Creating your own long-lasting winter containers out of cut fresh greens is easier than you might think. You can buy bundled or loose fresh-cut greens at the garden center, or try and cut your own from your own yard and from friends’. That way they are as fresh and long lasting as possible.
What you need:
- Pruners
- An existing container
- Play sand
- Fresh cut evergreen branches
Extras:
- Floral wire
- Pine cones
- Dogwood branches
- Curly Willow
- Ornaments
- String lights
If you are using the containers you used in summer, remove 6 to 8 inches of soil from your pots and replace it with play sand. The play sand will hold your branches much easier and also help keep the branches as hydrated as possible through winter.
Once your sand is in place, use your longest greens in the back of the container, allowing the natural drape of the branch to point to the outside of the pot. With the tallest in the back, work your way around, with the shortest branches in front, always facing the natural curve of the branches to the outside of the pot.
Once filled in, add branches like red twig dogwood or curly willow.
Then add pine cones, ornaments or any other decorations, using floral wire to wrap them onto branches in your arrangement to keep them in place.
Your fresh winter containers should easily last into March.
