Lets talk trees

[wazzou]

I've had what I consider success just using typical Super-Trees, green foam and Super-Leaves and then spraying Floral Spray which can be bought it a number of Autumn colors over the green.
It makes for great early Fall modeling, when the leaves are just turning, but I'd imagine you could go full Ham with the paint to go all in on the Season.

[nuno81291]

Here’s a super tree with whatever foam they used to include in the starter pack. If I had my airbrush at the time I would  tone it down with some earth sort of color.

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[El4774]

Super trees seems like the way to go. This is another great Idea for paining the original green leaves so you don't have to buy all the actual colors.

I've had what I consider success just using typical Super-Trees, green foam and Super-Leaves and then spraying Floral Spray which can be bought it a number of Autumn colors over the green.
It makes for great early Fall modeling, when the leaves are just turning, but I'd imagine you could go full Ham with the paint to go all in on the Season.

[randgust]

Oh totally that's what's frustrating me. Im like these things look like crap. I want to get a leaf brown ground cover to put under them. I might have to make my own concoction for fallen leaves to go under them.

OK, so another contrarian thing.   Get an old blender from the thrift shop, fill it up with REALLY dry leaves (can't be dry enough) and chop them up to about a powder.   Paint earth brown under them, and them put them down just like normal 'turf' with diluted white glue.   Only put them down where they would be forest floor.   Add more litter like branches, etc. on top, but I guarantee the leaf color and texture for the forest floor is spot on.

I did this on my Hickory Valley module back in 1976 and it still looks good today.  No, it didn't mold, ever. 
Another tip, don't use your wife's good blender, and if you do, don't get caught.

On an eastern forest, the only time you can even see the floor is at the edges and looking in.

Before:



after:  (I use Woodland Scenic turf on actual dried twigs for background stuff, Woodland Scenics fine foliage for the foreground and bushes.)



Oh, and that dirt road?  Dirt.

[Chris333]

I use blended leaves as well along with a ton of other natural materials.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

OK, so another contrarian thing.   Get an old blender from the thrift shop, fill it up with REALLY dry leaves (can't be dry enough) and chop them up to about a powder.   Paint earth brown under them, and them put them down just like normal 'turf' with diluted white glue.   Only put them down where they would be forest floor.   Add more litter like branches, etc. on top, but I guarantee the leaf color and texture for the forest floor is spot on.

Ain't NOTHING contrarian about that!!

I still have some leftovers of two tubs of those that @Ian MacMillan made like 15 years ago. I reserve those for special uses and call them "the good stuff".
I haven't felt like doing the process myself but likely will have to with the new layout build. In the meantime I've been overpaying for Scenic Express's leaf litter and interspersing it with some brown ground foam.

[Ian MacMillan]

Ain't NOTHING contrarian about that!!

I still have some leftovers of two tubs of those that @Ian MacMillan made like 15 years ago. I reserve those for special uses and call them "the good stuff".
I haven't felt like doing the process myself but likely will have to with the new layout build. In the meantime I've been overpaying for Scenic Express's leaf litter and interspersing it with some brown ground foam.

Maybe move out of the paved paradise and you can make your own!

[Chris333]

Since Ed is watching. I suggest you hand lay all trees, it's easy 

[peteski]

Since Ed is watching. I suggest you hand lay all trees, it's easy 

And those will look so much better than any commercially available products.

BTW Ian, the layout looks great!

[El4774]

Well you guys talked me into it. I bought two packs of super trees and the super leaves. Got the scenery book as well. Ill be replacing all those woodland scenic ones. I got some ground cover as well. I'm gonna try the blender method for the under growth. I had one that I got on black Friday and have been hanging on to it for this reason. No getting yelled at for the blender over here! I appreciate all your input!

Ryan

[Chris333]

Last time I ordered Supertrees they wanted $30 bucks just to ship the box. If you can find it the tree material they sell is a Seafoam plant.

[Wolf N Works]

Nice article on growing you own Seafoam plants and links to buying the seeds
https://steamtraininfo.com/sea-foam/growing-seafoam

[craigolio1]

OK, so another contrarian thing.   Get an old blender from the thrift shop, fill it up with REALLY dry leaves (can't be dry enough) and chop them up to about a powder.   Paint earth brown under them, and them put them down just like normal 'turf' with diluted white glue.   Only put them down where they would be forest floor.   Add more litter like branches, etc. on top, but I guarantee the leaf color and texture for the forest floor is spot on.

Yup!  This ^^^.  I have a magic bullet that I use for this and I save dried maple tree leaves and stems.  Not dry?  Put a clump in the BBQ on low... they get dry.

Also for greenery/greentwigs/moss, get a bag of floral moss from a craft/dollar store.  Stick a clump of it in the blender but add water so its like a slurry when you blend it.  that chops it up really fine and ensures everything gets chopped.  Good foliage for trees or ground cover with a nice variety of shape and colour.

Craig

[El4774]

Yup!  This ^^^.  I have a magic bullet that I use for this and I save dried maple tree leaves and stems.  Not dry?  Put a clump in the BBQ on low... they get dry.

Also for greenery/greentwigs/moss, get a bag of floral moss from a craft/dollar store.  Stick a clump of it in the blender but add water so its like a slurry when you blend it.  that chops it up really fine and ensures everything gets chopped.  Good foliage for trees or ground cover with a nice variety of shape and colour.

Craig

Do you paint the clumps after you blended it and laid it out to dry on the layout?

[160pennsy]

Here's a few sagebrush trees with Supertree fine branches CA'd onto the main trunks. I start with a basic sagebrush armature, peel off any loose bark and then graft or "peg" on other branches cut at an angle on the mating portion of the grafted branch. Then I'll drill small holes into both parts, use fine florist wire between the two for the pinning, and use CA w/accelerant to glue them together. this allows a more fuller look to the tree as well as more spots to glue on the finer Supertree small pieces. The bottom of the main trunk will get a thicker florist wire to assist with planting the tree into a scenery base. Once the armatures look realistic to my eye then it's spay bombed with various greys, browns and blacks. After they dry to the touch then Superleaf flocking is added once the armature gets coated with 3M spray glue...BUT I first crush the leaves between my fingers to better resemble 1/160 leaves. If you desire fall or autumn colors then there are few good products available in not so garish bright colors.

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