The number one thing I use to decorate for Christmas is fresh greenery: garlands, wreaths, branches in vases, sprigs nestled in bowls, and of course, our Christmas tree. It's delicious scent, authentic look, and old-tyme charm are just a few reasons it's my favorite.
And the number one thing I hear from you guys is that you love fresh greenery, particularly in garland form, but it drys out so darn quickly, looks dead, feels crunchy, and makes a mess.
Ugh, I know! Fresh sprigs tend to dry out especially quick when brought inside our cozy, warm houses, with that unforgiving dry air this time of year. Just ask my skin!
So what can we do to slow the drying process and help our garlands look less wilty throughout the season? Here are my best defenses against dead-looking garlands:
Tip 1: Soak Your Garland or Wreath Before Hanging
Essentially, give your greenery a long, cold bath. Put the garland in the tub and fill with enough water to cover the greens. Let soak for 12-24 hours. There's a great in-depth soaking tutorial here.
Tip 2: Use an Anti-Wilt Protector
After giving your greenery a bath (see tip 1), use an anti-wilting, plant protector spray, like Wilt Stop or Wilt Pruf. which encapsulates the sprigs and help stop moisture loss. In my experience, these plant protector sprays are most effective if you've thoroughly soaked your greenery first.
Tip 3: Mix Faux with Fresh
Mix faux sprigs of cedar, pine, magnolia leaves, juniper, etc. in with your fresh greenery. If you've purchased a pre-made fresh garland, just use floral wire to sneak in some faux sprigs every few feet. Faux (or evergreen) stems have come a long way since the early 2000's, and honestly, they're pretty realistic looking. Around November is when Michael's brings out their coniferous/holiday stem section, and they often have 50% off sales-so that's when I swoop in!
The idea is that these faux sprigs will stay fresh looking long after your fresh sprigs have wilted and give the garland or wreath 'life' for as long as you have it up.
Tip 4: Use LED Lights
If adding lights your garland and wreaths, use LED lights instead of incandescent. LED bulbs don't get as hot as incandescent which lead to faster drying greenery.
Tip 5: Keep Away from Heat Vents and Radiators
Choose locations in your home away from heat sources like vents and radiators which will dry fresh greenery quicker.
There you have it! Hopefully these 5 tips help keep your greens beaming a bit longer this year!
If you're looking for insight on how to hang heavy garland in your house with damaging walls, I've got you!
More Pretty Garland Ideas:
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