with different types of substance. And then the color, you can bring in any colorful plants you would like.
Pat Rubin: And you would choose, big leaves, small leaves, do I mix it up?
Joan Coulat: Well, mix it up. Different types of leaves, different shapes, different colors and that will all blend together to give you a little beautiful basket.
Pat Rubin: Now, it is time to put the whole project together. As you put the plants in the basket, can you explain to us why you put them where you do?
Joan Coulat: Yes. We are going to put the taller plants in the back to frame it. We want different types of leaves, different shapes, different colors and then we raise and put some other saucers underneath to raise the plants.
Pat Rubin: So that they are all at a good height.
Joan Coulat: Yes. And so, you have different colors. We need a little fern in here to give it –
Pat Rubin: The fern adds a little light touch.
Joan Coulat: Light touch, yes. And we will put one over here.
Pat Rubin: So, you arrange it until it is pleasing to you.
Joan Coulat: Yes. And then we will add a little more color right here in front. One thing that is important each plant requires a special amount of water. So, they are put in the pots, in the arrangement. So, you can water them individually. You do not water everything at one time. Some plants do not need water for week or so, others more often.
Pat Rubin: So, it is a great way to combine plants you would not normally combine in a single pot.
Joan Coulat: That is right.
Pat Rubin: And as one goes out of bloom, you can take that pot out and substitute something else.
Joan Coulat: Yes. You can change it at anytime.
Pat Rubin: Lastly, we are going to top the arrangement with saga moss to give it a nice finish look. The moss comes in a bag. It is very dry. You are going to take it, put it in a container, soak it for about 20 minutes then bring it out. Then apply it on top of your basket. Joan, would you like to –
Joan Coulat: Certainly. We just finishes the basket off, makes it look so much better with the moss. It covers up the pots, covers up the soil and it looks like it is just growing in the basket. Be sure that the moss is moist.
Pat Rubin: It covers up all the mistakes. It is really forgiving, is it not?
Joan Coulat: Yes, it is. And when you are doing this, if you find a leaf out of place, all you have to do is take your two hands, hide up the leaf and you can turn the leaf at any place that would be more appropriate.
Pat Rubin: Joan, the basket looks great. The moss is beautiful. Thank you for showing us how to do this today.
Joan Coulat: You are welcome. I enjoyed it.
[Demo]
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