Last Updated on April 19, 2021 by Cristina
Have you heard the old tale that tells us to boil water for Christmas tree to keep it fresh for longer throughout the merry season?
Christmas is still a few months away, but it’s never too early to prepare for this merry season that we all love. Cutting down your Christmas tree is a special tradition for most families.
There is nothing like having a fresh fir in your home for the holidays. It sets the mood of your holidays and brings a cheer with its fragrant branches. Christmas is incomplete without a tree straight from nature!
However, a fresh-cut Christmas tree has one significant downfall; it dries quickly. If you time it right, you can be able to stretch it throughout the entire holiday bit more often than not you are left with a fit that’s drooping needles even before Christmas Eve.
Luckily, some tried and true tricks extend the life of your fir to brighten up your Christmas day. Some of these tricks are the easiest using several ingredients that you already have in your kitchen.
Follow These Tips To Ensure Your Tree Looks Fresh Throughout The Christmas Season
Boil Water For Christmas Tree
This has been treated as a myth for a long time, but it works. A freshly cut tree absorbs a gallon of water every 24 hours. Before feeding it with this gallon of water, boil it first. Then let it sit for a few minutes then pour it into the container holding the tree.
The idea is to make sure the sap won’t get hard and the water can get up the bark keeping it fresh and alive. Coldwater clogs the openings with sap and the tree begins to die quickly.
The hot water also releases an incredible fragrance of the natural tree filling your home with its nice smell. Some people advocate adding a cup of sugar to the water while it’s boiling to boost the longevity of its scent.
You only have to use this hot water the first time, from then on, keep the reservoir filled with cold water. Don’t allow your tree to lack water at all, and then it will last you through the holidays.
Select A Fresh Fir
Whatever variety you choose for your Christmas tree, select a fresh one! Inspect through the branches towards the interior of the tree to see if any needles are dying. They will look brown and crispy if they are dying. Check for diseases or decay as well. Run your fingers through the branches, feel the needles, and make sure they are firmly attached to the branch.
Picking your tree from a pre-cut lot, pick up the fir and bang it firmly on the ground. Watch to see if the needles fall on the pavement. This is an indication it’s past its prime days and can’t be used, so select a new one.
Krinner Tree Genie Tree Genie XXL Christmas Tree Stand, Green
Give It A New Cut
Even if you have cut down the tree fresh from the farm, plan to give it a second cut once you get home before putting it in its stand for the holidays.
When you cut the trunk anew, the sap rushes to seal up the wound on the tree creating a barrier at the base that makes it hard to absorb water.
You must make this cut when you are ready to place it immediately in water, mostly hot water.
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Water Frequently
Once you have set up your Christmas tree and give it its first drink of hot water; continue watering it daily. If there is one key to the longevity of your freshly cut tree, it’s water. Your tree will need plenty of water every day to successfully make it past Christmas day.
Water at the same time daily ensuring the reservoir in your tree stand never gets empty. If you plan to travel for Christmas, select a tree that can hold at least a gallon of water and fill it up as much as you can before leaving.
Hot Or Cold Water For Christmas Tree?
We now know to boil water for Christmas trees is not just a myth but it works in a magical way to help your tree. Once done with the Christmas holiday, remember to say goodbye to your tree in a kind way.
Unlike the ordinary way just to drag it to the curb where it ends up in some landfill, you can choose to recycle it.
Most cities have programs that collect these trees and grind them into mulch which is available for free to homeowners.
You can rent a shredder and grind yours into mulch to spread over your garden, flowerbeds, and around your trees.
Caroline is a gardener who loves to get down to the nitty–gritty of gardening. She proudly proclaims herself as a ‘dirt worshipper‘ and can often be found deep in the garden, covered in soil and singing to her plants. As a self–proclaimed ‘plant whisperer‘, Caroline believes that plants need love and attention just like any other living thing, and she loves to give them both. When she‘s not tending to her garden, you can often find her researching the latest gardening trends, or teaching others how to make their gardens thrive
