‘Tis the season for mistletoe, holly and yes, Christmas trees. And if you are a live tree lover, you know it takes more than plugging in the lights to keep your tree fresh and smelling good throughout the month. We too were interested in learning the best tips of making our tree last, so we turned to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Check out some of their top suggestions and even witty tips passed down throughout the years:
CARING FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE
- When you bring your tree home, saw a couple of inches off the bottom of the trunk before setting in water. When trees are cut, pitch oozes out and seals the pores. By sawing off the base, you will open up the pores, and the tree will be able to absorb water.
- Watering is critical. A freshly cut tree can consume a gallon of water in 24 hours!
- Fill the tree stand with water and keep it filled.
- Never let the water level go below the tree’s base.
- Indoors, keep the tree away from heating ducts or other heat sources. In fact, the lower the temperature, the better the tree will do.
- One old Vermonter we knew always packed his tree stand with well-watered soil and planted the tree in the mixture. The soil should be kept wet.
- Some people add aspirin or sugar to the water; we can’t say whether either helps. Again, water is the vital element.
Not sure which tree to buy? The top-selling Christmas trees, as reported by growers across the United States, are the Scotch pine, Douglas fir, white pine, and balsam fir.
Shoppers Tip: If there are a great deal of needles around all the trees on the lot, you might want to think about shopping elsewhere.
Although we can’t take of your Christmas tree inside, we can take care of your lawn outside. For more information about how we can create your dream lawn, visit us at StoneCreekGA.com.