Chapter Eight

Wreaths and Greens

Greens — wreaths, centerpieces, garlands, etc. — are an excellent sideline to the Christmas tree business; in fact, some growers find that greens and wreaths are more profitable (on a per-unit basis) than their trees. In smaller quantities, at least, these festive accessories can be made with very little investment in equipment and supplies. And tree growers have an advantage because they tend to have a ready supply of the branches needed to produce wreaths, centerpieces, and the like.

Some farms basal-prune their larger trees’ lower branches in October or November in order to have greens (brush) for wreath-making. The work has to be done anyhow, so it makes sense to do it at a time when you can use the cut branches. And sometimes cull trees (those not good enough to sell) can still provide fine foliage for making greenery products.

Firs and pines are the species most often used for wreaths, either separately or in combination. Spruces are too prickly, which makes them difficult to fashion into wreaths and roping; cedars, yews, and junipers are less useful because most tend to lose their rich green color in early winter. Where they grow well, other popular materials for adding a decorative touch to holiday greens are the broadleaf evergreens such as bay, boxwood, holly, and laurel.

Preparing Materials

Trees need near-freezing temperatures to “harden” the needles so they won’t fall off a few days after the branches are cut, so cutting cannot begin until it has become cool. A cool, rainy fall is ideal for producing high-quality greens. Windy days, as well as warm, sunny weather, can dry out and ruin cut greens quickly, so store them in a cool, sheltered, shady spot, and sprinkle them occasionally if necessary. Don’t pile them over 3 feet high or the bottom ones will be crushed. Cover them with burlap, branches from unusable trees, or a similar material, but not plastic because it can cause the greens to get hot, ferment, and spoil.

The Wreath Business

Many crafters make only a few wreaths to sell locally, while some large, commercial wreath-making enterprises employ large numbers of wreath-makers who work together in large factory-like assembly lines. Many Christmas tree farms that make and sell their own wreaths fall in between these two extremes.

Supplies

Order your supplies long before the wreath-making season begins and there’s a rush on supplies. Good-quality hand pruners are most important. Crimped wreath rings come in a variety of sizes from 8 to 24 inches in diameter, and smooth heavy rings are available in even larger sizes. The 12-inch ring is the most common, and a good, finished, double-faced wreath made on it should measure about 18 inches in diameter and weigh from 4 to 5 pounds. The 8-inch ring should result in a wreath 14 inches in diameter; the 16-inch ring is used for one of 24 inches, a 20-inch ring for a wreath of about 28 inches, and one on a 24-inch ring should have a diameter of about 34 inches.

Winding wire is usually purchased on half-pound spools, in 22-, 23-, and 24-gauge sizes, and in either natural wire color or green. Green is popular because it is less visible on the wreath or roping. Many wreath-makers producing average size wreaths use the lightweight, 24-gauge size, because more wreaths can be made per spool.

You’ll need to order heavy string or baler twine to tie up the bundles unless your buyer wants them loose so he can inspect each one. Wreaths were once sold by the dozen, and six were tied in each bundle. Five in a bundle is more common now, and it’s much easier to count them.

If you decorate wreaths, you will also need ribbons, cones, wired picks, and berries (either real or ersatz). The addition of a bow and a few cones and berries can more than double the price of your wreath if you sell wholesale, and if you retail, the percentage of mark-up will be even greater.

Tastes in wreath decorations vary a great deal, so it is wise to check what your buyer has in mind before you decorate. Some like only a large red or gold ribbon; others prefer only natural decorations, such as cones, pods, nuts, dried flowers, or berries. Specialty and craft catalogs are full of other mass-produced decorative items that can be added to wreaths.

Single or Double?

Single-faced wreaths, made by wiring the greens on only one side of the ring, are suitable for hanging on a wall or door, or to use as a centerpiece. Double-faced wreaths, with greens on both sides of the ring, are preferred by most people because they are bushier and can hang in windows.

Since the upper and lower sides of greens such as fir, holly, and boxwood look quite different, they must be “faced” when placing them on the ring so the pale side won’t show. Pines look the same on both sides, so facing is not necessary.

Wreath-Making by Machine

While wreaths can be made entirely by hand (see How to make a wreath by hand), many larger producers opt to use a wreath-making machine. There are two types to choose from.

The first uses a special type of ring with clamps surrounding the perimeter. The ring is placed on a special table and a handful of greens are laid on the ring. Then, when the operator presses a foot lever, one clamp is bent over, tightly fastening the greens in place. This process is continued around the ring until the wreath is complete. Because this machine is simple and no electric power is needed, it is inexpensive. Rings of a special type are required, however, which are more costly than the simple corrugated ones used for making hand-wired wreaths.

The other type of machine is more complicated and expensive. It is powered by an electric motor, uses winding wire and ordinary rings, and the process duplicates more closely the making a hand-wired wreath. A bunch of greens is held against the ring, then a foot switch urns on the power, and a spool of wire rotates around the ring, wiring the greens to it. By alternating the placement of the bunches, the operator can make a double-faced wreath. The machine can also be used to make garlands by wiring small bunches of greens onto a heavy string.

Wreath-Making by Hand

Your workspace should be cool to keep the materials fresh, with good natural light so the greenery colors are clearly visible.

How to Make a Wreath by Hand

To make a wreath by hand, follow these steps:

1. Wind a few twists of wire around the ring to fasten it securely.
2. Place a bunch of two to four tips of greens on one side of the ring and wire the base of the bunch to the ring with two or three tight wrap-arounds. Select some good bushy greens for this first bunch, because it must hide the base of the last bunch you’ll insert. If you are making a double-faced wreath, flip the ring over, and wrap a similar bunch onto the back side. Place it almost, but not quite, opposite the first one.
3. Lay another bunch of greens over the base of the first, hiding the wire, and wire this one to the ring. Continue in this fashion, moving around the ring and placing all the greens on one side if it is a single-faced wreath or flipping it for each bunch if it is a double.
4. When you reach the spot where you began, tuck the base of the last bunch underneath the tops of the first that you wired. Wire it in carefully, so neither the stems nor the wire show.
5. Cut or break the wire and fasten it tightly with several twists to one of the wires or to the ring itself.

A Few More Wreath-Making Tips

Whether you start around the wreath clockwise or counter-clockwise, always do it the same way each time so it will become a habit. Consistency will add greatly to your speed and soon you will make each movement automatically without thinking about it.
As you work, vary the size of the bunches if you notice that the wreath is becoming too heavy or light. If it appears floppy, you may be placing the bunches too far apart on the ring or you may be wiring too close to the cut ends of the twigs. If the wreath is not shaping well into a round form, use shorter lengths of greens.
If you have some greens that are less than perfect, don’t throw them away unless they are really bad. On a double-faced wreath you can wire a piece at the back of a bunch now and then, and if done carefully it won’t show, but will add bulk to the wreath.

Tie each bundle as soon as it is finished and immediately move it to a cool, shady place out of the wind.