Create your own holiday decorations with garden greenery
By Ann Briggs
WSU Chelan/Douglas County Master Gardener
The holiday season is here and many of us find our pocketbooks stretched thin this time of year. One way to enjoy this festive season while saving money is to create holiday decorations using plants found in your garden. Greenery from your landscape adds a fresh look and natural scents to your home, and, best of all, it’s free!
Creating wreaths, swags, garland and centerpieces is not only a fun activity, but using greenery from your yard means your decorations are as fresh as they can be. You can find an abundance of decorating ideas, videos and DIY how-to’s on the internet and in magazines.
Conifers are commonly used in holiday decorations and are plentiful in this area. For indoor decorations, pine, fir and cedar branches are good choices because they dry out more slowly and hold their needles better than others in dry, warm, indoor conditions. Hemlock, spruce and broadleaf evergreens will last longer when used for outdoor decorations. Other greenery options include juniper, arborvitae and cypress.
Many plants can be used to add interesting color, fragrance and textures to your holiday decorations. Consider using grapevines to create a long-lasting wreath base that can be adorned with berries, dried flowers, seed pods or fruit. For holiday centerpieces, you might include curly willow or white birch branches, rosemary sprigs, acorns, pinecones, dried hydrangea blossoms, holly, rose hips or elderberries.
When gathering your greenery, remember that you are actually pruning your plant. Think of it as taking minor snips, not heavy pruning. Check to see when the best time is for any major pruning your particular plant; for many plants, it’s late winter or early spring. Distributing your cuts evenly around the plant will help to maintain its natural form. Be sure to use sharp, clean cutters and immediately put the cut end of your branch in water to help keep it fresh. Crushing the ends of woody stems will allow them to take in more water until you’re ready to put them to use.
With proper care, garlands and wreaths brought indoors should last two weeks or more. Check the decorations for freshness every couple of days. Fresh conifer needles will be flexible and bend, not break. Misting the greenery with water every other day will help them stay hydrated and fresh looking. Placing decorations in a cool location and out of sunlight will also help them last longer. Replace or remove dry, wilted greenery throughout the holiday season.
Enjoy your holiday creations but keep these safety tips in mind: Greenery can become flammable and should not be placed near candle flames, fireplaces, space heaters or heat vents. If you use lights with your greenery, LEDs are a good choice because they stay cool and will not heat the foliage. Also be aware that some plants used in holiday decorations can be toxic. Poisonous berries are found on holly, yew and mistletoe. Keep these out of reach of small children and pets and immediately dispose of any berries that fall off the plant.