Top tips for looking after your Christmas Tree
There’s nothing quite like a real tree at Christmas time; choosing your own, packing it in the car, getting it home and decorating it with lights and ornaments and best of all – the smell. That’s the smell of Christmas isn’t it?It’s a special time of year and the tree is the icing on the cake when it comes to getting in the spirit of things. It transforms your home into a magical grotto (for the kids anyway), and it’s definitely a sign that Christmas is almost here.So, with that in mind – why would you settle for a plastic tree that you put in a box all year and wipe the dust off when December rolls back around? Wouldn’t you agree?How then, do you keep your tree fresh and avoid spending the festive period hovering up dropped pine needles? We have compiled a list of simple tips that will prolong your tree’s life and keep it looking fresher for longer.
- Look for a freshly cut tree. Check that it’s green, healthy and free from any brown needles. To make sure that it’s a good one, tap the base on the ground several times – this should result in a few needles being dropped but not an excessive amount. That would suggest it’s been cut for a while.
- Ensure the tree is the right size for your room. It’s easy to get carried away and exaggerate the height of your ceiling. Why not take a tape measure with you to prevent a miscalculation, and avoid having to get out the hacksaw!
- As soon as you get your tree home, put it into a bucket of water. Much like a recently cut flower, it will need lots of water to begin with.
- Keep the tree outside (in its natural environment) for as long as possible. The warmer climes of your living room will increase the rate in which it drops needles.
- Sawing off roughly an inch of the tree’s base before putting it in a stand will help the tree soak up water.
- Water, water and more water. Using a tree stand that you can regularly put water in will help to keep the tree fresh and minimise dropped needles.
- Where possible, avoid putting your tree close to radiators or other heat sources. This will only dry your tree out and… you guessed it, increase the amount of needles it drops.
- Water. Daily.
- Avoid using heavy outdoor fairy lights to decorate your tree. These will pull the tree’s branches and produce too much heat. Make sure your lights are light and not giving off more heat than you would expect.
- Never leave the lights on when you leave the house or throughout the night.
Get your Christmas Tree from Swillington Organic Farm, where we keep them in water from the moment they’re cut – ensuring they remain fresh and non-drop.Unlike other sellers our trees are all unwrapped for you to choose from to help you get the right one for your room, when you’ve chosen your tree we will wrap so it will fit easily in your car.Visit the farm shop during December and choose a fresh real Christmas Tree for your family home.