Holiday Tree Care

There is nothing like the smell of a freshly cut pine tree to fill a house with the holiday spirit. With proper care, most real Christmas trees should last at least five weeks or more. Following these five tips will help keep your tree looking jolly the entire season long:

• Select a healthy green tree with the least amount of brown needles. Pick the tree up a few inches and drop it—beware if green needles fall off. Experts note that Fraser fir is the best variety in terms of water uptake and needle retention, followed by Balsam fir, Scotch pine and White Spruce.

• Your tree seller should make a fresh cut off the base of the trunk before you take it home to help it absorb moisture. When you get your tree home, place it in a 5-gallon bucket of fresh water in a protected area, like an unheated garage, if you are not setting it up right away. When you are ready to bring your tree indoors, make a second one-inch cut off the bottom. Secure the tree in sturdy stand that holds at least one gallon of water. Despite myths to the contrary, drilling holes in a Christmas tree trunk does not help in water retention and is not recommended.

• The tree absorbs the most water during the first week, so it is crucial period for a Christmas tree’s survival. For every inch of the trunk’s diameter, fill the stand with one quart of water and check the water level every day. Fresh clean water is all you need: adding preservatives like sugar, corn syrup, aspirin, or even vodka do not extend the life of your Christmas tree.

• Avoid placing your tree next to a fireplace, radiator or window that gets bright sunlight. These heat sources can prematurely dry the tree out. Using LED holiday lights also preserves the life of the tree as they emit very drying little heat and also reduces the risk of fire. Lowering the temperature in the room can help slow down the drying process as does using a humidifier to add moisture to the air.

• If you wait too long to set up your tree, you’ll have more dead pine needles to deal with. The easiest way to clean up fallen needles is to skip the fancy attachments and just use the end of the hose to draw needles directly into the bag or canister.

Down to Earth Living, located on 12.5 acres in Pomona, attracts customers from Rockland, Bergen, Orange, Westchester and even Fairfield County Connecticut with its gracious outdoor living furnishings and beautiful home decor. Down to Earth Living is open 9am – 5pm daily. Beginning the week before Thanksgiving, starting November 19th the hours will be expanded to 9am – 8pm and Sunday until 7pm. Down to Earth Living is located at 1040 Route 45, Pomona, NY and can be reached by phone at 845-354-8500 or via their website at www.dteliving.com.