How to Keep the Stress Out of Christmas Tree Care

by Mark Bigej

It starts with “It’s still not straight!” and ends with something along the lines of “I don’t care what football game is on, if you don’t get that tree out of here it’s going to burn down our house!”  What is a classic symbol of Christmas in America can turn into a real source of frustration at a time that should be filled with peace and cheer.  If you’ve felt my pain before, fear not - I have a few solutions for you. 

Step 1:  When picking out a tree, make sure it was harvested recently and stored in a cool place, preferably with moisture.  At Al’s, we store our trees outside and make sure they are watered as needed – a lot of people forget this step.

Step 2:  Put a fresh cut on your tree as soon as you get home, or make sure that the tree has been in water since the time it was cut.  A fresh cut allows the tree to immediately take up water and ensure that you’re off to a good start.

Step 3:  When standing your tree, fill the stand immediately after you get your tree stood, and  keep the tree constantly watered.  Remember, in the warm environment of your home, letting your tree run out of water just once can cause the base of the tree to seal shut and it will no longer take up water.   If you are looking for the ultimate in watering Christmas tree stands, try the Christmas Tree Genie.  You can stand any tree up to 7” in diameter in minutes, and it holds 2.5 gallons of water!  You will love how easy this stand is! 

Step 4:  My favorite tip: Treat your tree with WILT-STOP to seal the needles and prevent them from losing water.  WILT-STOP is an all natural extract from the resin of pine trees. An application takes only minutes, but the results are long lasting with the tree staying fresh much longer.  WILT-STOP also works great on cut greens! 

Step 5:  As you determine the perfect place for your Christmas tree this year, remember to steer clear of heater registers, fire places, and other sources of warm, dry air as they cause the tree to dry out faster.  

Step 6:  Once the holidays are over, be sure to find a place that recycles trees.  If you would like to find one in your area, log onto www.earth911.org.

Follow these few easy steps and you’ll eliminate at least one of your frustrations this year.  If these steps don’t work for you, we also have a lovely selection of Everlasting Trees.  From my family to yours, have a wonderful Holiday Season and a Merry Christmas! *

Beginning November 25th, Al's Garden Center will have a great selection of fresh cut Christmas Trees!