4 Tips to Keep Your Evergreen Arrangements Fresh

Whether you have selected an advent wreath, centerpiece or garland to hang on your front door or in your home, our team at Merrifield wants to make sure that you can enjoy your piece for as long as possible. We take extra steps in the creation of our fresh greens arrangements to ensure maximum quality and freshness, but there are a few steps you can take at home to ensure your greens enjoy a long life. To assist you in maximizing the length of time your greens look fresh and beautiful, we have assembled this guide to caring for your fresh greens arrangements.

Place Your Arrangement Carefully

Our wreaths, centerpieces and other fresh greens arrangements are conditioned using a solution of water and Prolong to ensure maximum freshness and longevity. When your arrangement is ready to go home, we place it either in a plastic sleeve, a box, or a paper bag to keep it protected while it travels. As soon as you arrive home, remove your arrangement from the packaging and place it on a cork board or a tablecloth to protect the surface beneath from potential water leaks.

Water Your Arrangement Every Few Days

Make sure to check on your arrangement or wreath at least once every three days or so, watering directly into the foam oasis so the cut greenery can drink. Take wreaths off the door and bring them inside to water, carefully pouring water into the oasis. If you are diligent with your watering, ensuring that the arrangement never dries out, your fresh arrangements can last well through Christmas into January. If you are looking to adorn your fireplace or place it by a heater, you should increase your watering as the heat will cause the arrangement to dry out faster. Check arrangements in these locations more frequently to make sure that the oasis foam is consistently moist and wet.

Apply Preservatives

Greens preservatives such as Wilt Pruf and Prolong are key to extending the life of your fresh arrangement, working to help the greens absorb and retain moisture. Wilt Pruf spray works to keep the moisture within the plant so it won’t dry out. When sprayed on the leaves and needles, Wilt Pruf lengthens the lifespan of greenery by sealing the leaves to assist with moisture retention. You only need to spray Wilt Pruf once during the winter season. Prolong is used initially by Merrfield employees when conditioning the greenery. This treatment will last for several weeks, so there is no need to use this product on greens arrangements purchased from our team.

Keep Your Wreath Outside Your Storm Door

If you want to hang your wreath on your front door, be sure to hang it on the outermost door if you have both a primary door and a storm door. Placing the wreath directly behind a glass storm door can essentially bake the wreath in the sun, with the intensity and heat magnified in the small space between your primary door and storm door. Wreaths placed outside will do just fine in the cold weather.