So you've weighed up whether to buy a fake or a real Christmas tree and plumped for the real one this year, at an average cost of between $80-100. That's not much more than last year as wholesale prices have stabilized, according to the Real Christmas Tree Board. Throw in the cost of Christmas lights, your nicest ornaments, and the presents underneath the three, and it all adds up to a real holiday investment.
But what if the tree's branches are starting to droop, and the needles look a little dry? Here's what you can do to keep your home's festive centerpiece perky throughout the whole holiday season.
Test for freshness by gently grasping a branch and drawing your hand down the branch. A few green or brown needles falling off isn't a big deal, but if lots of green needles come off, try a different tree.
2. Make a fresh cut
NCTA advises that you cut a 1/2-inch thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk when you get it home — before you put it into a tree stand or container. This will improve the ability of the trunk to absorb water. Forget the cut, and you'll definitely have more falling needles than you can handle.
Don’t cut the trunk at an angle, or into a v-shape, which makes it far more difficult to hold the tree in the stand and also reduces the amount of water available to the tree.
3. Use fresh water
According to the Christmas tree experts at Michigan State University, a fresh tree can use up to 1 quart of water per day for each inch of diameter on the cut end. A typical 7-foot-tall tree with a 3-inch trunk diameter needs up to 3 quarts of water per day.
NCTA recommends that you place your tree in fresh water as soon as you bring it home. This can be a designated Christmas tree stand or a suitable bucket. Check the water level once or twice a day and always keep the base of the tree trunk submerged in a small amount of water.
You want your tree to be drinking a lot of water, which shows the tree is fresh and hydrated.
4. Avoid special additives
It's become a trend to add sugar or bleach or flower food to your tree's water. Your family may even have a homebrew additive you swear by each holiday season. Resist the urge.
The American Society for Horticultural Science tested a range of Christmas tree additives for needle retention potential, and the results show you're better off just using distilled water for overall tree health, cost, and hassle factors:
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Christmas Tree Additive
Needle Loss Percentage
Clorox bleach
99.5%
Generic Aspirin
72.3%
"Tree Life"
33.3%
"Yule Prolong"
29.3%
"Floralife"
27.6%
"Tree Care"
13.3%
"Crop-Life"
9.1%
"Keeps-it-Green"
9.0%
Distlilled water
6.0%
Sugar
5.8%
7-Up
5.3%
Unsurprisingly the bleach did not help with needle retention...
5. Avoid heat sources
You should keep your tree away from fireplaces, radiators, heat vents and other heat sources, according to the National Fire Prevention Association. Exposure to heat can dry your tree out early, creating a floor full of needles and an immediate fire hazard.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology ran tests that showed a dry Christmas tree that catches fire will burn an entire room in a mere 20 seconds. By comparison, a fire set multiple times in a watered Christmas tree smoldered briefly before going out on its own. The safety difference between dry and watered couldn't be more clear.
Ben Demers manages digital content and engagement at Kiplinger, informing readers through a range of personal finance articles, e-newsletters, social media, syndicated content, and videos. He is passionate about helping people lead their best lives through sound financial behavior, particularly saving money at home and avoiding scams and identity theft. Ben graduated with an M.P.S. from Georgetown University and a B.A. from Vassar College. He joined Kiplinger in May 2017.
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