We’re not in any rush for the holidays to end. Maybe we can push it to Valentine’s Day this year. But will your tree last that long? With these tips on how to make your Christmas tree last longer, we may just make it all the way to St. Paddy’s Day!
- HARVEST: Whether you choose to harvest a tree yourself, visit a cut-your-own farm, or get one from the local Boy Scout troop, take the time to look for a healthy tree. Before you even bring it across your threshold, you want to be sure it has the components to qualify as a long-term holiday participant. One key indicator of a tree’s health is its needles. Look for a tree with the fewest brown needles and that doesn’t lose those needles when you touch the branches or tap the trunk.
- CUT: If you choose to cut down your own tree, be sure to make a clean, straight cut. If you purchase a pre-cut tree, check that it too has a clean, straight cut.
If you are not going to put up the tree right away once you bring it home, store it in at least one gallon of water in an unheated area, such as the garage.
When you’re ready to put up the tree, cut another inch off of the bottom of the trunk. This extra cut will help your tree to absorb water.
- MAINTAIN: Once you have your tree in its stand, water is one of the most important factors in its longevity. Measure your tree’s trunk. As a rule of thumb, your tree requires one quart of water at all times for every inch of the trunk’s diameter.
As much as we want to create the ultimate hygge setting in our living rooms, putting a tree next to a fireplace or wood-burning stove is not the best (or safest) idea. It can cause your tree to dry out faster and may also pose a fire risk.
Final note, as much as we want our trees last forever, it won’t. When it’s done, it’s done. Remove the tree from your home before it becomes a fire hazard and add it to your compost pile for next year’s growing season!
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