How to Hang and Care for a Fresh Wreath

A fresh wreath that is hung well and looked after can hold its colour for several weeks. The same wreath hung badly can dry out in days. Nothing about the care is difficult, and none of it requires special products. It comes down to where the wreath hangs, how it is fixed, and a small amount of attention with water.

Choosing where to hang it

Heat is the enemy. A wreath hung above a heat vent, beside a fireplace or in direct sun dries far faster than one in shade, because warm dry air pulls moisture out of the boughs. A shaded porch in cool weather is close to ideal, and the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York notes that a wreath hung outdoors in a damp climate can stay green for months.

The most common mistake is the space between a front door and a glass storm door. On a sunny wall this becomes a greenhouse, and the wreath cooks even though it is technically outside. The association advises hanging the wreath on the outside of the storm door in that situation. If the door faces south or west, expect a shorter life and mist more often.

Hangers that do not damage the door

There are four common ways to hang a wreath, and the right one depends on the door. An over the door hanger is a flat metal hook that slips over the top edge and needs no fixing at all. It is the safest choice for a rented home or a door with a delicate finish, and it works on most doors that have a gap at the top.

A removable adhesive hook suits light wreaths and smooth surfaces, and comes away cleanly if it is removed as directed. A small nail or a screw in cup hook is the most secure option for a heavy wreath or an exposed door, but it leaves a mark. A ribbon or cord looped over the top of the door is the traditional method and spreads the weight, but it can jam in the door and it wears over the season. Whichever you use, check the weight: a large wreath loaded with wet greenery is heavier than it looks.

Misting and moisture

A fresh wreath has no water source once it is cut, so it can only lose moisture. Misting slows that loss. A light spray of water on the greenery once or twice a week is enough for most wreaths, applied to the back of the wreath where the stems are, so the front does not stay wet and mark the door.

Some advice suggests soaking a wreath before hanging it. That can help a very fresh wreath hold its moisture, but it also adds a lot of weight and water, and it is not necessary for a wreath that was cut recently. The simpler routine of regular misting, cool placement and shade does most of the work. Plain water is enough: there is no benefit to adding sugar, bleach or fertiliser, and the National Christmas Tree Association notes that such additives can be harmful rather than helpful for cut greenery.

Reading the signs of drying

A wreath tells you when it is drying. The colour dulls first, then the needles begin to feel stiff rather than supple, and finally they start to fall. If the wreath sheds needles when you brush it, it is past the point where misting will bring it back. At that stage the piece is decorative rather than fresh, and it can be left up as long as it looks acceptable, or taken down and composted.

Different species dry at different rates, which is one reason the bough choice matters. The comparison in noble fir and mixed evergreen wreaths explains which boughs hold up best. The freshness checks that tell you what you are starting with are in how to choose a fresh wreath.

Care for swags and garland

The same rules apply to other fresh pieces. A swag hangs from one point and dries from the bottom, so it may need misting more at the lower end. Garland is usually longer and thinner, and dries fastest where it passes close to a heat source, such as above a working fireplace or along a warm wall. Misting a long garland is best done in sections, working along the run.

Garland hung on a stair rail or mantel should be fixed at several points so it does not sag, and it should be kept clear of anything that will crush the boughs. The shapes and their fixing are covered in evergreen swags and garland.

A short seasonal routine

The routine that keeps a wreath looking good is short. Hang it in shade, out of the path of warm air. Mist it once or twice a week, on the back. Check the hanger once, a week in, in case the weight has shifted. Bring it inside only if the weather turns warm and wet for a long spell, and then keep it cool. That is the whole of it.

A wreath treated this way will usually outlast the season, which is the standard worth aiming for. The buying decision that starts the process is covered in choosing, giving and caring for a wreath, and the way the wreath was built is covered in how a fresh evergreen wreath is made.