Families across the UK who have chosen a real Christmas tree this year are being advised to follow four simple but vital steps to ensure their festive centrepiece remains healthy and vibrant right through to Christmas Day.
The Challenge of Keeping a Real Tree Fresh
For many, selecting a real tree from a local garden centre or farm is a beloved tradition. However, maintaining a living tree requires more know-how than unpacking an artificial alternative. Without proper care, trees can quickly dehydrate, shed needles, and droop, potentially spoiling the festive atmosphere long before December 25th arrives.
Halls Garden Centre in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, has taken to social media platform TikTok to demonstrate the key maintenance steps. Their goal is to help households avoid the disappointment of a prematurely withering tree and carpets covered in pine needles.
Step One: Delay Bringing It Indoors
The first tip is to keep your newly purchased tree outdoors for as long as possible. Experts compare the tree to a fresh bouquet of flowers. Bringing it into the warm, dry air of your home accelerates dehydration, causing it to lose its needles faster. The longer it stays in a cool, outdoor environment, the better its chance of lasting.
Step Two: Remove Netting Immediately
Secondly, it’s crucial to strip off the netting wrapping as soon as you can. This allows the branches to settle into their natural position and prevents damp, moist conditions that can encourage mould and fungus to develop within the tightly bound branches.
Allowing the branches to drop naturally for several hours before decorating also helps achieve a fuller, more balanced look and prevents the tree from appearing misshapen or droopy once adorned with lights and baubles.
Step Three: Provide Plenty of Water
As a living plant, your Christmas tree needs hydration. If your tree has a root ball and the weather has been dry, mist it with water before taking it inside. For a cut tree, trim roughly one inch off the bottom of the trunk before placing it in a stand filled with water. This fresh cut helps the tree absorb water efficiently, staving off dryness.
Step Four: Choose a Cool Location
The final, and perhaps most important, advice concerns placement. Avoid positioning your tree near any direct heat source, such as radiators, fireplaces, or stoves. Heat is the primary culprit behind premature needle drop and tree death. For longevity, place your tree in a cooler spot away from radiating heat.
By following these four steps—keeping it outside initially, freeing its branches, ensuring it is well-watered, and placing it in a cool location—you can significantly extend the life and beauty of your real Christmas tree, keeping your home festive and fresh throughout the holiday season.
