Everyone wants to keep their Christmas tree alive longer. It’s so disappointing to watch your tree start to turn brown and crispy in your front room, all the while holding all your decorations for the Christmas season. But there are ways to slow or maybe even prevent your Christmas tree from dying too soon. Here are some tips on how to keep your Christmas tree alive longer.
The first way to avoid the brown and dying Christmas tree in your house is to simply buy an artificial tree. They are safer because they do not pose as much of a fire hazard as a real tree (this is not to say that artificial trees don’t come with their own safety issues- artificial trees that spin on their bases may be unsafe to leave unattended, as well as some other types of artificial trees). But that is a topic for another time. Just remember that if you abhor having a less than fresh looking Christmas tree, you can always buy an artificial one.
The first and best way to ensure that your Christmas tree will live longer, is to initially choose a tree that is not already on the verge of death. Your best bet is to choose a healthy looking tree that is still growing and then cut it yourself. Your tree will last longer if it hasn’t been sitting around already dead for the past several weeks. The next best thing would be buying a recently pre-cut tree. In this case, make sure that the tree is still alive and healthy. Pull on the needles. If they come off easily, it’s probably not in the best condition. The trunk of the tree should still be sticky and the limbs should be very flexible. Heft the tree and bounce the cut end on the ground. If you see a whole bunch of needles come off, it isn’t the best tree to take home. You can also choose certain types of trees that will last longer than others to help with this process.
The next thing you should do to keep your tree fresh is to make a fresh cut on the bottom. When you get the Christmas tree home, cut off the bottom two inches of trunk. This will create a fresh, raw cut for the tree to soak in water. If you don’t do this, the tree trunk may not be able to drink in the water of the Christmas tree stand and your tree will not last as long.
Now you must remember to keep your tree well hydrated. This is the best way to keep it alive for a long time. Keep the water in the stand well above the fresh cut bottom of the trunk. You don’t need to add anything but water (your tree doesn’t have sugar or caffeine cravings). There are, however, products available to help your Christmas tree from getting too thirsty.
If you keep your Christmas tree too warm, it won’t last as long. Think about it- your tree has just been spending its past years outside in snowy, cold weather. When you bring it inside, it’s suddenly hot and dry. So to keep your tree looking good for a longer period of time, keep it away from heat sources like the fireplace or heater vents. The cooler the tree stays, the better.
Following these tips will not guarantee that your tree will live longer, but they will help. Some trees will naturally do better indoors for a longer period of time. Some trees naturally don’t last as long. So do some research on types of trees and find out which tree would be best for you.