Many families enjoy a “Live” tree for Christmas. The key is WATER!
I hear people refer to their “Live” tree that they decorate for the Christmas season.
Let me start by saying, if your tree is a cut tree, it’s already DEAD.
One of my Christmas Tree growers jokes with me that “Live” trees are no longer “Live”. Once the tree has been cut, it is no longer “Alive”. And it will never come back to life. So, the main consideration is keeping the tree as fresh as possible for as long as possible.
I did have a reader share this thought:
"The goal of keeping a Christmas tree fresh is to keep it alive and physiologically functioning as long as possible. The tree is actively respiring, and if it is cared for properly, some customers even have had trees break bud inside their house. Those trees are not going to drop their needles!"
The only way a Christmas Tree is still alive if it is Balled and Burlapped or Container which means roots are still attached.
No roots equal dead! But you can still keep them fresh!
Questions arise on what can I add to the water to keep it fresh? Add Aspirin, Preservative, 7-Up, Sugar?
The main need for a real tree is WATER!
Steps for caring for your live tree:
1. Place a fresh cut on the base of the tree removing about an inch.
2. Place the tree in water immediately!
3. Pick a location to display the tree away from a heat source,
heat register
or fireplace.
4. A cool room or screened in porch is a great place for a tree.
5. Refill the water every day. Our tree is taking up around a gallon of water every day.
6. When the tree stops taking water, it’s probably time to get it out of the house.
7. !f the tree begins to lose needle or the needles are brittle definitely remove it to reduce fire hazards.
8. Recycle the tree. Many municipalities accept trees and will run them through a chipper to use as compost the following year.
Here is a video explaining the steps for live Christmas Tree care.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcO6jjz2Zsk&t=1s
Be tree safe and Merry Christmas!
