Christmas is a special time of year with homes so wonderfully decorated and featuring beautiful Christmas trees. How do you make sure your tree will last through the holidays? I have some easy and inexpensive solutions for you.
1. The tree should have a strong pine smell and a nice deep color. Shake the tree to make sure that the needles don't drop off, or run your hand down a branch to see if needles come off in your hand. You can also reach into the trunk area and scratch the bark; if you see green on the backside of the bark, the tree is nice and fresh.
2. When you're ready to bring your tree inside, make a fresh cut straight across the trunk, then drill a hole as far as you can into the trunk. Stuff the hole with some absorbent cotton balls. The cotton will act as a wick and help pull water up into the tree.
3. Christmas trees are easy to knock over. To prevent that, secure your tree stand to a large piece of plywood. This will give you a wider and sturdier base than the stand alone, and your tree skirt will cover it up so it doesn't look bad.
4. To preserve your tree, mix together a gallon of warm water, four tablespoons of iron powder, (which you can pick up at most garden shops), four tablespoons of bleach and two cups of corn syrup. Use the mixture to water the tree every day. An alternative would be to add a cup of sugar or a few aspirin to your water to help preserve that tree.
5. An easy way to water your tree is to attach a piece of hose with a funnel at the top from your tree stand to the middle of the back of the tree. Then simply pour the water into the funnel.
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