These beautiful trees are everywhere at Ft. Campbell, KY (where we are stationed). They are small enough to put on your table or sideboard or you can put them into an urn and set them on your front porch. Decorate with white fairy lights and they are really lovely.
When my husband was deployed and we moved to Kansas City to be with his parents, I brought mine with me. It reminds me of home.
Tomato Cage Tree
Tammy Algood from the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service demonstrates how to make a rustic tabletop Christmas tree with a tomato cage and craft-store grapevine wreath.
Materials:
tomato cage
staple gun
lazy Susan
rubber band
craft store grapevine wreaths in sizes ranging from approximately 4 inches in diameter to approximately 14 inches in diameter
large bowl of water
floral wire
reindeer moss, holly and berries
glue gun
plastic foam, cutter and pins
Christmas lights
Figure A
Figure B
Figure C
Steps:
1. Begin with a tomato cage turned upside down and anchored (stapled) to a lazy Susan. Be sure to get a size appropriate for the location in which it will be used.
2. Use a rubber band to hold the top of the cage tightly together.
3. Untie the dry wreaths and soak them in water until the vine becomes very pliable (figure A). This may take several days, depending on the size and thickness of the wreath. If you have your own grapevine, use a green, bendable vine instead of the dried wreaths.
4. Begin by using floral wire to tie the end of the vine to the base of the cage.
5. Turn the lazy Susan to help wrap the vine around the cage (figure B), then tie off the other end to the cage.
6. Continue wrapping, using progressively smaller vines on the way to the top of the cage.
7. Fill in gaps with holly, berries, moss and other natural elements (figure C).
8. Put foam into the bottom of an urn, then use floral pins to anchor the base of the "tree" to the foam.
9. Lights are optional.
Tips
* If you plan to display the "tree" outside, it is a good idea to line the inside of the urn with floral adhesive before inserting the foam base into the urn. This will minimize the likelihood that the tree will tip over in the breeze.
* Drop small wreaths into the water to soak a day or two after starting to soak the larger vines so that they will all be ready at about the same time.
* It is a good idea to wear gloves for this project, particularly if you are using vines and do not know if they have been in contact with other plants that might irritate the skin.
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Grapevine Christmas Tree from Tomato Cages
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