Presenting

Extra Features and Video Online FloristsReview.com R E A D O N L I N E 29 During the holiday season, consumers experience the sights, sounds and smells of the season—especially the delicious scents of fresh Christmas greens. Making these lush aromatic evergreens last for the duration of the season, however, can be a challenge. Many consumers complain that they dry out and expire too quickly. Here are a few tips and tricks that will keep coniferous evergreens healthy enough to ring in the New Year. 1. Think Fresh Buy local when possible, and buy as close as possible to the time you will need the cut evergreens. 2. Keep Them Cool If possible, store cut evergreens at 34 F to 38 F in a floral cooler until you are ready to use or sell them. Cut evergreens can last in dry storage for several weeks when stored at the right temperature and humidity. 3. Soak It In Before using cut evergreens that have been in dry cold storage, submerge branches, wreaths and garlands in water overnight before removing them from cold storage, if possible. Shake off all excess water. As with other cut foliages, you can also store cut evergreen branches in a low-dose flower nutrient solution; just give them a fresh cut first. Like Christmas trees, cut evergreens are thirsty botanicals. 4. Play Defense Using a finishing spray (a ready-to-use solution that is sprayed onto foliage to prevent water loss through transpiration) really boosts Christmas greens ability to retain water and stay hydrated. Floralife ® Crowning Glory ® is formulated for botanical materials and designs that have limited or no access to water, such as wreaths, garlands, door swags, etc. Floralife ® Finishing Touch is formulated for use on finished arrangements that have a water source via a container or floral foam. 5. Mist Often Mist greens as much and as often as possible. If your designs also include cut flowers, be sure to spray the water closer to the base of the greens. Avoid misting flower blooms to prevent Botrytis from developing. Instruct consumers to do the same. 6. Environment is Everything Keep cut evergreens, wreaths and garlands away from extreme heat and cold, as well as drafts, and advise customers to do the same. This will help the greens not have to work as hard to stay hydrated. 7. Naturally Good In general, Christmas greens displayed outdoors will last longer; just keep them out of direct sunlight. For evergreen designs displayed indoors, use LED lights, which are cooler, when possible. As a safety measure, avoid using open-flame candles in or near evergreen designs. BONUS TIPS • Holly foliage and berries and balsam fir are ethylene sensitive. Insist that your supplier treats these foliages with an ethylene inhibitor to protect against exposure. • Do not store or display any evergreens or other cut botanicals near ripening produce or products that produce ethylene. • Place cut evergreens in a hydration solution upon their arrival in your shop to prevent desiccation (leaf and berry drop). Now that you have all the tips and tricks, you're ready to deck the halls without hesitation. If you still have questions on how to care for Christmas greens, visit floralife.com. Caring for Cut Evergreens Tips for getting coniferous evergreens to last throughout the holiday season. By Jim Daly, AAF, M.B.A., Vice President of Global FloraLife and Grower and Corp Research at Smithers-Oasis Company • ALBIN HAGSTROM & SON albin-hagstrom.com • CONTINENTAL FLORAL GREENS and HIAWATHA EVERGREENS cfgreens.com | hiawathacorp.com • PEACE OF MIND NURSERY Instagram: @peaceofmindnursery Sourcing Evergreens

• Cover