Fresh Christmas Tree Care Tips

When a Christmas Tree is cut, over half of its weight is water. With proper Christmas tree care, you can maintain the quality of your displayed Christmas Trees. Below are a number of tips relating to Christmas tree care:

1. Displaying trees in water in a traditional reservoir type stand is the most effective way of maintaining their freshness and minimizing needle loss problems.
2. Make a fresh cut to remove about a 1/2-inch thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk before putting the tree in the stand. Make the cut perpendicular to the stem axis. Don’t cut the trunk at an angle, or into a v-shape, which makes it far more difficult to hold the tree in the stand and also reduces the amount of water available to the tree.
3. Once home, place the tree in water as soon as possible. Most species can go 6 to 8 hours after cutting the trunk and still take up water. Don’t bruise the cut surface or get it dirty.
4. If needed, trees can be temporarily stored for several days in a cool location. Place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket that is kept full of water.
5. To display the trees indoors, use a stand with an adequate water holding capacity for the tree. As a general rule, stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter. Devices are available that help maintain a constant water level in the stand.
6. Use a stand that fits your tree. Avoid whittling the sides of the trunk down to fit a stand. The outer layers of wood are the most efficient in taking up water and should not be removed.
7. Keep displayed trees away from sources of heat (fireplaces, heaters, heat vents, direct sunlight). Lowering the room temperature will slow the drying process, resulting in less water consumption each day.
8. The temperature of the water used to fill the stand is not important and does not affect water uptake.
9. Check the stand daily to make sure that the level of water does not go below the base of the tree. With many stands, there can still be water in the stand even though the base of the tree is no longer submerged in water.
10. Drilling a hole in the base of the trunk does not improve water uptake.
11. Use of lights that produce low heat, such as miniature lights, will reduce drying of the tree.
12. Always inspect light sets prior to placing them on the tree. If worn, replace with a new set.
13. Do not overload electrical circuits.
14. Always turn off the tree lights when leaving the house or when going to bed.
15. Monitor the tree for freshness. After Christmas or if the tree is dry, remove it from the house.
16. Go to www.realchristmastrees.org and type in your ZIP code to find a recycling program near you.
17. Never burn any part of a Christmas tree in a wood stove or fireplace.

Prepared by Dr. Gary Chastagner and Dr. Eric Hinesley
Edited by the Scientific Research Committee of the National Christmas Tree Association

Christmas Tree Care from Brown’s Tree Farm

At Brown’s Tree Farm, we believe good Christmas Tree Care starts before your tree ever reaches your home. Each tree is carefully grown, selected, harvested, and shipped from our family farm so it arrives as fresh as possible. Once your tree is delivered, the most important step is to get it into water quickly after making a fresh cut on the base of the trunk.

One of the easiest Christmas Tree Care habits is to make checking the water part of your daily holiday routine. Fresh Christmas trees can drink a surprising amount of water, especially during the first few days indoors. Keeping the trunk submerged helps the tree continue taking up water, which can reduce drying, support better needle retention, and help your tree stay fresh longer.

Following proper Christmas Tree Care tips can make a big difference in how long your real tree stays fresh and beautiful. Keep the stand filled with water, check the water level daily, and display your tree away from fireplaces, heat vents, space heaters, and direct sunlight whenever possible. When you start with a fresh Christmas tree and practice proper Christmas tree care, you can enjoy the natural beauty, fragrance, and tradition of a real Christmas tree throughout the holiday season.