I like to add a long lasting touch of the holidays to my tabletops early in the season. These arrangements last 2-3 weeks depending on light and care. All are made with readily available Poinsettias in 3-1/2-4″ pots and are put together with what is known as double potting. Simply the plant is left in its grow pot and placed in a decorative container, Styrofoam noodles are added as needed to keep things level and bows or shells or whatever strikes your fancy can be added to the arrangement.
Here are the Poinsettias displayed three ways, the decorative containers and baskets I had around the house. All have a plastic liner inside underneath the plants to catch water as these arrangements must be watered to make them last through the holidays.
The process is simple and the same for all three:
Choose a container. I chose this watering can for its rustic appeal, it is slightly rusty now and has sentimental value to me as my mother used it for many years prior to my inheriting it. This arrangement is staying on our screen porch through the holidays.
Select your plants and check the fit and appearance in the container. The trailing plant is a Gold Child Variegated Ivy I picked up in a big box store on the clearance rack for a dollar. The Poinsettia remains in its 4″ black grow pot as does the Ivy
Add Styrofoam noodles to bring the tops of the pots of plants to the rim of the container.
Place a layer of plastic wrap, foil or plastic over the noodles to act as a saucer to catch water. Then place the plants on top of the wrap. Fluff leaves and foliage over the edges of the container to hide black grow pots and add decorations.
I added a faux burlap bow (5″) and some shells collected on Jensen Beach trailing down the side. The shells were selected because they had holes in them (no drilling necessary) I wired them together with a floral pick and stuck them in the dirt of the potted poinsettia.
Here is the simpler one. Two Poinsettias placed side by side in a 6″ plastic sleeve, then installed in a decorative basket.
Simple, easy and a cheerful addition to your holiday tabletops. Check soil daily and water lightly when the soil feels dry.
