Citrus garland

 
 
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Fetching, inviting and timeless…

Just a few words to describe the simple beauty of a citrus garland…yes, garland. Years ago, in hopes of luring certain birds to my garden, I hung up strands of orange garlands throughout my garden. While they didn’t end up attracting one single bird, they did capture my heart. Now, I make several strands each winter and string not only throughout our woods, but our house too.

 
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Need:

  • citrus fruits, cut in 1/4” slices

  • string/jute

  • scissors

  • oven or dehydrator

I dry my oranges in the dehydrator, but you can also dry them in the oven. Just place slices and bake until translucent for around 2 1/2 hours at 200ºF. 

If you live in dried areas, these strands will last months and months indoors. They have a shorter shelf life in more humid climates. 

I do recommend getting rid of them before the weather warms up too much as they will attract ants.

 

Mix it up! I love mixing up my garlands by making some that are just the citrus slices, while crafting other ones where I mix in pinecones and acorns. 

I also love tying up single citrus slices with a beautiful ribbon and hang as Christmas ornaments. You can do the same with jute string instead and hang outside on some trees for your bird pals.