Christmas trees can stay fresh for weeks – a well-timed cut and consistent watering are key
Curtis VanderSchaaf, Assistant Professor of Forestry, Mississippi State University
Every year somewhere between 25 million and 30 million Christmas trees are sold in the United States. If you’re one of the people who decorate for the holiday with a freshly cut Christmas tree, you might be wondering how to keep it looking good all the way through Santa’s visit — and maybe even a little beyond.
Curtis VanderSchaaf is a forestry specialist at the Mississippi State University Extension Service who knows a thing or two about conifers. The Conversation U.S. asked him for guidance on how to keep a fresh green Christmas tree from becoming a giant pile of brown needles, for as long as possible. Whether you end up with a Douglas fir, a Scotch pine, a Leyland cypress, a piñon or any other evergreen, he says the quality of care you provide is a major factor in the prolonged freshness of your tree.
What to consider when choosing a tree
Select a treethat looks fresh and whose needles are not brittle. You want one that has a strong fragrance and a dark natural green color. Avoid bored holes in the wood, signs of bugs — like spider egg sacs — and other marks of pest damage. This advice holds whether you’re chopping down your own tree or buying it from a retailer.
Different species of trees have various colors, shapes, branching habits, needle types, scent and even bark type. Depending on what’s available to you, this comes down to personal preference.
If you can, pick a tree that’s been harvested as recently as possible and been watered and kept cool. Often a tree’s freshness is directly related to the moisture content of its needles. If the stump — where the tree’s trunk was cut — is sticky with sap, that’s a good sign.
Give the tree a good shake, even a hard pound on the ground. That will dislodge any animal stowaways. If a ton of dead needles or dry limbs fall out, keep looking.
Tree farms and retail lots will net your tree. It’s a lot easier to transport with the branches tucked in. If you’re going to bring it home on top of your car, consider using a tarp to keep scratches and sap off your vehicle. Make sure the tree is securely tied down, with the trunk facing forward to reduce wind damage to the branches. Take it easy on the road.
If you’re not bringing your tree indoors right away, store it in a cool, damp area that is blocked from wind and out of the sun.
Make a fresh, straight-across cut on the butt of the tree about a half-inch to 1 inch (1 to 3 centimeters) above the original cut. After any cut, a tree tries immediately to seal off, or compartmentalize, the injury, which makes it hard for the tree to take up water. So as soon as you make the new cut, place the tree in a bucket of warm water. Make sure it stays full as the tree drinks.
If you have allergies, you may want to spray the tree with a garden hose to remove residual pollen or dust — as long as the weather’s not freezing.
To keep a cut tree fresh you need to provide adequate water. Use a tree stand with a built-in reservoir, and make sure it’s always filled. A rule of thumb is 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter. A freshly cut tree may use one-half to 2 gallons of water the first day, but this amount will taper as the tree acclimates to its indoor environment.
You don’t need to worry about adding anything to the water. It seems to just be an old wives’ tale that anything — including corn syrup, aspirin, vodka, soda pop, sugar or any specialized preservatives or gels — beyond H₂0 helps prolong the freshness of the tree. No special temperature is necessary either, just not freezing cold or boiling hot.
Do not drill a hole in the bottom of the tree trunk thinking it will improve water uptake — it doesn’t.
If you have to whittle down the sides of the trunk to fit, the tree is too large for your stand. It’s the outer layers of wood that take up most of the water, so if you shave them off your tree will be in trouble.
Secure the tree in its stand, ensuring the freshly cut stump is submerged. If it’s ever out of the water for more than about a quarter-hour or so, the cut starts the healing and sealing process and you should think about making a new cut.
Once your tree is all set up, your goal is to keep it from drying out. Remember, you want your tree to be fresh, but more importantly you don’t want to create a fire hazard.
Keep the tree at least 3 feet (1 meter) from any heat source and minimize direct sun exposure. Lowering the temperature in the room may also help to maintain freshness.
Make sure any lights and their cords are in good condition and turn them off when you aren’t present. Unplug completely if you are leaving the house or going to bed. Occasional breaks from using the lights may help slow the tree’s drying-out process. And make sure your smoke detectors work and you have a fire extinguisher on hand just in case.
If properly cared for, a fresh tree will last for three to four weeks, often even five. If it starts to get dry at any point, the safest move is to get rid of it. Chipping it for compost is the most environmentally sustainable option when it’s time for the tree to go.
Then you can start enjoying the lengthening days and look forward to the next holiday on your calendar.
As an Extension Forester, Curtis VanderSchaaf has worked with Christmas tree growers in his region.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
Christmas trees can stay fresh for weeks – a well-timed cut and consistent watering are key
AP Photo/Julia Rubin
Poinsettias, of course, are for sale in all manner of venues this time of year. Many of us buy them, keep them for the next few weeks and then toss them. The trick is to keep them alive for the holiday season.
This requires first bringing the plant home with a minimum exposure to cold air. If you live in a cold climate, consider warming the car before transporting them. Once home, the plants should not be exposed to drafts from doorways or windows. Place them where daytime temperatures are between 65 and 75 Fahrenheit, and with 60 as an ideal night temp.
Soak the entire pot whenever the surface turns dry. Let them drain, and keep checking the soil surface for the next dunking.
Poinsettias should never sit in water, so if you want to keep the decorative foil that accompanies many of them, poke a hole in it to let water out.
AP Photo/Julia Rubin
Poinsettias, of course, are for sale in all manner of venues this time of year. Many of us buy them, keep them for the next few weeks and then toss them. The trick is to keep them alive for the holiday season.
This requires first bringing the plant home with a minimum exposure to cold air. If you live in a cold climate, consider warming the car before transporting them. Once home, the plants should not be exposed to drafts from doorways or windows. Place them where daytime temperatures are between 65 and 75 Fahrenheit, and with 60 as an ideal night temp.
Soak the entire pot whenever the surface turns dry. Let them drain, and keep checking the soil surface for the next dunking.
Poinsettias should never sit in water, so if you want to keep the decorative foil that accompanies many of them, poke a hole in it to let water out.
Christmas trees can stay fresh for weeks – a well-timed cut and consistent watering are key
AP Photo/Lee Reich
These are the easiest and showiest bulbs you can buy, and they produce the largest flowers you are ever likely to grow. They are usually sold together with pot and soil, and all you need to do is ensure yours is planted so that 1/3 of the top of the bulb is above the soil line.
Keep the plant growing right through summer. Then put yours into a cool, dark location so it goes dormant, to be brought out again next holiday season for flowering.
AP Photo/Lee Reich
These are the easiest and showiest bulbs you can buy, and they produce the largest flowers you are ever likely to grow. They are usually sold together with pot and soil, and all you need to do is ensure yours is planted so that 1/3 of the top of the bulb is above the soil line.
Keep the plant growing right through summer. Then put yours into a cool, dark location so it goes dormant, to be brought out again next holiday season for flowering.
Christmas trees can stay fresh for weeks – a well-timed cut and consistent watering are key
AP Photo/Julia Rubin
Christmas cactuses, Schlumbergeras, are another great plant that blooms during the mid-winter holidays. They will live for dozens of holiday seasons (some are passed on from one generation to the next) and bloom each year if exposed to shortening days. Rooting cuttings is easy using just a leaf, so it is not uncommon for a clone of the same plant to be in more than one family member's home.
Christmas cactuses do best in bright light. When it is in bloom, a Christmas cactus should only be watered when the soil is dry. Too much water and the flowers will drop off, so this is one of those times when too dry is better than too wet.
The rest of the year, water by soaking the pot when the surface soil dries out. Next fall, give yours natural light and keep cool, up against a window, and they will bloom again.
AP Photo/Julia Rubin
Christmas cactuses, Schlumbergeras, are another great plant that blooms during the mid-winter holidays. They will live for dozens of holiday seasons (some are passed on from one generation to the next) and bloom each year if exposed to shortening days. Rooting cuttings is easy using just a leaf, so it is not uncommon for a clone of the same plant to be in more than one family member's home.
Christmas cactuses do best in bright light. When it is in bloom, a Christmas cactus should only be watered when the soil is dry. Too much water and the flowers will drop off, so this is one of those times when too dry is better than too wet.
The rest of the year, water by soaking the pot when the surface soil dries out. Next fall, give yours natural light and keep cool, up against a window, and they will bloom again.
Christmas trees can stay fresh for weeks – a well-timed cut and consistent watering are key
AP Photo/Paula Ulichney
These, too, are their own gardening activity. Make sure your tree is kept in plenty of water and pay the strictest attention to safety rules if you use lights. After Christmas, look for a place that will chip up and recycle your tree, or place it in a back corner of your yard as cover for birds.
AP Photo/Paula Ulichney
These, too, are their own gardening activity. Make sure your tree is kept in plenty of water and pay the strictest attention to safety rules if you use lights. After Christmas, look for a place that will chip up and recycle your tree, or place it in a back corner of your yard as cover for birds.
Christmas trees can stay fresh for weeks – a well-timed cut and consistent watering are key
AP Photo/Julia Rubin
The bulbs of these daffodil family members are pre-chilled so they can be planted now and produce flowers in a month to six weeks. If you find them for sale, by all means buy as many as you can. The only caveat is that some family members may object to the unbelievably sweet smell of their blooms.
While you can grow these bulbs by siting their bases in just a bit of water, it is best to plant them in a shallow container of soil. They don't need much water and will perform well if given the best light you have. If yours sprouts, you are guaranteed flowers, at least the first year. People usually toss them when they are finished, as they're unlikely to flower again.
AP Photo/Julia Rubin
The bulbs of these daffodil family members are pre-chilled so they can be planted now and produce flowers in a month to six weeks. If you find them for sale, by all means buy as many as you can. The only caveat is that some family members may object to the unbelievably sweet smell of their blooms.
While you can grow these bulbs by siting their bases in just a bit of water, it is best to plant them in a shallow container of soil. They don't need much water and will perform well if given the best light you have. If yours sprouts, you are guaranteed flowers, at least the first year. People usually toss them when they are finished, as they're unlikely to flower again.
Some tips can help your tree look as good as it did on the lot for longer. The Good Brigade/DigitalVision via Getty Images
Netting the tree makes it easier to transport and helps prevent damage to the branches. Wicki58/iStock via Getty Images Plus
Get the freshly cut tree into water immediately or the wound will start to seal, preventing any water uptake. koldunova/iStock via Getty Images Plus
With the right preparation and care, your tree can last a month or so. 10’000 Hours/DigitalVision via Getty Images