When it comes to prolonging the life of your Christmas tree, your main focus is to try to keep the needles from drying out. Dry needles fall off, and the cheer is drained from your tree once that happens. Here are six tips for keeping your fresh-cut Christmas tree alive and well.
Regulating Home Temperature
Keep your tree away from heating vents and fireplaces. The tree standing by the crackling fire may be a lovely Christmas scene, but a toasty fire is the quickest way to dry out your tree. Placing your tree close to lamps and heating vents will also dry out your needles.
Upgrade Your Lights
Use modern lights, not hand-me-downs. Modern lights don’t heat up as much. And as a bonus, they’re much safer. Modern lights have fused plugs to prevent sparks if there’s a short circuit.
Tree Trunk Preparation
As you do with fresh-cut flowers, you’ll want to cut a half-inch off the bottom of the tree’s trunk before placing your tree in the stand. This will increase water uptake.
Watering Time
According to the College of Agriculture Science at Penn State, your tree stand should have a water basin. It should provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter. So, think of the tree size you typically buy and purchase a tree stand that fits but also feeds water appropriately.
When To Check Water Level
How often do you have to water your Christmas tree? Keep your water basin full. Check daily to ensure the base of your tree is submerged in water. Also, make sure it is drinking water. It would be advisable to add water line marks to observe the level. How often should you check your Christmas tree? It is recommended to check and add water every day.
Are Additives Needed?
The National Christmas Tree Association reports there is no need to include additives in your water. This is perfect because you don’t need to buy soda pop or boil water for sugary syrup. Your tree’s thirst is solely dependent on clean tap water.
Conclusion
A well-cared-for tree should remain fresh for at least three to four weeks. However, a new scientific discovery might soon allow our beloved Christmas trees to last even longer. A recent study found that an ethylene hormone causes a tree to drop its needles. Scientists have been able to stop ethylene production, doubling the number of times needles stayed on a cut pine branch. So take heart, you may soon be able to purchase a product that keeps your Christmas tree alive well into the new year!
