GARDEN TALK WITH DOUG - SELECTING CHRISTMAS GREENERY Thanksgiving just past so now is the time to concentrate on decorating your home for the upcoming Christmas season. Finding the right materials to decorate for the holidays is as easy as taking a stroll through your gardens. Personally, I find it so rewarding to use some of my own landscape plants as a source of greenery. Cutting your own greenery as needed is about as fresh as it gets. Boxwood, hollies, pines, yews, and ivy all make great cuttings for use in arrangements. A word of advice is needed to be said… remember that you are in effect pruning the plant and that it is important to use proper cutting methods. Heat and dry air shorten the life of all cut greens. To ensure that fresh greenery last through the holiday season, keep the cuttings cool and moist as long as possible, preferable with the cut ends in a continuous supply of water. I use an Oasis as the support for arrangments in containers as it holds moisture around the cut ends. Another idea is to apply wilt proof to your cuttings in order to extend the life of greenery. Wilt proof is an anti-transpirant wax that will coat your greens, helping to retain moisture. Another helpful tip: avoid placing fresh cuttings directly on furniture. Use a cloth under your arrangments to prevent sap from taking the finish off of wood surfaces. Yet another helpful tip: don’t throw away your Christmas greens or cut tree after the holidays. Cut greenery and branches from the tree can be layered on your perennial beds for an instant loose mulch. These cuttings are easily removed in the spring and ten added to your compost pile. Bringing evergreen cuttings inside for the holidays is an ancient tradition that will give your home just the right festive touch. Posted: 11/28/2014 by Doug Hensel
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 13:33:07 +0000
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