Tree Care
Look after your Beautiful Christmas Tree
When a Christmas tree is freshly harvested over half its weight is water so to maintain the quality of the Christmas tree the most important thing is to keep its hydration levels as high as possible. This will keep its appearance fresher and allow the Christmas Tree to hold its needles for longer. The following tips should help with this –
- When you get your Christmas tree home place it in water as soon as you can. Our water holding stands are ideal for this. Most Christmas trees can take up water for up to 8 hours after the trunk has been cut. Be careful not to damage the cut surface or get it dirty.
- If the Christmas tree is not needed immediately you can store it somewhere cool in a bucket of water for several days, ideally outdoors.
- It may be necessary to make a fresh cut to the trunk to reopen the pores that allow the Christmas tree to drink. Christmas Trees naturally form a layer of sap to seal their cut surface when exposed to air, which will prevent them from drinking any water. Removing about half an inch from the base will solve this problem. Our drivers always give the Christmas trees a fresh cut before delivery.
- Using a water holding stand that has a water filled reservoir is the ideal way to display your Christmas tree. Check the water level daily and keep it topped up. The water should not be allowed to go lower than the base of the Christmas tree. The temperature of water used is not important as it does not affect water uptake. Using a Christmas Tree feed nutrient also helps to keep the Christmas tree fresh for longer
- Use a stand that is the correct size for your Christmas tree. The outer layers of the tree trunk are the most efficient at absorbing water and should not be removed to fit the Christmas tree in a stand that is too small.
- A common misconception is that drilling a hole in the base of the trunk will assist your Christmas tree to drink more, but this is untrue and unnecessary.
- Position your Christmas tree away from heat sources such as radiators and fireplaces as these will dehydrate it causing the needles to become brittle and fall off. The room temperature should be as low as possible to slow down the rate at which your Christmas tree dries out.
- LED lights use less energy and produce less heat than standard Christmas tree lights so dry out the tree less. Always check lights before use and replace them if necessary and never overload electrical circuits. Turn the lights off at night or when leaving the house.
Potted Christmas Trees
For Christmas trees with intact root systems in pots there are additional suggestions to help you look after your living tree. With adequate care it is often possible to keep your Christmas tree alive and plant it outdoors after Christmas is over.
- The Christmas tree will need adequate water. The root ball or soil should be kept slightly damp but not flooded.
- Live Christmas trees may be decorated, but with care. Any lights used must not give off too much heat, LED lights are best.
- When you are ready to plant it, do not take it outside immediately as a sudden drop in temperature can damage the Christmas tree. Instead move it to a cool place such as a garage or a porch for a few days. The Christmas tree should not be exposed to freezing temperatures.
- If the soil is not frozen the Christmas tree can be planted after the ground has been dug and mulched. Tap the pot to remove it and do not remove any strapping around the root ball unless it is plastic, as this helps to keep the roots solid secure. Don’t remove any soil from the roots and place it in the hole and backfill the hole with the soil that was dug out of it then mulch over to prevent freezing. Water only when needed. Over watering can kill the Christmas tree.
- To prevent the Christmas tree being blown over or damaged by the wind it can help to initially tie it to a stake.
- Living Christmas trees are extremely heavy and bulky – a 6 foot tree could weigh as much as 250 pounds.