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So I came up with this new, easy to make and cheap ground cover. Here's the tutorial on how to make the ground cover.
1. First of all you need to buy florists foam (not exactly sure what they call it)
I had bought this block as is pictured for $1.40 can. (the blocks are about 3 in.x4 in.x 8 in.)
2. Once you have bought the foam you can begin crushing it in a bucket or box.
3. You can then go on crushing it with your hands untill there are no chunks.
4. And there you have it! Ground cover! (3 blocks equal 16 cups of ground cover after crushing)
Hope you alll like it! I would like to hear what you think and also if you have any advice.
Here are a couple trees I made using the ground cover along with some mixed ground cover.
Sorry about the letters they're sort of going backwards haha but anyways B is
the foam that I had pictured in the first place, A is the brown foam, and C,D,E are A and B mixed together to make darker shades of green I'm still wanting to make a more lush green yet, so we'll see what I come up with.
The pine tree was made using a method I found online.Hope you like it and again comments and advice are appreciated!
Your idea for ground cover is great I am going to try it. I really like the 'messy' pine tree, too many look like the Christmas tree style. Can you advise where you found the instruction for that tree on line.
Bud
Levi,
That's a GREAT idea. I have some of those blocks. I'll try that as soon as I get some time. Dollar Tree sells those blocks & they are about the same size.
Thanks for the comments I just came up with a way to color the foam just a few minutes ago! it looks all the better now as in it's more of a lush green. I will post later on when I have time. oh and Bud here's the link for the pine trees http://www.all-model-railroading.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=9020
Hope this helps!
Thanks, I have heard of bottle brush trees and even had it explained to me. The site you sent is clear and I will try it. I need lots of trees. One of the indutries along the KIP line is the logging industry and there has to be trees for the lumberjacks to cut down!
Levi, that stuff is called Oasis. It's meant to be soaked in water to hold the flowers in an arrangement. There's also a rougher brown version that's meant for artifical flower arrangements. That would be useful for some larger pieces to mix with the green foam for ground cover. The only problem I see is using the tradition metods for sercuring the foam to your layout. The green foam sucks up water like a sponge and takes days to dry out. The combination of spraying it first with water or a water/alcohol mix and then using diluted white glue will saturate the material and tend to trap the water beneath the glue. If you live in a humid climate, I can see where mold growing on your ground cover could become a real issue.
Alright so here's the how-to on coloring the ground covering.
1. First you need a spray bottle of which I used a vim cleaning bottle as is pictured.
2. Next get a can or jar and fill with water along with mixing in some arcylic paint I have only tried green paint so far but will try out some browns and so on. Once you have your paint mixed together well pour it into your spray bottle.
3. Now you begin spraying in this case I suggest you have a larger box or bucket to keep from making a mess, spray the surface of the foam, mix it up a little and continue doing this untill it is the color you want. The nice part is, is that you don't need to let it dry for long at all, it will only be slightly damp. Here's how it turned out for me, on the right is what it used to look like and the left is how it turned out.
Hope you like it! if you try my method I would like to hear how it turned out.
