Maintaining the Sights and Smells of Christmas Indoors
Contributed by Jolene Ottosen for the Chaparral Green Thumbs
Growing up, one of my favourite parts of Christmas was our annual trip to a family friend’s property to cut down a Christmas tree. Depending on the year and how cold it was, I may or may not have loved the cutting of the tree itself, but I always loved the scent of a real tree filling the house. Sometimes, we’d make centrepieces from the trimmings, and I remember the thrill of seeing real holly at a grocery store as a teenager. I made it into a garland for our kitchen cabinets, and I thought it looked fabulous—until it dried out much faster than I’d hoped.
Thanks to the internet, we can now learn how to keep our greenery fresher for longer and find inspiring arrangement ideas. While I’ll leave the design to you, here are some tips to make your greenery last as long as possible.
Step One: Choose the Freshest Greenery
Buy greenery as fresh as possible. Farmers’ markets and greenhouses are ideal sources. Look for branches that are aromatic, sticky (not dry or brittle), and free of fading. Give them a gentle shake; if needles fall off, it’s best to move on.
Step Two: Rehydrate Before Use
Rehydrating is essential, especially for décor like wreaths or garlands that will dry out faster. Make a fresh cut at the base of the greenery or tree, as the old cut will have dried and won’t absorb water well. For trees, cut at least four inches above the previous cut; for smaller greenery, make a diagonal cut to allow more water absorption.
After cutting, place the greenery in a bucket of room-temperature water for at least an hour before using. This is also helpful for Christmas trees—place the tree in a larger bucket to rehydrate before setting it in the stand. Once your tree is set up, keep it watered regularly to extend its life and reduce needle loss.
Ensure the tree stand can hold at least 3.5 litres of water and that it’s wide enough not to require removing any bark, as the bark helps the tree absorb water. Also, make sure the tree is balanced in the stand, even if it’s not perfectly straight. Trust me—our freshly decorated tree once toppled onto a friend during a movie night!
For the first few days, trees may drink up to four litres of water daily, so check the water level often.
Step Three: Choose Longer-Lasting Varieties
Short-needled pines lose needles faster than long-needled varieties, such as Scots Pine, which can last several days longer. Fir trees, especially Balsam fir, are traditional Christmas choices and are less prickly, making ornament-hanging easier—though they have weaker branches, so use lighter decorations. If you prefer stronger branches, spruce or pine are sturdier but have pricklier needles, which may help deter pets.
For decorative boughs, using multiple varieties can be helpful. You can remove faded branches over time and still have a fresh display. Adding varieties like eucalyptus or bay will increase fragrance and enhance visual appeal.
Step Four: Care for Indoor Greenery
Without a water source, fresh greenery lasts about two weeks indoors, or less depending on indoor heat and humidity. For cuttings that can’t be watered, an anti-desiccant spray can help by sealing the pores on leaves and bark to retain moisture. These sprays are available online or at greenhouses, though even with treatment, fresh holly typically lasts only about a week indoors.
Misting greenery daily can extend its freshness and enhance fragrance and keeping it away from direct heat and sunlight helps as well.
We hope these tips help preserve the joy of your holiday greens a little longer. If the last few years have shown us anything, it’s to savour every bit of joy we can—so why not our holiday greenery, too?
On behalf of Chaparral Green Thumbs, we wish you a Merry Christmas!
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