Christmas trees turn our home from ordinary into a winter wonderland. Filling our homes with a touch of nature spruces things up and gives our living rooms the Christmas-y aesthetic we crave. It’s only natural for trees to lose their magic as the weeks roll by and soon our carpets are dirtied with fallen needles and loose bark from trunks. These tips will teach you how to keep your a Christmas tree fresh well past the season.
1. Trim The Trunk
If you’re grabbing your Christmas tree from a roadside lot or the store, you should ask the seller to take off an inch or so from the trunk. It’s sort of like cutting the stems of flowers; trimmed tree trunks give your evergreen the chance to soak up more water.
Once you’re home you should still place the trunk in some water. Allowing your tree to drink some H2O prolongs its life and ensures a healthier look. Remember that the base of your tree should never be dry.
2. Keep Trees Hydrated
Once you get them home, you need to place your Christmas trees in water. Some stands in stores water your tree and keep it in place. But if you’re not looking to spend any extra money, you can place your tree in a bucket.
You also don’t need to give them any special feed or treatment. Typically your tree will soak up quite a bit of water in one day so you’ll need to keep a close watch on it. The National Christmas Tree Association says your typical tree can guzzle a gallon of water per day, so keep those stands and buckets topped up.
3. Pick The Right Stand
Sure, you can place your tree in a bucket of water, but it’s hardly a long-term solution. Lots of tree stands hold up to a gallon of water, which is exactly the amount most trees need. Some can also hold a bit more than that. Stands won’t set you back too much money and they’re important in keeping your tree healthy.
Tree stands also mark down the amount of water you’ll need per day, eliminating the guesswork. They also vary in size and price depending on the sort of tree you have in your home.
4. Check Up On Lights
A large part of maintaining a tree’s health (and your safety) is looking in on the decorations. It doesn’t take long before our Christmas trees are filled with garlands, ornaments, lights, and candy canes. We already noted how dangerous it is to keep trees next to light sources, and when you have lights directly on the tree the problems can only worsen. Make note of any burned out bulbs or wears in the wiring.
5. Don’t Sully The Water
For years now myths have gone around on how to better your tree’s water. An aspirin here, a touch of bleach there and your tree’s life will instantly improve. Not so fast. The National Christmas Tree Association says adding chemicals or additives to the water can actually make things worse. According to their website, “Research has shown that plain tap water is best. Some commercial additives and home concoctions can actually be detrimental to a tree’s moisture retention and increase needle loss.” Plain water in stands is the real key to ensuring healthy trunks and green needles.
6. Keep Trees Away From Heat
Evergreens last throughout the year, but their favorite seasons are the colder ones. For this reason, you should place your Christmas trees away from heat sources like fireplaces, direct sunlight, and furnaces. Don’t place them directly under light sources either. Under improper temperatures, your trees will suffer from browned and brittle needles.
Another large risk is that of house fires. Trees are huge and if they catch fire it doesn’t take long for them to be completely engulfed and pose a serious threat.
7. Dispose Of Trees Properly
It’s a natural part of your tree’s life to break down and lose its needles. You should aim to take down your tree before this happens. Remove everything from the tree and look into the laws and regulations of your city. Many places accept recycled Christmas trees! If your town doesn’t, you can always look into your city’s rules; each city has pointers on how to properly dispose of your trees.
Your home will have no trouble maintaining its Christmas aesthetic this holiday season. Once you absorb these tips on how to keep your Christmas tree fresh, you can keep the holiday spirit alive and well!
