It’s almost that time of year–specifically, the most wonderful time of the year. The Christmas season is upon us, and you know what that means! It’s time to start thinking about picking your perfect Christmas Tree. Once you’ve chosen your tree, you need to make sure it’s taken care of, and that’s where we come in. We have some helpful tips for keeping your special tree healthy throughout the holiday season!

Step #1

Let’s start with buying and selecting your Christmas tree. When looking for a tree, we suggest buying from a local tree farm with a selection that has been recently cut or you can cut it yourself. A lot of big box stores will get shipments of trees that have been cut weeks in advance. There will not be much life left in a tree like this, while a fresh cut tree will last for weeks. Use one of the links below to find a local tree farm close to you.

South Carolina: http://www.pickyourownchristmastree.org/SCxmastrees.php

North Carolina: http://www.pickyourownchristmastree.org/NCxmastrees.php

United States: http://www.pickyourownchristmastree.org

Step #2

When selecting your tree, use your hand to pull along the tree branches; no needles should come off in your hand. If you do see needles on the ground around the base of the tree before you’ve selected (or cut) it, it might be best to choose a different tree. Once a tree starts to lose its needles there is no turning back; the needle drop will get worse and you will find yourself vacuuming every day.

Step #3

After you’ve chosen your perfect tree and brought it home, there are a few things to remember. First, when you place the tree in your home, make sure to keep it away from any kind of heat source; this will help in preventing any accidental fires.

Step #4

Be sure to make a fresh cut at the base of the tree before placing it into the tree stand; this will help with water uptake throughout the Christmas season. This base cut is especially important for trees that are purchased pre-cut. The sap from the evergreen trees will seal over the original cut wound. If you don’t make a fresh and level cut, the tree will start dropping needles quickly.

Step #5

One of the most important things to remember is to water daily! A good rule of thumb is trying not to let the water level go below the bottom of the tree.