How to Buy a Christmas Tree: Part Six

Now What?  Maintaining a Christmas Tree.

So you got the perfect Christmas tree and managed to get it back to your abode safe and sound.  Now what do you do? 

Maintaining a Christmas tree isn't difficult, but it does require diligece.  If you don’t intend to put your Christmas tree up immediately, then you need to store it properly to help it retain its freshness.  No matter where you purchased your Christmas tree, it needs to be stored out of the sun, either in a shady part of your yard or in an unheated garage, some place that is NOT freezing, and some place that is not blasted by cold, icy wind.   

And it’s never a good idea to just toss the tree into the front yard and leave it.  Would you leave a lawnmower or bicycle in the front yard?  Why run the risk of someone stealing that Christmas tree?  People do desperate, crazy, uncharacteristic things during the holidays.

The folks over at The National Christmas Tree Association say that most species of Christmas trees will still take up water six to eight hours after cutting.  However, don’t bruise or mutilate the bottom cut edge of the tree as it will impede water intake. It’s also important to keep that cut end free of dirt.

If you follow these tips for maintaing your Christmas tree, it should be perfectly fine for several days:

• Your freshly cut tree should go into a bucket of cool water. 
• Don’t store your Christmas tree in a place that freezes.  You don’t want your bucket of water to freeze around the trunk.
• There is no need to put anything in the tree water.  You don’t need aspirin, bleach, floral fresh additive, vodka, alcohol or anything else.  Just water and plenty of it.  Check the water in the bucket everyday.  You'll be astonished how much water a Christmas tree will drink. 

The number one rule for successfully maintaining a Christmas tree is water, water, water.  And then more water.