Decorating with holiday greens is one of our favorite things. We love being able to use something that we can find here on the farm to decorate or make a wreath with.

Learning how to make these holiday greens last will ensure that you will be able to keep them up all winter long.

How to Decorate with Holiday Greens Keeping them Fresh and Fragrant

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What to Look for when Purchasing Fresh Holiday Greens

• Are you purchasing from a big box store or from a local source?

If you are purchasing from a large store, they may have had those greens stocked for several days or weeks before you are purchasing them. This may affect how long your holiday greens will last.

Purchasing from a local source may mean fresher cuts and locally sourced greens meaning your garlands and wreaths will last weeks longer than the big box store.

• Are the greens turning brown already?

If you notice any browning on the tips of the evergreens, this is a sign that these greens have been cut for some time, already and may be losing moisture. The needles will become brittle and start falling off if they are away from a water source too long.

How do I measure for Garland?

For a Banister or Railing:

Measure the length of the banister or the width of the mantel, then calculate 1 1/2 times that dimension. Example: 6′ wide mantel x 1.5= 9′ of garland. This length will allow for a swag or give between bows or contact points.

You could also wrap a piece of string or yarn around the column or railing in the same way that your garland would be positioned. Then measure your piece of string with a tape measure.

Around My Front Door:

Regardless of style, most garlands can be made at six feet long. Be sure to measure your door and determine if you want the garland to go all around the door or just a little on top. I love this video tutorial from Balsam Hill that shows you how to measure around your door for garland.

The Evergreens that Last the Longest

• Cedar / Juniper- great for outdoor use in garlands and wreaths, but won’t survive long indoor. Heat will make the foliage turn brittle. Some varieties will have little blue berries that are so very charming in wreaths.
• White Pine and Blue Spruce typically used for outdoor wreaths, garlands and swags. I love putting a couple of springs in a glass bottle of water that we have in each of our bedrooms. White pine is so light and airy that it has a hard time supporting heavy ornaments.
• Redwood branches are lovely for holiday decorating too. We use them to arrange our porch pots and can be a nice.
• Balsam bares the iconic smell of the holidays. It can be harder to find as most balsam trees are either on Christmas Tree farms or farther north. Makes great wreaths, garlands, swags, but lasts the longest outdoors.
• Holly is generally found more in south and can last up to weeks if used indoors because of it’s waxy exterior.
• Eucalyptus dries quickly and still makes a beautiful arrangement. It’s certainly adds a fresh scent when used in indoor arrangements. When our eucalyptus is finished in our arrangements, we love to bundle it up and tip it up underneath our shower head for an amazing effervescent shower experience.

Holiday Greenery Care Instructions

How to Keep Holiday Greens Fresh and Smelling Amazing!

Wreaths, Garlands and Swags

• There are several anti-desiccant sprays that you can spray on your indoor and outdoor greens to keep them lasting the longest.
• Keep your fresh greens away from direct sunlight and heat will ensure the longest life.
• Misting with a water or even setting them under a shower for a bit will help them last.

Porch Pots

If you have a porch pot in your care, it’s likely filled with a soil or sandy mixture. By placing your winter porch pot outside and it may receive a dose or two of precipitation, and your pot should be just fine. If your pot is in a drier environment, you will want to water the pots soil to keep your greens staying fresh and fragrant throughout the winter season.

What is Anti-Desiccant Spray

This is a spray that provides a protective waxy coating to reduce water loss from an evergreen’s foliage. Any of the products below will help your greens last the longest possible by locking in the moisture.

After they are applied, you should not need to mist with water as the waxy coating will prohibit the greens from receiving the water.

Here are a few that we have used with success before:

• Wilt Stop Spray- all ready to be sprayed. Spray on your garland/wreaths outdoors and let sit for an hour before bringing indoors.
• Wilt Pruf Concentrate to be added to water, then sprayed on outdoors before bringing indoors.
• Krylon clear coat spray or hairspray. This is in a spray can and will need to be sprayed on outdoors and let to sit before bringing indoors. You can select a matte or gloss finish.

Can I make my own Anti-Desiccant Spray?

The simple answer is yes!! Here’s what we do. Grab your favorite spray bottle.

Our Homemade Anti-Desiccant Recipe:

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