Christmas trees from the Mariani lot — freshly cut and looking for a home for the holidays
While artificial Christmas trees are increasingly popular, for many traditionalists nothing beats a genuine Christmas tree. But what does it take to keep a fresh cut Christmas tree looking good the entire holiday season?
For advice on how to care for Christmas trees DailyNorthShore.com turned to local experts at Mariani Landscape in Lake Bluff and Chalet in Wilmette.
First things first, remember to water, water and then water some more. “Just make sure it has water,” Nick Voykin, vice president of Customer Care at Miriani told DailyNorthShore.com. Voykin emphasized that a tree should never dry out, advising that in the first three to five days the tree should be checked in the morning and at night.
Tony Fulmer, chief horticulture officer at Chalet told DailyNorthShore.com that it’s important the tree stand is the correct size. If the stand is too small there won’t be enough room for water. Voykin agreed. “The bigger the basin to hold water the better,” he said. And go ahead and fill the entire stand with water each time you water the tree.
But forget the gimmicks. Ever heard of putting a penny in the stand or adding an aspirin? “The tree doesn’t have a headache. That does nothing,” Fulmer said. Both men advised that there are no products on the market that actually preserve trees. Instead, simple water will do. “Keep it full of water and you should be fine,” Voykin said. Just be sure that the stand never goes empty, or else the tree trunk will seal up and won’t take up anymore water.
If you’ve purchased a tree but are not ready to put in a stand right away, Fulmer recommends getting it out of the sun and wind which can damage and dry out the tree. Either put it in the garage or a shed if you have room, or lean it up against the east side of the house. But don’t consider putting it in the basement — the tree doesn’t like those warm temperatures — or putting it in a bucket of water in the garage. Fulmer said the tree won’t take up any water in the garage because it is too cold.
Trees take up the most water when the trunk has just been trimmed. The trunk doesn’t need to be trimmed a lot — just one quarter to a half inch — but it’s best to put in the stand sooner, rather than later after trimming. If left out more than two hours, the tree trunk could seal up again.
Consider placing your Christmas tree in a location away from the fireplace or a heat register. Both of those heat sources can make the tree dry out. Fulmer also noted that if possible, turn the heat down at night in the room where the tree is located. A cooler temperature will keep your tree staying fresher, longer.
When shopping for fresh trees, look for trees that don’t drop needles when shaken, Voykin advised. Also lift up a tree and see how heavy it is. “The heavier the tree the moisture in it,” Voykin said. He also advised running your hand over the branches, and choosing a tree that has soft and supple needles versus brittle.
And not all Christmas tree varieties are the same. “Fraser fir is really the Christmas tree of choice,” Voykin said. This variety tends to hold its needles the longest and is pretty fragrant. Some people like balsam fir trees because they are so fragrant, but they are also the first variety to dry out. Fulmer also suggested concolor fir trees, which tend to stay fresh and smell like citrus, and nordmann fir trees which are popular Christmas trees in Europe.
Whatever Christmas tree you choose, if you want it to stay fresh throughout the season, remember first and foremost — water!