How to Care for Your Farm-Grown Fresh Christmas Tree
When a Christmas tree is cut, over half of its weight is water. With proper care, you can maintain the quality of your tree.
- Use a stand that fits your tree. Take into account the height, weight and volume of your tree. Tree stand manufacturers sometimes overstate the ability of their stand(s) to properly support dense, full trees.
- Use a reservoir type stand to maintain freshness.
- The stand should provide 1 quart of water per inch of truck diameter.
- Just before placing the tree in the stand, make a fresh cut to remove about 1/4 inch thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk. Do not bruise the cut surface or get it dirty.
- Fill the stand with water daily. Do not allow the water level to go below the base of the tree.
- Keep trees away from sources of heat, such as: fireplaces, heaters, heat vents, or direct sunlight.
- Always turn off tree lights when leaving the house or going to bed.
Note: If needed, trees can be temporarily stored for several days in a cool location, out of the sun and wind. Place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket that is kept full of water.