For many people, buying and decorating a Christmas tree is one of the most enjoyable parts of the festive season – and for some, it even helps to herald the arrival of the holidays.
And while there are plenty of faux firs available for those hoping to avoid the inevitable mess of pine needles on the floor, or the fuss of having to go and pick out a tree to bring home, there is something about a natural option that can be so much more appealing – from the scent to the fresh greenery.
One major drawback, however, is the brutal battle to ensure that your Christmas tree remains alive for as long as your festive spirit; spotting brown needles on a tree when you’re only a few days into December can be devastating.
Thankfully, FEMAIL has put together some simple, yet very effective, tips and tricks for ensuring your tree stays healthy and green for as long as possible – right on into the New Year.
Chop chop: Cutting down a tree yourself is the best way to guarantee freshness
Cut your own tree
Cutting down a tree yourself, is the best bet to get the freshest tree. By chopping it down on your own, you know exactly how long it’s been alive and how healthy it is rather than going to a shop or a parking lot sale to get a tree
Mark Derowitsch, a spokesperson for the Arbor Day Foundation, said, ‘the best way to ensure the most beautiful Christmas tree is to cut your own from a local farm, or to have one cut for you.
‘That guarantees freshness, and by going to a local tree farm you know it’s going to be sustainable, so trees will be replanted, and it will be a selective harvest,’ he said.
Avoid brown needles
If a tree has brown needles on it, it’s dying. Also, just because a tree is bright green, doesn’t mean it’s healthy.
The true test to find out if a tree is healthy or not is to touch the branches and see how the needles feel. If the needles are flexible, that’s a good sign – if the needles are dry, it’s not healthy.
Another way to tell if the tree is healthy or not is to touch the branches and see if any needles fall off. In the case that they do fall, the tree is not a good one.
Needles: Avoid brown needles and check if the branches are flexible, which is a sign of health
Pick the right species
While the best part about buying a Christmas tree is looking at all of them to see which one is prettiest, that’s not the best move.
Picking the right species will make or break Christmas. Some of the most popular trees that will help you figure out which tree is right for you are the firs.
Nobile firs are known for their symmetry and short pointy needles that don’t fall all over the place.
Frasier firs, which are famous for their amazing fragrance, are the highest selling trees, with about five to seven million trees sold in the US each year.
Handle with care
It’s important to remember that once the tree is picked out, how it is handled and transported home is crucial.
Tchukki Andersen, a staff arborist for the Tree Care Industry Association, suggests ‘wrapping it in a plastic tarp to protect it for the journey home.’
No matter where or when the tree was purchased, as soon as get home, make a fresh one-inch cut off the end of the trunk and place the tree in a bucket of warm water.
By doing this, it gets rid of extra dried-up sap that’s blocking the tree from getting water.
Maintain a high water level
Keeping the water level of the tree high is essential for two reasons.
One, by keeping it high, it allows the tree to be watered for a few days without you having to do it every day.
Two, if the water level is low enough that the cut on the tree trunk is exposed, sap and resin will build up which affects the tree’s ability to absorb water.
Species: Choose a tree species based off other factors besides being pretty, such as needle retention or fragrance
Keep away from heat
Whether it’s a fireplace, radiator or window – sunlight can be a drying factor – keep the tree away from heat for two important reasons.
One, the tree can quickly dry out and two, it’s a major fire hazard.
Feeding the tree is not necessary
Some people feed their tree with preservatives and nutrients, others do not.
Tchukki Andersen shared that it is not necessary for trees to be fed, although you can if you want to.
‘Many people have found success in their tree longevity by mixing a tablespoon of corn syrup or sugar in the basin water as a food source for the tree,’ she shared.
Recycle it after the holidays
Take a tip from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, which is cut into lumber and given to Habitat For Humanity, and recycle your spruce once the holidays are over.
There are a variety of different programs in cities that take tree donations so that they could turn them into mulch or lumber.