Halloween- Creepy Plants

This idea isn't so much a DIY project as it is a temporary adjustment to your household flora. Adding some paint to your plants makes them look like they are diseased or poisonous, perfect for a witches house.

Things you will need-

• House plants 
• Poster paint
• Spray bottle (a paintbrush will do if you don't have a spray bottle)

Please note for this Halloween decor you MUST use poster paint on your plants. Poster paint will wash off whereas acrylic paint will stick and risk harming your plants. You must also be careful not cover the entirety of the plant as they need to 'breathe' through their leaves. I suggest covering the top side of the leaves only and leaving the underside bare.

ALWAYS carry out a preliminary test on a single inconspicuous leaf to ensure the paint you have is non-toxic and will not cause any harm to your plants. I am not responsible if you don't carry out this test and accidentally harm your plants. 

I am using black poster paint for my plants as it creates an unusual and eerie look. However if you would rather try using a red paint to suggest blood covered leaves instead then try it out. So first you need your houseplants. I am using a banana plant as the bigger the leaves are the easier they are to both cover with paint and wash off again afterwards. Take your poster paint and water it down slightly, you want the paint to be thin enough that it streaks slightly when you apply it so that some of the leaves original colour will show through.

In the photo above you can see how painting a green leaf compares with painting a red leaf. If you are using a paintbrush start from the stem and work outwards following the grain of the leaf to get a natural effect. If you are using a spray bottle filled with paint mixture you will need to put down some newspaper to stop the paint getting on anything else, or better yet put your plants into the bathtub and then spray them so that you can just shower away any paint that got on the tub. After you are done spraying your plant make sure you wash the spray bottle out with warm water to remove any paint residue and stop the nozzle from clogging. 

I would advise only applying this paint the morning before any Halloween party and washing it off the morning after so that you limit the amount of time your plants spent being covered. Poster paint will wipe off with a damp cloth, there is no need for soap.