It’s that time of the year when everyone is bringing home a Christmas tree and blasting Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You! But you have to make sure that your Christmas tree lives to see the big day. So here are some tips on how to take care of your Christmas tree to keep it healthy and glowing till after Christmas day.
Buying the Christmas Tree:
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Choose a tree that is healthy, green, and has the least number of brown needles.
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Choose a tree that is visible in a shaded area. Don't choose from a sunny spot.
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Through your palms, pass a few branches. The needles ought to be flexible and should not come off.
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Raise the tree a short distance before planting the trunk. The tree should shed very few green needles, but it's okay if it loses a few brown ones.
Trim the Trunk:
When buying a Christmas tree, make sure the merchant makes a fresh cut that runs parallel to the trunk's base to facilitate water absorption. This removes any resin that has dried out and can be preventing the tree from absorbing water.
Put your tree in a bucket of water when you get home if you won't be putting it up right away. (Please take note that you should always keep real trees in an unheated garage or other location away from the elements. Make another inch-long cut from the trunk's bottom when you're prepared to bring it inside to help with water absorption.
Check Water Level:
Place your tree in a stable stand that can handle at least one gallon of water once you're inside. Secondly, don't forget to routinely water your Christmas tree. If you don't, the resin can build, making the tree unable to absorb water and causing it to dry up too quickly.
A dry Christmas tree can put your property at risk, putting much more than simply looks at risk. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), between 2015 and 2019, 160 home fires were reported in the United States each year that were caused by Christmas trees. A dry Christmas tree can burn down half of your living room in less than 30 seconds, but a wet tree won't do that.
How much water is required by your tree, then? According to Rachel Rothman, executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute, "Your stand should include a water reservoir that can store one quart of water for every inch of the trunk's diameter." Just keep in mind to check the water level every day and top it off as necessary; it should always reach the bottom two inches of the trunk.
Although you may have heard individuals suggest adding things to the water like bleach, corn syrup, aspirin, and sugar, we think that adding preservatives and additives to trees is definitely not essential. The majority of specialists agree that all a tree needs to stay fresh is access to plenty of clean water.
Keep It Away from Heat:
There is nothing more magical than a beautifully decorated Christmas tree next to a raging fireplace, but continuous fireplace use will quicken the drying out of your tree along with tangled lights, candles, radiators, air ducts, and stoves. Additionally, according to the NFPA, placing a tree too close to a heat source accounts for about one-fifth of all Christmas tree fires.
Use a top-rated humidifier to add moisture to the space if your home is prone to dryness. The Levoit Ultrasonic Humidifier is suggested by the Good Housekeeping Institute Tech Lab for large spaces (like the living room!). In our tests, it did well, and it can supply enough moisture to the air to prolong the freshness of your tree.
Take Tree Down Before It Dries Out
You will just have more dead pine needles to deal with if you put off taking down your Christmas tree too long. The simplest way to remove fallen needles is to use the hose on your vacuum; skip the fancy attachments and simply use the hose's end to drag needles into the bag or canister.
When your tree is finally done with you, you have a few options: you can make your own mulch out of it, recycle it, or use it to create a fresh compost pile. If you're looking for a more environmentally friendly solution, you can also find out what kind of disposal choices your city has.
