Fresh greens are a great way to ring in the holiday season. Whether it’s a door charm, wreath, or garland, having that fresh-cut look and smell can always get you into the holiday spirit. As the holiday parties begin and Christmas day gets closer and closer, you may have already received some fresh green gifts from loved ones or even bought some of your own to decorate.
Make your greens last long past Christmas into the winter season with these tips from our Green Team experts.
- Absorbing Water & Soaking
One of the best ways to keep your greens looking fresh is to make sure you soak them in room temperature to cold water as soon as you get them. Make sure to put a fresh cut on the stems with your pruners and give them a good soak for a number of hours before putting them up around your home. We pre-soak our greens here at McDonald Garden Center just to give you the freshest product possible, but it is always great to do it one more time for longer-lasting freshness.
- Misting
To pair along with soaking, or even if you are unable to soak your greens due to space, consistent misting is a good way to keep greens looking fresh longer. Don’t forget to spray the stems! If your greens are in arrangements, just make sure to flip over your wreaths, or take them out of vases to refresh the water regularly.
- Sunlight
Too much light can be one of the escalating causes of your fresh greens expiring. This is especially true if you have a wreath between your door and a glass storm door. To mitigate this problem, try to place your greens in areas that get partial shade so they can take a break. Or, if your porch gets really direct sunlight, you may just need to mist it more often.
- Keep Outdoors if Possible
Although fresh greens look fabulous around indoor door frames, as a part of tablescapes, and on your stair banisters, you may want to consider moving them outside after using them to decorate to keep them as fresh as possible. Fresh greens indoors can last about 2 weeks at most before they start to dry and brown while outdoor cut greens can last much longer, sometimes even months, with the right care and weather, so that you can keep them up throughout the winter season.
- Use products like Prolong Tree Preservative
Another great way to keep your greens fresh is to use products like our Prolong Tree Preservative. This preservative can be used when you are soaking your greens in water and will help your cut greens hold on to water, as well as give them some micronutrients to last that little bit longer.
To learn even more about what’s growing on at our garden center, check out our Christmas in the Greenhouse page or watch Mike, the Garden Guru, and his webinars with new plants, products, and expert planting advice for the holiday season. To keep inspired and grow with us, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok to dig into the joys of gardening!