Ways to Care for Your Christmas Tree

It’s December and winter holidays are just around the corner! Family festivities, gift giving, celebrations, and holiday decorating are all underway.  Many homes will be decorated with a Christmas tree (or more) in honor of the Christmas season. 

While some folks enjoy the sturdiness and easy-care maintenance of an artificial tree, other people favor a live Christmas tree, along with all of the traditional processes of hunting for the perfect tree, setting up the tree stand, and enjoying the distinctive smells of the fresh cut decoration.  While artificial trees do tend to have a lot lower maintenance level than a real tree, a real tree can thrive during the holiday season if the owner follows just a few simple steps.  Below you will find some suggestions that can enhance the appearance of your Christmas tree and help keep your tree healthy and strong until the new year is ready to spring upon us all:

*When preparing your Christmas tree for a tree stand, avoid whittling down the sides of the trunk in order for it to fit into the stand.  It is best to buy a tree stand that already fits your tree trunk, instead of trying to fit your tree trunk into an already existing stand.  The purpose for this is because the outer layers of the tree are where water is most easily absorbed; therefore, you will want to leave the outer layers of the tree as natural as possible.

*Maintain a constant level of water in the tree stand and never allow the water to run dry.  There are water measuring devices available that will keep a constant check on your water levels, or you can check the water level by hand each day throughout the holiday season, in order to ensure the water level is ideal.
*Place your Christmas tree in an indoor area that is protected from an immediate heat source.  Specific heat sources may include fireplaces, heat vents, space heaters, and paths of direct sunlight.  Not only will this help to eliminate the threat of a fire, but the drying out process of your tree will slow down as well if the tree is protected from receiving too much heat.
*Be careful about overloading your Christmas tree with too many decorative lights, and also be keen about not overloading the electrical circuits near your tree.  In addition, using lights that produce little or no heat (such as miniature or LED lights), will protect your Christmas tree from becoming too dry and brittle.
In conclusion, decorating with a live Christmas tree can provide wonderful holiday spirits and a great ambiance for any home.  With just a little bit of effort and consistent monitoring throughout the holiday season, you can prolong the healthful appearance of your Christmas tree, and also ensure the distinctively wonderful smell of a real tree for several weeks.  Your efforts will surely provide a grand central decoration for all who gather around your home (and tree) as you celebrate this special time of year.

For help with all of your outdoor trees and shrubs (and grass), contact the experts at Mighty Green about our various treatment programs that will keep your landscape healthy and green.