How to care for your fresh cut Christmas tree this season
A fresh-cut Christmas tree is a traditional part of Christmas that creates the atmosphere we love to have in our homes. If not cared for properly, your beautiful tree can dry out, lose its needles, and not survive the length of Christmas.
To keep your tree looking fresh throughout the holidays, follow these simple tips:
1. Choose a healthy tree
Make sure you start with a fresh, healthy Christmas tree. Look for trees with vibrant green needles that are hard to pull off and do not break easily. A good test is to gently shake the tree; if a lot of needles fall off, it’s likely not fresh. The fresher the tree, the longer it will last inside your home. This is something you will not need to worry about at Newburgh as the trees are incredible fresh and sold on the farm they are grown at.
2. Make a fresh cut before placing the tree in water
A lot of people do not know this trick. But when a Christmas tree is first cut (on the farm) the sap can begin to seal over the base, making it difficult for the tree to absorb water. Once you bring your tree home, cut off around 3cm from the bottom of the trunk. This fresh cut will allow the tree to absorb water more effectively. Make sure you do this right before placing it in the stand, as the sap will quickly reseal the base.
3. Choose the right stand for the size of your Christmas tree
Your tree stand should provide good support and have enough capacity to hold a few litres of water. A stand that holds at least three litres of water is ideal for large trees, as a fresh tree can drink a lot—sometimes up to a litre of water per day.
4. Water your tree regularly
The key to a healthy Christmas tree is constant hydration. Right after setting up your tree, fill the stand with water. Check the water level every day and never let it drop below the base of the trunk. If the base becomes dry, the sap will form a seal again, preventing the tree from taking up more water. To avoid this, top up the water regularly to keep the tree fresh and reduce needle drop. Everyone’s a winner.
5. Keep the tree away from heat sources
This can be difficult in winter, but it should be made clear that a warm environment can cause your tree to dry out quickly. Where possible, keep your Christmas tree away from heat sources such as fireplaces, radiators and direct sunlight. If possible, place the tree in a cool spot in the room where it can stay hydrated and fresh for longer.
6. Turn off your Christmas lights overnight
If you’re using lights on your Christmas tree, be sure to turn them off when you're not home or when you go to bed. Modern LED lights are thankfully cool to the touch and more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs of old, which helps reduce the heat around your tree. Even so, keeping the lights off overnight or during long periods of inactivity is good practice and can help prevent drying out.
7. Monitor needle drop
Do not worry! It’s natural for a Christmas tree to drop some needles. But excessive needle loss can indicate that your tree is drying out or not absorbing water. Regularly clean up fallen needles from the floor and if you notice the tree shedding more than usual, check the water level and the environment. A fresh-cut tree should retain most of its needles for about five to six weeks.