I’ve found several posts informing us how to make the ground foam for bushes, shrubs, etc. But how can I make the fine stuff? You know like grass, fallen leaves, etc. I have tried to put the ground foam back into the blender and chop it finer, but it’s still not fine enough.
I’ve tried making the fine stuff in a blender and screening it out, but don’t get much yield. I have been thinking about mixing the foam with a little latex paint of the appropriate color to stiffen the foam a little and then maybe getting some fines. I’ve tried using dyed sawdust, but, it looks like sawdust. I use mostly WS static grass and using a straw to blow with and a folded cardboard trough. I gently blow it into wet paint or matte medium. Works prtty good,much better than tryin to sprinkle it by hand and seems to cover quite a large area.I also stands up fairly well too.
A food processor gets it much finer than a blender. After you chop and color it, let it dry real good and then put it back in the processor for another spin.
The cushion type foam isn’t the best for fine stuff. The expanded type foam that they pack furniture and small appliances in works better. It’s usually in a grey/silver bag and kind of hard.
Loathar pretty much nailed it - but I like using a coffee grinder more than anything. It’s very fast, easier to control “doneness” than with a food pro, and easier clean up. For some real fun, cut some parcel twine [sisal] in varying lengths, but no longer than about 1 inch - into the grinder - amazine what you’ll get - an excellent ‘bush/shrub’ base that you can simply finish with ground foam … or … better yet, real stuff ground to your liking.
Enjoy.
For fallen leaves I will be using what looks best…the real thing! This past fall I used my leaf blower in reverse to “vacuum” the yard. The machine by its nature chopped up the leaves ok. I filled up a couple brown paper bags and let them sit around all winter in the garage. When landscaping time comes, I will run them through the food processor with a few drops of water added. I will then dry them extremely well on cookie sheets in the oven and apply to the layout the same method as applying any type of ground foam or soil.
Matt
I’ve passed it through a food processor ($5 at the Goodwill) twice and gotten almost a powder.
I haven’t bought commercial ground foam since I started doing this.