How to Make a Wreath Last Longer

Most wreaths don't die of old age. They die behind a storm door.

That glass door in front of your front door turns the space between them into a small greenhouse. On a sunny afternoon it gets much warmer than the air outside. Hang a fresh wreath in there and it dries out in days. It's the most common reason we hear for a wreath going early.

After that, three decisions matter.

1. Where you hang it. Shade beats sun. Cold beats warm. North-facing doors and covered porches are the best spots. Avoid south-facing doors in full sun and anything right against hot glass.

2. Outside or inside. Outside in cool weather, a fresh wreath lasts for weeks. Inside, the air is warm and dry, so expect less. For a party, bring it in for the evening and put it back out after.

3. Moisture. Mist the back, where the cut ends are. Outside, every day or two. Inside, every day. Let it breathe afterward, and don't trap wet greens against a wall or window.

Small things that help. Use cool LED lights and keep them off the greens. Keep the wreath out of the direct blast of a heater vent. If you live somewhere that freezes, you're in luck: cold outside air slows drying.

What's normal and what isn't. A few needles on the doormat is normal. So is the smell softening after the first week. Greens that turn crispy or pale in the first few days are not normal. That's almost always heat or sun. Move it and mist it.

What you can't fix at home. Care helps, but it can't give back the days a wreath already lost in a warehouse cooler. The biggest factor in how long a wreath lasts is how long ago it was cut. Ours are built the week they ship, from Noble Fir cut after the first hard frost. That's why six weeks on a cold door is normal for us, and sometimes eight.

Thinking about wreaths for your clients' doors? Tell me a little about your list and grab fifteen minutes with me.

Jonah, founder, wreath.co