Christmas Tree Care & Selection
Made Simple
Which Tree for Me?
Good care for Christmas trees comes second only to proper selection, but here are some considerations which will help in making these choices. Different species of trees will last longer once cut than others. If your family wishes to display the tree for more than a couple weeks, this matter will be of prime importance when making your selection. Balsam and Douglas fir last about four to six weeks with proper care. The pines will dry out and turn brown a little faster, and a spruce will stay greener, though will dry in perhaps another week. If the tree is going up during the first couple weeks of December, it would be good to get the Balsam or Douglas. The number and size of decorations is another consideration. Are there a lot of ornaments that are going onto the tree? Are there a good number of large ornaments? If so, the best choice of a tree might be one of the pines, with a more open structure to show them off to their best advantage. An older tree might also be called for. Make sure that you measure the area where you wish to display the tree, as well. Measure for both height, and circumference, and be sure to stick with a tree that will fit in the space you've arranged for it. It should not touch walls, windows or furniture, and should not touch the ceiling. Don't forget to subtract for the height of any tree-topper you might wish to add!!!
Buying & Transporting Your Christmas Tree
Once you've selected the size and species of Christmas tree you wish to bring home, the next question is where to find it. Some families make it a tradition to go to a choose and cut yard. Here, you cut the specific tree you want from among many still growing in the field.
These days, Christmas tree sales lots spring up in parking lots all over town, starting about the weekend after Thanksgiving. While you won't have the choice of what species of trees are presented, the convenience of staying in town might save some time if you are in a hurry.
If you are not going to cut your own, there are a few tricks to make sure that you have a fresh tree. Fresh trees, of course, will last longer than ones that have been cut and have started to dry out.
First, grasp one of the branches on the tree you've selected, and run your hand down to its tip. Few green needles should come off, and the branch should feel soft and supple in your hand.
It goes without saying that the tree should have a good scent. The stronger the aroma, the fresher and healthier the tree.
Needle color should be bright and clear, not faded, and definitely not brown!
The cut end of the tree should look fresh and light colored. It should not look dry or be cracked, and the color should not be a faded or dark gray.
One last check should be performed before paying for the tree. See if the seller has a shaker, and have the tree shaken. If not, grasp by the upper section of the trunk, and pound the tree's stump on the ground a few times. Check to see what green, if any, needles fall off.
This accomplishes a couple of things. First, any foreign matter and most of the dead needles should fall off the tree during the process. Secondly, if an over abundance of green needles falls off, it would be wise to select another tree and go through the process again.
Special Note: Never pick up the tree or shake it by its top. Not only could it be broken off, but it will be awkward, and therefore dangerous! For the same reason, branches are off limits, too.
Now that you've got the right tree, its important to get it home in the same shape you found it in!
Most sellers will tie or bundle the tree to keep its branches together. This will help to prevent broken branches during transport. It will also make the tree a lot easier to handle once you get it home.
Take a tarp with you when you go for your tree. Even if it is wrapped by the seller, wrap it again with the tarp. This will help keep the tree from drying out - especially during a long drive. It will offer even more protection for the branches, and it will keep most of the needles that do fall off out of your vehicle.
Now That Your Christmas Tree Is Home
The first thing you want to do is to cut a 'cookie' off of the bottom of the tree trunk about 1 inch in length. Make the cut straight across, not on an angle. Unlike flowers, an angled cut will actually damage a tree's ability to absorb water, and that is exactly what you want it to do!
Next, unwrap the tree so that the branches do not become permanently bent.
Stand the tree in a large, full bucket of water, out of direct sunlight, and protected from wind, but in a cool place. Next to the north side of the house and behind some bushes is best, but an unheated garage will work.
Special Note: During the first few days, your tree will probably go through nearly a gallon of water per day. Be sure to check a couple times a day during the first week - especially if the tree will be outside for a few days before being set up.
Let's Set Up That Christmas Tree!
Setting up the Christmas tree is the last stop before the fun of decorating starts! To begin with, be absolutely sure that the stand you've chosen is large and stable enough for your tree. The reservoir should be as large as possible also, so that watering is less frequent and easier.
Before bringing in your tree, bounce it a few more times on the ground, just to get rid of any more brown needles and other matter that might have blown into the branches. Then, cut another inch or two off of the base of the trunk.
The perfect spot for your Christmas tree is a place that is as far away as possible from drafts, heat and direct light. Keep it away from heat ducts and radiators, the television set, and any other sources of heat (especially the fireplace!) as possible. Also, if you can, place it away from windows which have a southern exposure so that there will be no sunlight directly blazing onto the tree during the day.
If you wish to fire-proof your tree, there are anti-transpirant sprays available, which should be available at the lot - be sure to ask when you purchase your tree. These are also usually fire-marshal-approved, which will be written somewhere on the can.
Also, if you are intending to use lights on your tree, be sure that there are no frayed or damaged wires, and that everything is in good working order. It goes without saying that if there are any signs of damage at all, it's time for new lights anyway!
Special Note: Fire-proofing your tree is not necessary so long as the water reservoir is constantly full (never let the base of the tree be out of the water - even for a minute!)
Finally, before putting your tree in its stand and adding the water, it might be a good idea to place a tree disposal bag under the whole works. This will make cleaning up after the holidays much easier, and will also protect the floor from spilled water.
Caring for Your Christmas Tree
Throughout the Season
There are a few things that need to be done throughout the season to be sure your tree stays in tip-top shape until after New Years.
I would avoid using dusting sprays around the Christmas tree, as well as window cleaners, etc. Not only do these add scent to the room, but chemicals to the tree. It will dry out the needles if it gets on them, and is really quite unnecessary anyway.
If your tree is pine, please keep open flame as far away as possible. The resin in the pine tree is highly combustible, and if ignited can explode. This is the same reason people are warned not to put conifer branches into fireplaces. Other species are less explosive, but all conifers are extremely flammable when dry.
That said, here are four more hints for keeping your Christmas tree in perfect shape throughout the holiday season:
- Be sure to check and water the tree daily
- Keep pets and children from playing under the tree
- Never leave the house or go to bed with the tree lights on
- Try to keep wrapping paper out from under the tree on Christmas morning
It would be my personal recommendation to keep lit candles well away from a cut tree. However, I do realize that people have had candles on Christmas trees for millennia. If you are going to have candles on your tree, please use the candle cups to avoid dripping wax and blowing flames. Also, please do not ever leave them unattended - even for a second.
Disposing of Your Christmas Tree
After the Holidays
Obviously, you should remove the Christmas tree either when the season is over, or the tree is dry - whichever happens to come first. Keeping the tree through the entire holiday season should not have been difficult if it has been well cared for. Most communities have curb-side pick-up for Christmas trees sometime in early January. If this is the chosen method of disposal, you will be glad for the bag you put under it at the beginning of the season! The Christmas trees are picked up by your regular garbage man, and usually taken to an area and chipped for mulch by the municipality. If you happen to have a chipper, you could do this work yourself, and use the chips to mulch gardens, shrubs or other areas of your yard. It will save you time and money next year, and be that much less to buy in the spring, when mulching season starts again. If you have a fireplace, remove the branches and dispose of them as above. Then, cut the trunk into sections and use in the fireplace. It is not necessary to remove the bark if you have a fire-screen. You can stand the tree in a corner of the yard by securing it to a fence or another tree. It will serve as shelter for local birds and other area wildlife. Stand the tree on its trunk, and lean toward the corner of a fence if possible, to provide the best shelter for small birds. You can even hang suet from the branches to feed those birds through the worst part of the winter to come. Finally, if you are lucky enough to have a stocked pond at your place, weight the trunk end of your old Christmas tree, and slip it into the water to provide shelter for young and small fish in the pond. Many conservationists recommend this as it is a perfectly natural method of providing safe cover for many native species of small fish. Top: Christmas Tree
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