There aren’t many scents that compare with fresh pine to remind you that the Christmas season is here, but with many choosing to have artificial trees real pine fragrance can feel like it’s missing in your home during the holidays. A great option to add the fragrance without the hassle is to decorate with fresh garland and wreaths. In addition to that memorable scent, they also add texture and a certain coziness that only live greens can provide.
While they are low maintenance, there are certain things that you should do to extend the life of your fresh garlands and wreaths to ensure that they last.
Tip 1 – Give Them a Bath
Soak fresh wreaths and garlands in a room temperate bath for up to 24 hours before decorating. This will hydrate the greenery and stems and allow them to retain moisture longer. As a bonus before the bath, you can prune the easy to find ends of the stems at an angle (similar to what you would do with fresh cut flowers) giving them a fresh cut to allow them to drink up the water more efficiently.
Tip 2 – Use Wilt Pruf®
Wilt-Pruf is a natural pine oil emulsion. Applied as a spray, it dries to form a clear transparent and flexible protective coating without interfering affecting respiration, osmosis, or photosynthesis. This will help protect your greenery and seal in moisture. We sell this concentrate in two sizes in our garden center.
Tip 3 – Placement
Fresh greenery will last longest outdoors in cooler climates, but indoors you can prolong its life keeping it away from fireplaces, heaters, and vents. Especially in Utah where humidity is already low, placement will be a large factor in prolonging the freshness.
Tip 4 – Mist Them
Lightly spritz the cut ends and greenery with a squirt bottle that produces a fine mist every couple of days. Hydration will be crucial to keeping your wreaths and garlands looking and smelling their very best.
We have an excellent selection of fresh greenery to bring the fresh pine into your home and we hope these tips help to prolong the life of your garlands and wreaths. Happy Holidays from all of us at J&J!
