USING YOUR EVERGREEN CLIPPINGS FOR DECORATIONS
Here we are heading into December. This year we have stayed frost-free up until the week before Thanksgiving. With this colder weather, our plants are now more dormant for the season. With this dormancy comes an excellent time to do some “selective” pruning to use these clippings for holiday decorations. I hinted about using clippings in an earlier blog. Now is a perfect time.
A cool, sunny day in early December is a great time to stroll your landscape with your pruners. Have an idea of what you want to create with your clippings so that you reduce any wasted trimmings.
As I have said before, there is nothing fresher than taking clippings right out of your landscape. Boxwoods, magnolia leaves, cypress, hollies, and nandinas—these are just a few plants that can be trimmed now to use the cuttings in making arrangements.
HERE ARE A FEW TIPS FOR KEEPING CUT TRIMMINGS FRESH THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS
- Store the trimmings outside in the shade or in the garage where there are cooler temperatures.
- Keep the cuttings in water.
- Add a product such as PROLONG to the water. Prolong will help the trimmings to absorb more water which will help with keeping the trimmings fresher for more extended periods.
- You can spray the trimmings with an anti-transpirant such as WILT-PRUF. Wilt-Pruf will help seal in the moisture and reduce moisture loss.
- If possible, close off the heating vents near where you place your cutting arrangement. Hot, dry blowing air will dry out any cut evergreen quickly.
Happy Holidays to everyone.