HOW TO CARE for FRESH EVERGREENS - 2007 Season
Important care and handling tips to help keep your Christmas Evergreens in peak condition and prolong your enjoyment throughout the holiday season
* When purchasing evergreens, look for signs of drying out - yellowing, fading color and shedding needles - don't buy!
* When evergreens arrive, immediately open the box and loosen or 'fluff' the branches so that air can circulate between them. If evergreens are dry, mist them with water and a floral preservative
* Before using evergreens in designs, condition them...
Give stems a fresh cut and place them in warm water with a preservative solution for 12 - 24 hours
Don't skip this important step just because they're foliage! (don't mash or split stems)
*To keep boughs from harming linens or furniture with dripping sap, cover the ends with clear nail polish
Let polish dry completely before decorating

Preserving Longevity
At room temperature the longevity of evergreens varies tremendously - particularly when used dry in wreaths and garlands
Firs - especially Noble Fir & Silver fir have the best needle retention
Vase life is greatly affected by when the greens were harvested and how
they're cared for after harvest
The longest-lasting varieties are Port Orford Cedar and Incense cedar - with vase life
of up to seven weeks
Silver Fir, Noble fir and Juniper have the next longest vase lives of 4 - 5 weeks
Douglas fir and most Pines, including Princess Pine have the shortest lives of all evergreens -
up to 3 weeks

"Reducing needle drop"
We have been using only one product on the market that has proven year after year to be effective 'holding' needles indefinately - Shatter Proof