Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, or so a song has told me. And nothing says Christmas like a beautifully decorated tree. When I was a youngster my family believed in using a fake tree. It was a sad little tree, relegated to spending most of its life folded up in a box. Then a Christmas miracle occurred one year, my Dad decided no more, and he bought a live tree. This truly was a seminal moment of my childhood.
Of course, with a live tree comes some steps for preservation. If not followed, your tree will begin to resemble something out of a Charlie Brown Christmas Special. What is the magical tree elixir from the Gods? It is quite simple: clean water. If you do this, a well cared for tree should last for 3-4 weeks.
Here are just a few Christmas tree Do’s and Dont’s for any non-Scrooge to follow.
Do
Cut the tree down yourself if possible.
Not only will channeling your inner Paul Bunyan impress your wife and kids, you will know when it was cut, and how it looked when cut.
Use a tree stand with a water basin.
The rule of thumb is that a tree needs 1 quart of water per inch of stem. Therefore, a 4-inch stem needs to be in a gallon of water. Less than that, and you run the risk of the tree running out of water. This could make the tree unhappy, which might result in your tree taking itself and your presents over to the Jones's house. They have a top of the line tree stand with a 1-gallon water basin.
Put your tree into water within 6-8 hours of cutting.
After you keep up with the Jones and get that deluxe water basin, it’s imperative that the tree is placed into it within 8 hours. Once cut, the sap at the tree base will start to crystalize and make it impossible for the tree to take up water, which happens after about 8 hours.
Ensure your tree has water at all times.
When you wake up after having a few eggnog drinks at your office party you’re probably a little parched. A tree is no different, except for maybe the eggnog it needs to quench its thirst. Remember a Christmas tree is just as important to the season as Santa, so make sure your green friend has plenty to drink.
Recut the base if not freshly cut within the past 12 hours.
If you weren’t the one who cut the tree down make sure you ask Mearl at the lot when it was cut. If Mearl can’t remember, or you do not speak lumberjack, then cutting a 1/4” section from the base perpendicular to the trunk - no diagonal cuts - will allow the tree to absorb water again.
Keep your tree away from heat sources.
Nothing says Christmas cheer like a five-alarm fire at your house. But seriously, heat will dry out your tree, so keep it a safe distance from the fireplace.
Don't
Don’t drill a hole into the base of your tree.
This is often referred to as the IV method. Don’t try to further evolution. Trees have got the water intake process down. This doesn't help your tree.
Don’t spray your tree with antitranspirants.
Antitranspirants are just like antiperspirants, they attempt to prevent water loss. A plant can lose moisture just as fast as Santa when he is under all of those bright lights in the mall. However, they don't work on cut trees and they can make the leaves dry out faster.
Don’t add water-holding gels to your water basin.
Once again clean water is important. Not water that contains some strange gel made from who knows what, and who knows where. You don’t want your tree to sprout a second trunk because of the chemicals in the gel. Next thing you know the tree is alive and talking about moving in with your family once the holiday is over.
Don’t spray flame retardants on your tree.
In an ironic twist of fate that no one saw coming, flame retardants dry your tree out, making it a greater fire hazard.
Don’t whittle the sides of the trunk to make it fit.
The sides of the tree are the most efficient water uptake areas of a tree base. Would you like it if someone tried to whittle you down so you could fit into that ugly Christmas sweater?
Don't worry about the temperature of the water in the base.
I get it. No one wants to spend all day with their feet in cold water. I assure you 100% that your Christmas tree will not care about the temperature of the water. The only thing your tree will be concerned with is the simple fact that there is water.
