Home Grown Notions: Care For Live Christmas Trees

by Beth Cook, Mammoth Cave Transplants
The Thanksgiving holiday is over for many of us and we are all anxious to dive in and get ready for Christmas. Many of us start by putting up our trees to kick off the holiday season. Over the years we have become accustomed to using artificial trees, but there are still some that go the more traditional route of a REAL LIVE Christmas tree. If you decide to go this route you can choose a cut or balled-and-burlap tree.

Cut trees do require a bit more care and water than the balled and burlap, but for whichever type you decide is best fit for your home, here are a few tips to care for your live tree during the holiday season:

• Keep your tree sheltered in an unheated area like a porch or garage until you are ready to decorate.
• Keep your live tree in the house for as short time as possible.
• If balled and burlap, go ahead and dig your hole that you will be planting it in after Christmas and be sure to save your dirt you removed.
• If cut, keep it a bucket of water until you are ready to bring inside.
• Keep balled and burlap plenty moist but not soggy.
• When you are ready to set up your tree, make a new cut ½ cut up from the original.
• Make sure your stand will fit the diameter of your tree. Don’t shave any bark from the tree. The outer bark is what absorbs water the best.
• For cut trees, make sure your tree stand can hold enough water for your tree. (Tree trunk of 4 inches diameter, tree stand should hold 4qts of water)
• On the first day, a cut tree will absorb approximately one gallon of water and a quart or more for each day forward.
• Keep the stand filled with water so the cut trunk does not dry out. A seal of sap will cover it in 4-6 hours of no water, then you'll have to make a new cut.

Keeping your live tree watered is very crucial in caring for your live Christmas tree to keep it looking and smelling good. Water prevents the needles from drying out and dropping. If the tree and needles dry out,  the tree will become a fire hazard. You can also spray or have your tree sprayed with a fire retardant for extra precaution. A fresh and well maintained tree will keep it looking great and also be less of a fire risk.

Make sure to unplug your lights on your tree at night, also be sure to keep away from all heat sources.  After you are finished with your tree, plant your balled and burlap as soon as possible. For your cut trees, you can find a local recycling program to dispose of your tree. Enjoy your live tree and Happy Decorating from Mammoth Cave Transplants!

~~The perfect Christmas tree? All Christmas trees are perfect! ~Charles N. Barnard~~