Plenty of Water, Proper Cuts
Keeps Christmas Trees Fresh
Whether you're just heading out to get your
tree or already have one in the stand, these
tips can help extend your tree's
freshness.
- What's the best thing to add to the water in my tree stand?
- I heard a copper penny in the water keeps the tree fresher.
- What sort of stand is best?
- What else can be done to extend the life (and reduce fire risk) of my tree?
- It seems that every year my tree starts losing needles right away and never quits. Why is that?
- Last year, the bolts on my stand cut right into the trunk, but the tree still wasn't stable. What can I do?
| Question | Answer |
| What's the best thing to add to the water in my tree stand? | More water. |
| I heard a copper penny in the water keeps the tree fresher. Top |
Copper penny, sugar, Seven-Up.
There are lots of suggestions out there, and they may not hurt,
but why bother? The secret to getting more life out of
your cut Christmas tree is water, water, water. Don't let the water drop below the cut stump. Do the finger test. If you don't touch water without stretching, add more. A tree absorbs about a gallon of water in the first 24 hours and a quart or two a day after that. A tree just cut from a tree farm probably won't absorb as much initially because it has not had time to dry out. |
| What sort of stand is best? Top |
One with a large reservoir.
It used to be all you could buy were stands with dinky
reservoirs that held only a cup of two of water. Most
newer stands hold much more. According to the National
Christmas Tree Association (www.realchristmastrees.org),
the rule of thumb for reservoir size is one quart for every inch
of trunk diameter. Check the water level a few times a day
for the first couple of days; thereafter, once a day should
suffice. Keep a watering can handy; a wine bottle works just as well. Keep it somewhere conspicuous, so you'll be reminded to check the water. Some folks keep their fresh-cut tree in a cool, dark place for a few days in a large bucket with lots of water until the tree absorbs a small amount of the water. |
| What else can be done to extend the life (and reduce fire
risk) of my tree? Top |
Make a "good" stump cut.
Whenever the cut end of the trunk is exposed to air, it starts
sealing itself with sap. After a few hours, it's totally
sealed and stops working as a "straw." A sealed-off cut
won't take up water no matter how diligent you are about keeping
the reservoir filled. Use a pruning saw or a chain saw to make a clean, horizontal cut 1/4-inch from the end. It is best to make the cut after you get the tree home. Then, without delay, put it in water. Even if your stand is ready, the furniture has been rearranged and your helper is at hand, you must immediately put the stump into a bucket of water. If the location is not ready, store the tree in a covered porch or in the garage, not in the sun. Sun and wind will dry out a cut tree. If you already have your Christmas tree up and you didn't cut the end of the stump, you don't have to undecorate to undo the damage. Have someone gently lift the tree straight up from the stand and hold it as you drill two or three holes in the trunk below the water line. That will enable the tree to "drink." |
| It seems that every year my tree starts losing
needles right
away and never quits. Why is that? Top |
You didn't do a "freshness test" when you bought
it. There are two general ways to test for how long a tree
has been cut or how it has been treated since being cut. (1) Grasp a small branch and pull it gently through your fingers. If a few brown needles shed, don't worry. But, if more than just a few green needles fall, pick another tree. (2) If the tree is wrapped in netting, pick it up and drop it on its stump from a height of a few inches. Beware if green needles rain down. Loss of a few brown interior needles is normal. |
| Last year, the bolts on my stand cut right into the trunk, but the tree still wasn't stable. What can I do? | There is a neat trick to modify your stand, so the bolts hold the tree more securely. Buy two nuts and one metal washer for each bolt. Screw them on the end, with the washer sandwiched between the nuts. This creates a larger, flat surface to press against the trunk, holding the tree more securely. It also makes it easier to get the tree out of the stand after Christmas. |
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