SHOP TALK: Blooming On The Inside

Welcome back to Shop Talk here at The Featherweight Shop! We love our local chit chat with staff, gathering around the dinette table so-to-speak (because that is what we have!) and sharing. In these segments, we share patterns, recipes, organizational ideas, history quips, gardening tips, crafty projects,  and smiles about learning an old-fashioned way of doing things. Shop Talk is the fun tidbits of news!

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Today's Victory Gardening tip shows you how to brighten your home by bringing branches indoors to bloom! Force blooming branches indoors is a fantastic way to brighten your home when winter wants to hang around a little too long.

Victory Gardens began during WWI & WWII to help reduce the pressure on the food rations and supply by promoting private residences to create these incredible, full gardens that would help supply the families with sustenance. In addition to providing much needed fruits and vegetables, gardening helped to boost the morale during these trying times. 

Vegetable Garden well-tended to by family.

Source: ModernFarmer.com

Directions To Force Flowering Branches:

The first step to forcing flowering branches is to start them off in trays of tepid water for about a day. This allows the branches to fully absorb the water, preparing them to bloom. Next, place the branches in jars of cool water on a nice sunny ledge, giving the branches time to let the buds bloom. Make sure to check on the branches and water daily since the water will absorb quickly!

According to The Modern Family Gardening Book (a Victory Garden how-to guide), the best branches for procuring buds are your early-blossoming trees such as apple, pear, plum, cherry, forsythia and similar types. These can make attractive displays and bring a little sunshine into your home!

After your branches have produced beautiful flowers from your attentive care, bring them in to your sewing room and arrange them in your beloved antique vase for a beautiful spring arrangement.