Enjoy Your Christmas Tree for Longer
by It probably is only fitting that a German university actually did some research into the claims what keeps a Christmas tree fresh and green. If you add some common sense suggestions made by the German tree dealers, you should have a beautiful and green tree to enjoy on Christmas.
When you buy your Christmas tree, the tree usually has been transported for quite some distance already. Getting it back to your place might include a car ride of some distance, usually with the tree strapped to the roof of your car. Headwind caused by your driving will dry out the tree by a considerable degree; it should therefore be wrapped in wind tight material for the transport.
If you don’t put up your tree immediately, keep it in the cool or even cold for as long as possible, and preferably in a bucket full of water. Ideally, if you have tools re-cut the bottom of the tree’s stem and take off the bark for about four inches (10 centimetres) to allow the uptake of water. Keeping the tree tied up during that period is no problem, but remember that it takes about 24 hours for it to straighten out once you untie it and bring it inside.
Placing the tree in your apartment requires some forethought as well. If you plan to use real candles on it, spreading the floor with either cellophane or thick paper is advisable to keep wax stains from your floor. Keeping tree away from sources of heat like radiators helps keeping it fresher, and keeping it away from an open fireplace should be self-evident.
The tree stand should be one that is able to be filled with water, and a lot of water. Researchers at the University of Dresden have done measurements on the uptake of water by conifers, and they arrived at an average of 1.5 litres of water the tree needs each day for the first three days when brought in to the warmth of an apartment. After that, it still needs 0.5 litres every day.
The research compared trees that were cut on different dates, as there are claims that trees cut three days prior to the 11th full moon of the year last longer and stay fresh longer than if cut on other dates. But the researchers could not find any difference in longevity at all.
They researched the popular sayings that adding cleaning liquid or sugar to the water you put in the stand will make the tree stay fresh and retain its needles for a longer time. The use of dish washing liquid turned out to be a myth, but the addition of sugar to the water really worked, and quite well at that. German tree dealers usually recommend adding three table spoons of sugar to one litre of water
Other often heard recommendations to keep your tree in better fettle include keeping your tree dry, keeping it in salt water, keeping it in wet sand, and spraying it with water. The researchers found that these recommendations not only don’t work, but actually make the tree shed its needles faster than if you keep it in water.
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Post Commentdrelayaraja
On November 21, 2009 at 8:01 am
Surely will enjoy.
Louie Jerome
On November 21, 2009 at 10:37 am
Sugar and water seems a good idea, just have to stop my dog from drinking it! LOL
Glynis Smy
On November 21, 2009 at 11:33 am
Very rare in Cyprus to see real cut Christmas trees for sale. If I get one this year I will feed it as you say.
LoveDoctor
On November 21, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Great topic and excellent advice.
ripstik1
On November 21, 2009 at 7:10 pm
For the sugar water you have to be careful about how much you add because a lot of plants will die after a couple of days of drinking the sugar water since plants already make sugar in their stems and I have acctualy done science experiements on which water plants like the best. And salt kills them almost immeditaly maybe after 2 days or so, the sugar watered ones died maybe after 5 days and the tap watered ones are the only ones that stayed alive.
Authoress Terry E. Lyle
On November 21, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Wonderful advice.:)
sweetie1
On November 22, 2009 at 3:52 am
well researched one..thanks for the info