How you can look after a fresh-cut Christmas tree

I’m planning to buy my first lower Christmas tree and would really like some tips on buying a top quality tree and caring for it.

— Josephine Sterling, Morton Grove

This can be a good time to buy a lower tree, as availability ought to nonetheless be good. There are typically three or 4 several types of timber on a gross sales lot so that you can select from. Begin by figuring out which species of tree you discover most fascinating from an aesthetic standpoint, as coloration, type, and texture differ broadly amongst completely different timber. Needle retention can also be an necessary consideration when selecting a tree and varies tremendously between species. Firs similar to Canaan, balsam, noble and concolor retain their needles the longest and make nice lower timber. Their needles are rounded and softer to the contact. A number of the fir varieties are costlier than spruce or pine species.

When selecting a lower Christmas tree in a gross sales lot, choose one with agency needles that don’t drop off when the tree is raised up a number of inches and dropped to the bottom. A small quantity of needle drop is suitable. The needles ought to be pliable, not brittle, and may adhere to the twigs. One other solution to test the freshness is to softly grasp a department between your thumb and forefinger and pull it towards you. Only a few needles will come off in your hand if the tree is recent. Even recent needles might be brittle when the temperature may be very chilly (beneath 10 levels Fahrenheit). The tree ought to have a recent, pungent perfume and a pure, waxy inexperienced look. The limbs ought to be full, bushy, symmetrical and robust sufficient to assist your ornaments. It’s tough to hold ornaments on timber which were tightly sheared, so select a tree with a extra open behavior for those who intend to hold ornaments on it. The underside of the stump ought to be moist with some sap current. Bushes that have been lower many weeks and even months earlier could drop their needles shortly after being introduced indoors. I additionally keep away from shopping for lower timber which were “painted” inexperienced to enhance their coloration.

The care of all lower Christmas timber is usually the identical whatever the species. Deciding on a recent tree is an important, as a dry tree is not going to take up water and can rapidly change into a hearth hazard. Ideally, retailer it in a bucket of water in a cool, 40- to 50-degree, wind-free and sun-free space (similar to an unheated storage) till you convey it inside. Storing it in a bucket of water just isn’t vital and most of the people skip this step with none penalties. When it’s time to convey the tree indoors, make a proper angle lower roughly two inches from the bottom of the trunk. It’s OK to chop extra if that you must shorten the tree. Workers on the gross sales lot will usually provide to make this lower for you, however an excessive amount of time will doubtless move earlier than you get it put in within the tree stand with water. It’s best to put in the lower tree in water lower than two hours after the bottom is lower. Diagonal cuts make it harder to mount a tree in a stand. Slicing your individual tree at a Christmas tree farm and bringing the tree indoors as near Christmas as sensible will provide you with the optimum freshness and high quality.

Mount the tree in a stand that’s large enough to supply agency assist and maintain quantity of water. Add water to the stand instantly after inserting the tree in it. Water components don’t delay the lifetime of the tree. Verify the water stage at the least a few occasions a day initially and add recent water as needed. A big, recent tree could use a gallon of water or extra within the first 24 hours. The lower finish of the tree ought to be saved in water always. By no means enable the water stage to drop beneath the lower backside of the trunk or a seal will type on the lower in 4 to 6 hours and forestall it from taking over water. The tree will stay fire-resistant so long as it retains drawing water. Select a location away from warmth sources or open flames, similar to fireplaces, radiators, or furnace vents.

For extra plant recommendation, contact the Plant Data Service on the Chicago Botanic Backyard at plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture on the Chicago Botanic Backyard.