Christmas Tree Care
Christmas tree care is as important as the decorations on the tree itself. It’s that time of year again and we have a rule in our house. No decorating before December 1st. Really the rule should be that decorations can’t stay up until March! That’s usually what ends up happening after the hustle and bustle of the holidays. This week we are going to look quickly at taking care of your Christmas tree.
No Tree:
No Tree? No problem! Maybe it’s not your thing, maybe you don’t celebrate Christmas as your holiday. But if you still want to learn how about Christmas tree care, keep reading.
Fake Trees:
Really this sections should almost be blank. Just make sure it’s safe. Don’t overload it so it can fall over. Double check the base. And, if you’re still using the old school lights, just make sure you’re not overloading a circuit risking a fire.
Real Trees:
When it comes to Christmas tree care, the first step is picking the right tree. You want healthy, natural, and f possible from a reputable tree lot. In order of popularity the top trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, white pine, and balsam fir. Give the branches a quick pull and shake to make sure needles don’t fall off. This is your freshness test. Once you have selected you tree and you have it at home you’ll want to saw off the very bottom of the trunk. When they are cut initially sap will seal up the pores. A fresh cut will help it to absorb water.
Once you have it in the pot and secured to the base it’s time to water water water. A fresh tree can use up to a gallon of water in the first 24 hours! Never let the water go below the base of your Christmas tree.
Some people will swear by adding some sugar or even aspirin, but water is ultimately the source of a healthy tree. If you’re going to go down the road of additives, make certain that whatever you are adding matches the tree’s chemistry.
For long term care you’ll need to do your best to recreate its natural environment. Keep it cool and keep it quenched. If your tree is dry, it will start to die. You can keep it packed with a healthy mixture of soil, provided of course that you are keeping it well watered. This should help to provide other micro nutrients to the tree without overloading it with sugar and aspirin. They naturally grow in soil.
Christmas tree care is that easy. Start fresh, and keep it happy. The final step is to decorate and get those presents ready. Enjoy and happy holidays.