Pine Cone Flowers in the Oven
Sometimes, we have to fake it! Maybe it’s winter, a dark-cavern porch, no water in the right place or the need for a daily dose of joy. No matter, there are no plants that will bloom 24/7/365.
In a nearby town, a button cute cottage is shaded by a huge redwood tree, preventing any colorful flowers from growing successfully. Never on a garden tour but always in our hearts, the home’s inhabitants filled the front gutter with beautiful, joyful fake flowers. Following is another easy way to be crafty, colorful, fun, and fake.
Pine cones, in a variety of sizes, can be cut to create different styles of “flowers.” Smaller cones have a daisy vibe, longer cones look like lilacs and ends or bottoms of cones become zinnias.
Gather cones. Ask around. People give them away if you come and get them. Search out a variety of shapes and sizes. Cones should be intact and as clean as possible. If Bigfoot tramps through, stepping on cones and forcing them into the mud, leave those behind. No use digging out mud or upsetting Mr. Bigfoot. Remember that cone scales are open when dry and close up when wet. To paint your flowers, scales should be open.
Clean cones with a small brush, watching for sharp scales and pitch. If you get pitchy, spray with WD-40 and rub the pitch off easily.
Prepare cones by covering a baking sheet with foil and a single layer of cones, not packed tightly. Bake at 200 degrees for one hour to destroy mold, mildew, and hidden hangers-on. Keep a watchful eye and turn after 30 minutes. Let cones cool.
Cones are basically fancy-textured wood so your choice of paint and color may be determined by the type of paint in your garage. Interior, exterior, or spray paint all work. Use what you have available, the more colors the merrier. You will need brushes and containers for dipping. If spray painting, use a cardboard box to control overspray. Dipping container size is determined by the sizes of your cones.
To create a bouquet with different shades—such as different purples in lilacs—apply a base coat of paint. Let dry, then add different shades of purples to create depth and texture. Mimic Mother Nature, lighter colors on the tip of the cone and darker at the base.
A brush provides finer details. Ends of scales may be painted white like a touch of snow. Upside-down cones, like zinnias, may have a yellow-painted center.
When preparing cones as zinnia look-alikes, use loppers. Turn cone upside down. (Can you see the zinnia?) Trim back a few scales, then use loppers to cut the main stem or backbone of the cone (this can require extra strength). Stick a skewer into the remaining stem to make painting easier. Dipping is easy but remember to let the cone drip extra paint onto a disposable surface. When cones have dried, grab your glue gun and attach dried stems from your yard.
You now have long-lasting, unique, colorful flowers for use inside and out. It’s so much fun even the kids will want to join in. Basically free, this fake is fun!
Julie Silva is a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener of Tuolumne County
