TREE CARE TIPS

Tree Care Tips

Tree Care Tips

Willey's uses 45 years' worth of experience growing and caring for Christmas trees to offer advice to our loyal customers. We've created our top tips to help you keep your tree green and healthy for the Christmas season in your home.

Christmas Tree Care Tips

1. Fir trees last longest and appear best when watered regularly and stored outside until three weeks before Christmas.

 

2. Fir trees must have fresh cuts on their trunk to drink water. If the tree isn’t placed in water within 6-8 hours after being cut, sap will reseal over the bottom and prevent the tree from drinking water. Place the tree in water as soon as possible once you get home.

 

3. Use a stand that has adequate water capacity (one quart for each inch of trunk diameter) and stability (to hold the tree upright). For an average 7-foot tree, the tree stand should hold a gallon of water. In the first week, check the water level in the stand two times a day and be sure the tree base is submerged in water. Trees generally drink a lot of water in the first week, then slow down in subsequent weeks. In fact, a 7-foot tree can drink two quarts of water a day in the first week. 

 

4. Avoid whittling the sides of the tree trunk down to fit into the stand. These outer layers of wood are vital for the tree to drink water and should not be removed.

 

5. Drilling the base of the tree trunk does not improve the tree’s ability to drink water. (Continued)

A blurry picture of a christmas tree in a living room.
A close up of a christmas tree with a gold ornament hanging from it.

6. Store the tree outside in a shady location out of the wind. If purchased earlier in December, the best recommendation is to store your tree outside until three weeks before Christmas. Since the fir trees are grown in cold climates and survive harsh winters, a Christmas tree is only guaranteed to last a minimum of three weeks inside your well-heated home.


7. If you purchased a tree removal bag, place the opened bag under your tree stand, hidden by a tree skirt. Then it will be ready for use at the end of the season.


8. Use LED lights that produce less heat and lower the room temperature to extend the service life of the tree. Do not use lights with worn cords. Turn off the Christmas tree lights before bed or when leaving the house and avoid overloading electrical circuits.


9. Recut the tree butt if you’ve been storing the tree or if it’s been over 8 hours since the tree was cut at the tree lot. Be sure to make a straight cut (not angled) at least ½ inch of the butt. This cut exposes cells that absorb water and allow the water to move upwards into the tree. 


10. Willey's provides a paper preservative that goes directly into the water well of the stand to help extend the life of your tree. Avoid adding other products to your tree water to improve water intake. Products such as bleach, sugar, soda, vodka, aspirin, copper pennies, etc. have little or no effect and some can slow water retention. 

1. Fir trees last longest and appear best when watered regularly and stored outside until three weeks before Christmas. If you buy it early, keep it outside in the shade and in a bucket of water.

2. Fir trees must have fresh cuts on their trunk to drink water. If the tree isn’t placed in water within 6-8 hours after being cut, sap will reseal over the bottom and prevent the tree from drinking water. Place the tree in water as soon as possible once you get home.

3. Use a stand that has adequate water capacity (one quart for each inch of trunk diameter) and stability (to hold the tree upright). For an average 7-foot tree, the tree stand should hold a gallon of water. In the first week, check the water level in the stand two times a day and be sure the tree base is submerged in water. Trees generally drink a lot of water in the first week, then slow down in subsequent weeks. In fact, a 7-foot tree can drink two quarts of water a day in the first week. 

4. Avoid whittling the sides of the tree trunk down to fit into the stand.  These outer layers of wood are vital for the tree to drink water and should not be removed.

5. Drilling the base of the tree trunk does not improve the tree’s ability to drink water.

6. Store the tree outside in a shady location out of the wind. If purchased earlier in December, the best recommendation is to store your tree outside until three weeks before Christmas. Since the fir trees are grown in cold climates and survive harsh winters, a Christmas tree is only guaranteed to last a minimum of three weeks inside your well-heated home.

7. If you purchased a tree removal bag, place the opened bag under your tree stand, hidden by a tree skirt. Then it will be ready for use at the end of the season.

8. Use LED lights that produce less heat and lower the room temperature to extend the service life of the tree. Do not use lights with worn cords. Turn off the Christmas tree lights before bed or when leaving the house. And avoid overloading electrical circuits.

9. Recut the tree butt if you’ve been storing the tree or if it’s been over 6 hours since the tree was cut at the tree lot. Be sure to make a straight cut (not angled) at least ½ inch of the butt. This cut exposes cells that absorb water and allow the water to move upwards into the tree. 

10. Willey's provides a preservative (Kling card) that goes directly into the water well of the stand to help extend the life of your tree. Avoid adding other products to your tree water to improve water intake. Products such as bleach, sugar, soda, vodka, aspirin, copper pennies, etc. have little or no effect and some can slow water retention. 

Share by: