How To Care For Your Fresh Cut Tree

Taking proper care of your tree will help it to stay fresh and maintain its needles through the holiday season. Below are a few guidelines to get the most enjoyment from your tree:

  • Do not leave your tree outside exposed to the wind or sun for extended periods.

  • If you are going to keep your tree for several days before setting it up, immediately place it in a bucket of water.

  • Just before you set up your tree, make a fresh cut on the trunk, taking approximately 1 inch off the base. This opens up water vessels in the trunk and improves the water uptake. Immediately place the tree in a stand that holds 1 gallon or more of water.

  • Do not taper the trunk to fit in your stand. The tree absorbs most of its water from the outer layers of the wood. Tapering the trunk will limit the tree’s ability to absorb water.

  • Set up your tree as far away from a heat source as possible (fireplaces, heat vents, heaters, direct sunlight). If you lower the room temperature it will slow down the drying resulting in your tree consuming less water.

  • Check the water level in the tree stand daily to make sure the water level stays above the base of the trunk at all times. The tree will drink more water in the first day it is set up (up to a gallon) and less water as time goes by (up to a quart a day).

  • Avoid letting the tree stand go dry. If the trunk is dry for extended periods, resin will form over the cut end and close off the water source.

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