HONOLULU (HI Now) - Lei making season has arrived, and if you want full, fragrant lei ready for graduation or May Day, the secret starts long before you string a single flower. City Mill social ambassador Dillyn knows that a beautiful lei begins with healthy plants, and that means putting in the care weeks, even months, in advance. From pruning to harvesting, a few smart habits now can mean an abundance of blooms when you need them most.
Every lei plant has its own needs, and knowing how to work with each one makes all the difference. Crown flower thrives with regular pruning using quality loppers or pruners, which shapes the plant, encourages new growth, and produces more usable flowers for lei. Puakenikeni trees grow tall fast, so keeping a sturdy ladder on hand and training branches lower with simple materials like cinder blocks and rope, makes daily flower picking much more manageable. For climbing plants like pakalana and pikake, a wire fence, stakes, or a DIY trellis frame gives them the structure they need to flourish, preventing damage while boosting flower production.
The good news? You don’t need a complete garden overhaul to get started. With just the right essentials from City Mill, anyone can grow and harvest their own lei flowers at home. A few smart tools and simple setups are all it takes to go from backyard gardener to lei maker, with less stress and more blooms to show for it.
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