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PlantTherapy: My Kingdom for a Vase

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I am sure you can identify with rummaging through your apartment looking for a safety pin or some odd object to stand in for the real thing. A few weeks ago I needed a small bud vase for a clipping of a spider orchid and was shocked to find NOTHING that would do the trick. The stem was fat and the clipping was short - neither of my vases or any odd jars or cups would work. But I did find a cute solution in my fridge...


 
 

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impromptu cutting vase


Remembering that eggs can make great seedling starters, I realized that the omelette I planned to make could also yield a good little vase. I used a chopstick to tap the top and then to siphon out the inside. I had a little soy sauce dish that I felled with sunflower seeds (salt or legumes would probably also been fine) and it was perfect to hold the egg upright.

I would love to try this again, and can imagine nicer, more permanent and elegant solutions. A Martha Stewart website article showed how ostrich eggs can be used in the same way.

And as a side note, the spider orchids were great, but did not last long. They were gone within a few short days, having shriveled up so quickly in our hot, dry apartment. But here is a picture of them in their pre-mummified glory:

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matt at apartment therapy dot com

Comments (3)

I find that having various sizes of glasses also comes in handy. I've used shot glasses, oldfashioneds, high balls, and vintage wine glasses.

posted by lolax on March 15th 2008 at 3:59pm
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that is very cute and a great idea :)

i have a bunch of test-tube-esque bud vases i found at one of those random bargains stores in any ny neighborhood - and i got 5 of them for a buck, all different colors, too. glass, nice, sturdy, not fugly, and cheap. they just don't work well with top heavy flowers :(

posted by kdkaboom on March 16th 2008 at 5:31am
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Beautiful idea. Just lovely.

posted by carla on March 17th 2008 at 4:44am
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