I found the easiest way for me to water the wreaths was to set it in a plastic drip pan...or whatever those things are called that you put under pots with holes. For a 12" wreath, a 16" pan worked until the plants start to outgrow it. Just fill the pan about half way up with water and let the moss get completely soaked. Add more water if needed. That moss gets pretty dried out and trying to give it a good drenching with a hose is difficult as the plants often block the water from getting to the moss. And it takes a while for the moss to get wetted too. I usually left it for 20min or so. Those wreaths get heavy with water and after a couple of times you'll be able to tell by its weight if it needs water or not. You can always remove plants that aren't happy and stick others in, or add more! The wire wreath frames I got at my local Joann's store very cheaply. But the globes, I've had to order online. The place I got mine no longer carries them, but they are still available. I want to try a topiary next.

Bucky you haven't burned up yet? How is the orchard? Good to see you on the forums still! We have been making dogwood wreaths for about 1 month, dogwood stars for 3 weeks, rosehip wreaths for 3 weeks, boxwood/rosehip squares for about 2 weeks, christmas wreaths were started about 2 weeks ago. Next up this next week is curly willow. 1985 when we first started making wreaths seems so long ago. We used a wrap form to wrap them. REF machines and rings: I have used Kelco it is nice, but very expense. Mitchell's machine is the cheapest, but it only has the clamper and wreath material comes lose often. The best machine in my opnion is the the wreath master from maple ridge supply, it has a clamper and arm that comes over and makes the wreath very tight. I have 3, a guy making wreaths about 35 miles from me has 4 and a guy that we trade with in CA has 2. They really are the best. Now to rings... Maple used to buy and resell Mitchell's rings. Here are the 4 that I have used: Maple ridge good but resells, Mitchell's usually the best price unless you are buying a pallet of 4,800 on a 10 clamp pallet. Cherokee the best price in the US that I know of, BUT you need to buy a pallet! Oregon wire is nice if you like them painted already or vinyl, but they are expensive. For christmas wreaths we are using douglas and sub alpine fir, juniper, rosehips, incease cedar, port orford cedar and pine cones. Wholesale prices have dropped to around $1 a clamp the lowest in years. Stars are more money of course we are charging $15 for a 10 clamp 4' star made of dogwood. Those of you only making a few may I suggest going to your nearest green waste facility or dumps. We by a forest service bough permit. It is .10 a pound and we cut boughs off the lower branches of the trees. The biggest problem we have is cutting or getting enough material for 3 wreath makers it takes 2 to 3 truck loads a day. Our bundles usually make 5 to 7 wreaths a bundle. Right now a 10 clamp wreath is selling for $10 to $11 wholesale and $15 to $18 retail. Good luck to all. With the economy we have seen wreath sells drop and wholesalers wanting 60 to 90 days to pay. With $10,000 of wreaths it gets difficult to pay labor, gas, and rings upfront. Bryan

Thanks everyone...I'm struggling with how many "fancy" wreaths to do next year. I love having different ones, but majority of the wreaths that sell are the more tradtional ones, mixed greens, red/green/gold bows and pinecones! I did sell a few snowflakes and candy canes, but only 3 with silk poinsettias...so, may not invest in that inventory! What do you all think? Time to reevaluate that portion of my "business plan!" I welcome your ideas because you are all creative! Thanks, Wendy

The 1st one is lots of bows, flags and that wired stuff with stars of silver,red & blue on it, very little in way of flowers! Almost can't see the center! Think it could be just as nice with little less!(Gets expensive too!) 2nd 1 look closely & you will see the filler used is in many flat sprays used at weddings & things. Fern- like leaves(leather fern) it widens the wreath & so makes it look more expensive(I don't think this 1 has leather fern but there are several natural shrubs that have fairly flat look so they work well in "expanding" the wreath & then as Kathi said you have a lot of fillers,green lilies & other stuff in shades of green that give the wreath depth & you add a full bow to the side or top (if you are short on materials or just like the look,) and your choice flowers where they will be seen. Notice the yellowish fruit around edges pick up the yellow in the ribbon & the reddish blush on them looks beautiful with the reddish flowers. A lovely job!!! They used lot of materials! But you will find that you sometimes didn't buy enough materials to do what you want & by putting a bow on the side & making it very full or adding a couple of extra streamers or putting it at the top & curling streamers down you fill in to make up for lack of materials. Wreaths can get very expensive. If you are going to make them to sell look for dried pods, seeds, pine cones in your area & lay them out on cookie sheet & heat oven to 200 degrees for 20 minutes, leftover nuts in shell from Christmas look lovely if you do this & spray with Krylon & glue on wreath. You make your wreath bug free & save nuts you would normally throw out. Cattails are lovely in arrangements if you live near place that has them, swamps or standing water!! Don't use feathers you find as may be illegal. Probably have to check with fish & game to see if anything like that could be used. I hot glue mine if silk flowers, but if it's for wedding in the sun at noon I think I might use WeldBond or something else. Don't want them falling apart. Base can be grapevine circle, foam ring, straw,wire,chickenwire, etc, So some are all wired together with no glue used such as fresh flowers. Hope this helps. Have fun!