Care for fresh cut Christmas trees

Now that Thanksgiving is over, many of us turn our sights to decorating for Christmas. What better way to beat the winter doldrums than bringing a fresh cut tree indoors for the holidays. Of course, there is the worry of the tree drying out too soon--loosing needles, looking drab and becoming a hazard. A fresh cut tree is like any other cut flower or plant. It won't grow, but it needs care to look its best for as long as possible. So, with a little preparation and care, you can insure that your tree will maintain its color, scent, and all-around splendor for up to two weeks, providing joy from the time you put it up through the Christmas holiday.

Before going shopping, measure the space you'd like your tree to occupy. Remember to take into account the height of the tree stand in your measurements. Make sure the site is away from heat vents, radiators, fireplaces, TV sets and other sources of heat. South-facing windows should be avoided as the angle of winter sunlight will dry the tree more quickly. Light strings and sockets should be in good working order, and decorations should be non-combustible. You'll need access to the tree's base so that you can provide plenty of daily water.

While shopping, instead of looking for a certain variety of tree-as they vary by region and availability-look for one that has symmetrical lines, good color and a nice, fresh scent. There are three tests you can use for freshness of the tree. First, using a glove, grasp your hand around a branch near the trunk and pull your hand toward you. If an excessive number of needles comes off, the tree is dry. Next, bounce the tree on the ground to check for needle loss. Finally, take a few needles in hand and bend them until they break. They should be flexible, moist, and should release a fresh, pine scent.

If you're going straight home and can get the tree directly into water, ask the nursery or garden center to cut at least one inch from the trunk. If you can't, wait to make the cut yourself when you're ready to put it into the stand. The tree will have formed a "callus" of at least one inch when it was cut at the orchard. The callus prevents water uptake, and if it isn't removed or is allowed to reform, your tree can't drink the water you give it. If you find yourself with a decorated tree that hasn't had its callus cut off, or if you've let the water go below the bottom of the trunk, you can make incisions at the bottom of the trunk below the water level. Keep in mind that the tree may not last as long as one which has a nice even 1-2 inch cut before going into its stand and has constant water above the cut line.

To really keep your tree fresh throughout the season, use an anti-transpirant like Wilt-Pruf to spray the needles before you bring the tree indoors. You'll want to spray when the temperature is above 40 degrees and there are a few hours of drying time. You spray outdoors because anti-transpirants can be messy. Our trees and wreaths have already been treated with anti-transpirants and are ready to be set up in your home.

When you place the tree in its stand, you'll be amazed to see how much water it sucks up-usually a gallon within the first 24 hours! Before decorating, put water in the reservoir until water uptake stops. A nice hydrated tree will last from ten days to 2 weeks indoors. Check the water twice daily and refill the reservoir as necessary-little kids love to check for water, but they need adult supervision. The base should always be submerged in water, or that callus will have a chance to reform. The U.S. Forest Service recommends the following recipe for fireproofing your tree:

Fill a large bucket with 2 gallons HOT water

Add 2 cups Karo syrup, 2 oz. Liquid bleach, 2 pinches Epsom Salts, ? tsp. Boraxo (from the supermarket), 1 tsp. Chelated iron (from your local nursery)

Soak the tree in the bucket until you're ready to bring it indoors

Use remaining mixture to water the tree twice daily

The USFS says that a tree treated with this mixture can soak up 800% more water than it did when planted in the orchard. For a fun test, they say that, after the holidays, you can take a branch outdoors, try to set fire to it, and it's guaranteed not to light!

Finally, remember that trees from the orchard have been wrapped for transportation and will open up become full once indoors. Choose small light strings as they produce less heat and be sure to turn the lights off nightly to be safe.

Few things say "Christmas" like a fresh cut tree. The beauty and scent recall Christmases past and keep family holiday traditions going strong. Help your tree stay green and supple and fill your house with the sights and scents of a joyous Christmas with these few preparation and care techniques.