This article appeared in the Nov/Dec 2020 issue of This Old House Magazine. Click here to learn how to subscribe.

Steps for Keeping Window Box Plantings Fresh in Winter

1. Start by Rehydrating Clippings When You Gather Them

• Cut stems at a 45-degree angle to maximize water absorption and place them in a bucket of water for 1 to 3 hours.

2. Spray with an Anti-Desiccant

• Wilt-Pruf works well to seal the pores of leaves and needles and protect against drying.
• Jenn likes to mix broadleaf evergreens such as holly, magnolia, boxwood, and andromeda; needled evergreens like spruce, fir, pine, incense cedar, and juniper; and red-twigged dogwood, winterberries, juniper berries, and pinecones for interest.
• And she doesn’t fuss with a base: “I put them in the same soil the fall and summer annuals were potted in,” she says. “That way, they freeze in place in the soil.”