Smart Solutions
Episode SSL-824
(Aired April 1, 2003)
This episode will air several times.  Check your local listings.

Gifts From the Garden

Wedding Gift

Steps:

1. Collect a piece of ivy from the bride’s bouquet. Slip it into a wet paper towel and a plastic bag.
2. Make a rooting by clipping the ivy just below a leaf node.
3. Dip the end in a rooting solution and plant in potting soil. Water it lightly.
4. To keep the rooting moist, try putting two chopsticks on either side of the plant and drape a piece of plastic on them (see photo above) or cover with a plastic bag. 
5. Remove every few days to air out the plant. It should take three to four weeks for the ivy to root.
6. When you get a sturdy new vine, plant it in a larger pot and set inside a decorative container. Cover the top of the dirt with decorative moss, add a ribbon, and your thoughtful gift is ready!

A money tree makes a  great housewarming gift.

For a memorable housewarming gift, use clothespins to attach money and gift certificates to the leaves of a large plant You could even wrap little presents and attach those to the leaves.

Bringing the Outside in!

Cover a pot with fabric and add a handwritten note to turn a plant into a thank-you gift.

Instead of giving cut flowers as a thank-you gift, try a living plant instead such as an azalea, miniature rose, lavender or salvia. Wrap the pot in a pretty piece of fabric, secure with a ribbon and add a handwritten note.