How to Keep Living Wreaths Alive
No matter what the occasion, a living wreath is a decoration that keeps on giving. Unlike wreaths made of cut branches or dried flowers, living wreaths continue to grow and thrive when you care for them properly. A living wreath contains succulents planted in a growing medium that fills the core of the wreath. Living wreaths need to be cared for just like any other growing potted plant. With the right amount of light, water and fertilizer they will reward you with lush greenery for a long time. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Check what type of succulent plants your wreath has by reading the label or by checking with your florist or gardening center. If you plan to put your wreath outdoors, confirm that the plants are suited for your local weather conditions.
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Keep a living wreath indoors for at least the first week you have it. Hang it somewhere in your home so that it is out of direct sunlight but where it will benefit from indirect light. Keep it away from any heat sources, such as radiators or a stove.
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Harden off the wreath if you plan to put it outdoors. Set it out in the morning of the first day for about an hour, then bring it back in. Set it out every subsequent morning, increasing the exposure to direct light by about an hour each day for the next week or so. After hardening off, weather permitting, you can leave it outdoors for weeks at a time.
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Check the back of the wreath form occasionally to see if the growing medium is hard and dry. If so, soak it in a tub of cool water to re-hydrate it. How often this is necessary will depend upon the type of plants in the wreat and how dry or humid the climate is where you live.
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Add a water-soluble fertilizer to the soaking water every three to four months. Use the amount recommended by the fertilizer manufacturer.
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Prune your wreath when it begins to look bushy and starts to lose its shape. Trim back greenery a little bit at a time until the wreath regains its round, even shape.
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Tips & Warnings
Never mist your living wreath as it encourages the plant to develop shallow roots. Succulents growing on a wreath need to develop roots deep into the growing medium to better secure them to the wreath form.
