Boxwood Christmas Trees

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IggyFlowers

IggyFlowers

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Jul 18, 2006
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Any one have any great tips for making the boxwood trees? We are going to try them this year and I think we can make them way cheaper than I can get them from the wholesaler.

Last time we made one was awhile ago... glued foam in green designer dish... carved into cone shape and greened with the boxwood and maybe a few other greens for interest.

Thanks,
Iggy
 
Yup thats how I do it. However, what bothers me is what ends up on the floor.
I worked it a few years ago that it was more cost effective to buy in the already made ones, simply because there is no waste, no money sitting on the floor. If you can make a better profit even with the waste and labor, go for it!
 
Well the trees from my wholesaler are running $25-30 each... a box of boxwood (hehe.. that just struck me funny) is $52 (not so funny)... I was thinking we could make them cheaper than that especially if we mix in some other local greens with the boxwood.
 
Now, what I like to do is to begin by winding several long strands of sprengerii around the cone form pinning along the stem and then fill in with boxwood and other greens from there. Seems to lessen the amount of boxwood and reduce waste.
 
I think you can make about 8 standard size trees(single design bowl with 1 block foam) out of a standard(not sure if it is 10 or 20 lb) box of boxwood...I have not made my own in a very long time...but this year may be the year I do, with the economy as bad as it is..I think I will be rethinking many conveniences in my life...
 
Boxwood is too expensive for me, I used oregonia, added fru fru and then frosted the whole thing with glitter glue and fake snow, people loved them.

Trish
 
If you lived close enough, you could have all of the boxwood that you wanted from my collection of front-yard-ia.
 
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Ricky, that sounds like a great idea but doesnt the sprengeri shed terribly? I have a hard enough time keeping it from going all over for one wedding let alone people keeps these things for weeks on end. Or is there a trick to putting something on it that keep it from flaking all over?
Thanks for the tips!
 
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Wish I could find the thread but I made at least 16 if not more, boxwood trees with one box. Yes I added some fir tips, some cedar pickings and baby's breath but 52.00 for a box comes out to around $3.25 for each tree. I find very little waste is left over and the little pieces I use in corsages and bouts..
Oregonia is twice the price here.
Yes, we make ours in design bowls (although some request fancier containters) decorate with some glitter, mm balls, holly berries (the fake ones) and two loop ribbons #3. Sell starting $29.95
 
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We have made these for years. We also purchase some b/c we don't have enough staff even bringing in all the holiday help we can and making some PT-ers full time. They are less popular, I think mostly b/c the last few years we have tried to price them more accurately (which is a higher retail). They are time consuming to make and decorate, so make sure you time yourself or your designers. Buy English (dwarf) boxwood, not American. The American is flat and not as full. The English is best for a tree. From my wholesaler (Delaware Valley), you can prebook for $42.49 (20lb box).

We did make three sizes of trees Sm, Md and Lg. This is approx but I have in my notes that we should try to get this out of one 20lb box (15 small, 13 Md and 10 Lg). We used to sell 50-60, now more like 30-40.

You don't have to cut the foam in the shape of a tree. You can still make the tree shape using a block of foam upright in a taller container or compote. Flower pot shaped work well too.

Cut a template our of cardboard in the dimensions below, but in the shape of a tree. Then you can quickly hold it over periodically as you make it, so they are consistent in size and shape. Watch the designers, the tend to turn each one into a work of art (decorating) and spend more time searching for the items than actually decorating them. Since then we started doing them all in like one day with 2-3 designers, rather than one designer dragging it out too long. They last forever so you can make them at Thanksgiving if you want and water once a week (if you have a large cooler). Keep a few undecorated so you can do the custom, same day orders quickly.

[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive]Small 9” x 14” - $35[/FONT] (may not make this size in 08 - it's pretty small)
[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive]Medium 11” x 19” - $45 ($18 from wholesaler, prebook)
[/FONT]​
[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive] Large 12” x 22” - $55 [/FONT]($22.50 from wholesaler, prebook)
(these prices are PLAIN. Decorated they end up being $60-$120)
[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive]Our designers follow these guidelines:
[/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive]BOXWOOD TREE PRODUCTION[/FONT][FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive] – max time 20 minutes per tree [/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive](depending on size of tree & speed of designer.)[/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive]Trees per 20 lb case of boxwood: 15 small, 13 medium, 10 large[/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive]Boxwood Bows: depend on ribbon, approx per yd price is bow price – or $1[/FONT] (really thin Xmas ribbon, tiny bow)
[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive]Millimeter Balls 30 mm triple plastic cluster $1.00 ea[/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive]50 mm triple plastic cluster $1.50 ea
We use other decorations too, priced out a retail

[/FONT]
 
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Boxwood is at least twice as much as oregonia for us, not sure why since we have boxwood growing here as well.

trish
 
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Pitt Christmas trees

I like to use Pitt for the Christmas trees, it doesn't really matter if it's variegated or green, either one looks nice, especially when the green comes in with nice big shiny leaves.
 
Boxwood -

Pay attention to the quality of the boxwood, too. That makes a huge difference on waste, and production time.

Adamis Farms, out of Virginia, is the "good stuff", but more expensive. No waste on the floor, and nice uniform pieces.

Usually the stuff in burlap bags is pretty dirty, and crooked little pieces.

And those brown, honey-comb looking things you occaisionally find?

Praying Mantis nests - put them in a terraruim or glass vase - you'll have a zillion hatchlings!

 
Hi, ming fern is the worst shedder we found. Did you ever try foilage sealer on anything that sheds? We also found that when baker comes in with spores on the back and we spray with foilage sealer, it stops them from turning black and creating a dust. If we get a box of baker with a lot of spores, it goes back. We also use petal pruf for flowers like delistars or anything that may shatter. Mostly in funeral pieces. Once they leave here and the funeral directors take over, anything goes.
 
Boxwood looks good so far this year...

Made trees today...went to decorate a house and came back and had to make a few more... they sold already outa the cooler...

Boxwood trees is one thing you can make up and if they sit for a week or more they are still ok....I made "shrubs" today too...only 10" tall....and I make boxwood trees up to 30" or so....

Great way to decorate the cooler too...
 
We have taken a differnet approach to boxwood trees, they are a popular here, we make them in all sizes, starting with green glow top for a base, we try not to use the design bowls - they don't hold enough water - nicer container, some are tall and skinny, this also work with other xmas evergreens greens. some formal some fun some with starfish toppers and sanddollar shells and pearl garland. they last forever and most are sold with very few or no fresh flowers.
P. Bird
 
Funny you should mention boxwood trees, that's what I am making today in the shop. We sell several for Thanksgiving that people bring as hostess gifts. We have our open house the Sunday after Thanksgiving and will sell several more. The sizes range from the typical design dish to 2, 3, 4 feet tall. I did a custom order for a 36" tree for tomorrow morning. We sell them plain, decorated, glittered and faux flocked. People love them. One of our landscape clients sends out 65 of them as thank you gifts. We sell one to our auto mechanic that is decorated with match box cars! I have posted pictures in my album if you want to see.
 
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