How Often Should You Water Your Christmas Tree? We Share Our Best Care Tips

Whether you put up your Christmas tree in early December or a few days before Christmas Eve, watering the tree is the number one rule to keep your Christmas tree looking its best.

Turns out, a fresh Christmas tree should be watered daily, especially in the first days after bringing it home from the farm. 6-foot trees need about a gallon of water daily, so adjust this accordingly based on the size of your tree.

Taking proper care of your Christmas tree goes beyond reaching for the watering can. This article walks you through all aspects of Christmas tree care, including how to make sure the tree you buy is fresh.

How to Select a Fresh Tree

Unless you visit a Christmas tree farm, the trees are likely to have spent days in transit and at the Christmas tree stand waiting for buyers. That makes carefully checking the tree even more important.

Don’t only look over the tree, but run your hand over a branch—it should feel pliable and not brittle. The needles should be green and not discolored. If the needles fall off on touching, the tree is already too dry, and no amount of watering will revive it.

Cut the Base of the Tree

After trees are cut at the Christmas tree farm, the surface dries out within a few hours and resin starts oozing out, which can clog the water-conducting tissues in the trunk. This makes it necessary to recut the base of the tree.

Using a saw, cut a ½-inch disk off the base of the trunk. Make a straight cut; do not cut the trunk at an angle or a V-shape. Also, do not drill a hole in the center of the trunk.

None of these practices improves the water absorption of the tree. Keeping the cut surface clean and avoid injuring it, however, is important for proper water uptake of the tree.

Ideally, you would cut the tree just before putting it in the tree stand filled with water. If that is not possible, you can place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket filled with water for a few hours.

Match the Stand to the Tree

Put the tree in a stand with a water reservoir that is adequate for its size, not the other way around. The rule of thumb is that the stand should hold at least 1 quart of water per inch of trunk diameter.

Tip

Shaving the trunk down to fit a stand that is too small for the tree is a bad idea. The outer layers of the trunk called sapwood are the ones that conduct the water.

Select the Right Location

As iconic as it is, a Christmas tree next to a fireplace is not a good idea. Heat from any source, including vents, radiators, or in a large south- or west-facing window, will cause the tree to dry prematurely.

If you have no other place to put the tree, make sure to check the water level more often and lower the room temperature to slow down the drying process. The fireplace can also be a fire hazard for the tree caused by the heat or stray cinders.

Keep It in Water

Fill the tree stand with water so that the cut trunk is fully immersed. Plain, room-temperature tap water is fine.

Monitor the water level daily and add enough water so that the trunk is always submerged in the water. It might require crouching down to take a close look at the water level—just because there is still water in the stand does not mean that the trunk is still fully immersed, it could be sitting above the water line.

Tipp

Adding anything to the water, such as sugar, aspirin, bleach or commercial floral preservatives, won’t keep the tree fresh longer.

Caring for a Live Christmas Tree

The most important thing besides watering the tree is to limit the time it’s in the house, about one week maximum. It should remain in an unheated, sheltered area such as a garage or porch and only be put up shortly before Christmas.

Keep it out of the wind and sun outdoors before bringing it in for the holiday. A location away from heat sources is also very important for a live tree.

If the tree isn’t potted already, wrap the root ball in plastic to prevent the roots from drying out or place it in a tub. Water the tree slowly and deeply until water drips out of the bottom. The soil should be slightly damp but not soggy. Place a drainage tray or large saucer underneath to catch any excess water, which should be poured out promptly.

After the holidays, gradually accustom the tree to the outdoor temperatures by keeping it in a sheltered area such as an unheated garage for three to four days. If the ground is not frozen, replant the tree promptly. Otherwise, overwinter the tree in an unheated garage or porch where it is not exposed to sun and wind. Water it periodically but only if the potting medium is not frozen.

Read Next: 12 Best Types of Christmas Trees

Read the original article on The Spruce.