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How to Keep Holiday Evergreens Fresh

Evergreens make gorgeous (and compostable!) holiday decor. Wreaths, swags, table runners, or even just a simple vase of fresh pine boughs can be used to brighten your home both inside and out.

Tips for Extending the Life of Evergreens

If you receive a wreath or other evergreens by mail, unpack them immediately.
Mist the evergreens with water; repeat every week or so.
Evergreens will deteriorate more rapidly in warm temperatures. Try to display them in a cool place. Indoor displays should be away from heat sources and direct sunlight. The ideal temperature range is 32 to 60 degrees F.
Holly is more fragile than other evergreens. The leaves will discolor if exposed to very warm or cold temperatures.
Save cuttings that have a short vase life for arrangements that only need to look good for a few days. For instance, blue spruce (Pinus pungens 'Glauca') is especially beautiful, but it drops needles within a short time.

Cutting Your Own Greens?

Be sure to get landowner permission first if you plan to harvest greens on someone else's property.
Be sure to wait until after frost, or at least until cool weather has arrived. This triggers the tree that it is time to go dormant and helps set the needles.
Cut just above a node (where branches and leaves/needles join together on a bough) to encourage future growth on the tree.
Make cuts at a 45-degreee angle, then place the cut bough in a container of fresh water. An angled cut ensures the bough will be able to take up water and stay hydrated in your container.
Choose evergreens that are known to last a long time. See Good Evergreens for Cutting, below. When possible, opt for evergreens that grow in your region. They are likely to last longer.
Don't be afraid to experiment — gather cones, berries, and red-osier dogwood twigs to use as colorful accents to your greens!