Tips for Keeping Your Christmas Decor Fresh All Season
1. Start by shopping at a good garden center with consistently fresh greenery and cut trees. We typically get our greenery and trees Thanksgiving week. Follow us on social media or sign up for our email newsletter for updates.
2. We will give your tree a fresh cut before loading for you; and if you bring your stand or purchase one here, we will put your tree on the stand for you!
2. At home, place the tree in water quickly, spray it with Wilt-Stop to keep the tree from losing moisture and then keep watered. Once the tree dries out, a callous forms and the tree will not take up any additional water. Place Christmas Tree Preservative in the water to help absorption and place a disposal bag UNDER the tree stand so the bag will easily lift up over the tree at the end of the season.
4. The same rules applies for cut greenery, and it’s even easier! Just place in a plastic bag, fill with water and leave it for a few hours or overnight if possible. Shake off the excess water, apply Wilt-Stop, let dry and start decorating!
5. For poinsettias, choose a plant with soil that is not too wet or too dry; the perfect soil moisture when the soil surface feels dry but is damp an inch or two down. These are often sold with foil pot covers that can fill with water and poinsettias plants cannot tolerate an excess of water. Here is a post with complete poinsettia care tips.
6. Poinsettias are poisonous… but only if you, a pet or child eats them like a salad! The white sap can irritate skin so wash it off as a precaution.
7. If you skipped going to the poinsettia care link but are mildly regretting it because you do have one that you would like to keep alive through the holidays, here are the basics. Keep poinsettias in bright, indirect light, and water as needed throughout the season. Enjoy them for the season and then toss them out with the tree. Unless, of course, you are emotionally invested in it, which we understand completely!
8. Stems can be cut from plants like hollies and magnolias to add to your garland. Treat for moisture like you would a garland or wreath. For decor tips on how to use boughs, visit this post.
9. Amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs are a colorful and easy decoration and can be found in ready to go containers or you can make your own. Here is our post on growing paperwhites.
10. For best results choose fresh, well-kept materials. And keep it REAL!