how to care for your Christmas Tree

A real Christmas tree can be a beautiful centre piece during the festive season, and is certainly the object of admiration from family and friends who come to visit. But problems can arise when your tree starts to wilt in the heat, drop needles and lose its colour.

Did you know that when natural trees are stressed they begin to shed their needles in an effort to save themselves from dehydration?

In order to keep your tree in tip top condition, and avoid an abundance of needles across your floor, follow our easy steps to keep your tree looking fantastic through to New Year!


Top Tips

  • After you’ve picked your favourite tree you need to cut about half an inch off the bottom of the trunk. Someone may do this for you at the retailer, but if not you can do it yourself easily at home. This will let your tree absorb more water and remain fresher for longer.
  • Within eight hours of cutting the bottom of the tree you need to get it in water, and your tree will be very thirsty! Your tree may need up to 3 litres on the first day, and regular watering every day after this.
  • Do not remove any bark from the tree in an attempt to squeeze it into a container. Most of the water absorption comes from just under the bark, so your tree will dehydrate much quicker if you do this.
  • Some people suggest putting an aspirin in the water to help the tree, or perhaps fizzy drinks such as lemonade that will help your tree absorb some water and help it look extra lovely. BE CAREFUL putting aspirin in your water if you think a curious cat may want to have a sip from it however.
  • Allow your tree to rest for a while before you decorate it, the longer you can leave it the better, preferably twenty four hours.
  • If the foliage on your tree is quite dense, try snipping a few of the branches back to the trunk. This will create a tidier image, but will also save your tree from wasting water on more branches.
  • Place your tree in a cool place. Having your tree next to a fireplace or radiator will dry out your plant.
  • Try to use low voltage fairy lights when you decorate your tree. Larger lights will warm up the branches surrounding it and cause water loss.
  • Keep on top of collecting the fallen pine needles. These can be hazardous for infants or pets if swallowed or stuck in the skin!
  • Lastly, you might find using a Christmas tree spray may help to retain moisture in the branches. You could also try spraying hairspray on the underside of the tree, HOWEVER this will make the tree much more flammable so only do this with great  care.

Christmas Tree Decoration

 

If you follow these steps your tree should remain healthy for up to four weeks and be the envy of all your family and friends!

Haven’t bought your Christmas tree yet? Check out our expert advice on how to spot the perfect Christmas tree.

Zoe at PrimroseZoë works in the Marketing team at Primrose, and is passionate about all things social media.

After travelling across Europe and Asia, Zoë is intrigued by different cultures and learning more about the world around her. If she’s not jet setting, Zoë loves nothing more than curling up with a good book and a large glass of red wine!

She is an amateur gardener but keen to learn more and get stuck in!

See all of Zoë’s posts.