Five Tips for Keeping Your Christmas Tree Healthy

You found a great Christmas tree, perhaps after dancing around a bit.

It smells wonderful. The branches are stout; the needles, pliable. How do you maintain this state of perceived perfection?

Based on experience, you know things won’t last. The tree will dry out and sag. Needles will litter the floor. Eventually, the relationship comes to an end.

So why not extend the enjoyment as long as possible? These five Christmas tree care tips will help keep yours green and healthy … and your relationship alive.

1)    The trip home: Hard to believe, but the ride home can affect the longevity of a Christmas tree. Road salt sucks moisture out of a tree. One lashed atop a car can easily be exposed. Thankfully, the need for road salt has been almost non-existent this winter in Brookfield, Elm Grove and New Berlin, WI. In future years, though, consider spraying down a tree when you get home if roads are salted.

2)    Start out clean: Rinse out the tree stand before putting a tree into it. Chances are your stand has been collecting dirt or dust in an attic for 11 months. Both clog the cells of a tree, preventing it from absorbing moisture ... which dries it out faster.

3)    Make a fresh cut: Cut a few inches off the bottom of the tree’s trunk to open fresh pores, which soak up water and keep things fresh. Many tree lots will make a cut for you. Get the tree into water as soon as possible after cutting. If the delay is an hour or more, consider making another fresh cut.

4)    Avoid the heat: Direct heat accelerates a tree’s drying-out. If possible, position your tree away from heat vents, fireplaces or radiators.

5)    Start out hot: Use very hot water the first time you put your tree into its stand or a temporary bucket. Hot water absorbs better initially. You only need to do so once; room-temperature water is fine for filling the stand afterward. Be sure to check the water level daily, as very fresh trees can suck up a surprising amount.

Keep filling the stand with water, based on need. Once a tree stops “drinking,” it usually begins dropping large amounts of needles in 10 to 14 days. These are harbingers. The end is near.

Good things don’t last forever. For many, those needles on the floor signal a melancholy finish to the holiday season. But correctly caring for a Christmas tree can put it off just a bit longer.

Still don’t have a Christmas tree? It’s not too late to order one from GMS for in-home delivery in Brookfield, Elm Grove and New Berlin, WI. Contact us to have yours delivered, so you can put these tips to use and really enjoy the season!