Christmas Tree Care

10 tips for caring for a real Christmas tree

Use these tips to keep your Real Christmas Tree safe, alive and vibrant with a fresh pine scent and giving beauty through the whole holiday season:

• Keep the tree in a cool shady place until you bring it indoors.
• Cut a small amount, say 1/4 inch, off the bottom of the tree trunk before putting the tree in a water holding stand. Make a straight cut at 90 degrees, not at an angle, not v-shaped.
• Put the tree in a water holding stand within 8 hours of making the cut to the trunk.
• The tree stand must be able to hold enough water. Roughly 2 pints water per diameter-inch of the tree trunk.
• Check water levels often in the first few days. Your tree will absorb the most water after it's been cut and placed in water.
• The water temperature should be tepid.
• Avoid spraying preservatives or fire retardants on your tree. Some of these products increase the rate of moisture loss from a tree. The most fire-retardant tree is one that's properly watered. Fresh trees don't cause fires.
• The NCTA doesn't endorse any water additive products.
• Keep the tree away from any heat source (fireplace, tv, computers, etc) and away from draughts.
• Always check your chrsitmas tree lights before putting them on the tree.