Christmas Trees
Storing Your Tree Before Setup So you have selected the perfect tree, brought it home but are not quite ready to put it in the house and start decorating. There are some things you must do to ensure freshness for when you are ready to move it in.
Cut off about a half of one inch of wood from the base of the trunk and immediately put in a bucket of water. The reason for the cut is that it exposes new, moist, live cells on the trunk that will more easily absorb water. Do not cut the base at a diagonal as you may have heard from some people. Only the bottom couple of inches of the trunk absorb water so a diagonal cut does not help but does the opposite. If you are reluctant to cut the tree yourself or have no tools, ask your supplier to do this before you transport the tree home. Do not get the base dirty and be sure to immediately place it in water when you get home.
Place the tree in a cool, shaded area where the tree will not be exposed to wind, extreme cold, very warm temperatures or sunlight. All of these conditions will reduce the life of your tree. Ideally an unheated garage is a great place. You still need to check on the water level each day so your tree does not dry out. Remember during the first 24 hours after the fresh cut, a tree will absorb as much as a gallon of water or more so watch it carefully. Thereafter, a general rule is that a tree needs approximately one quart of water per inch of trunk diameter.
When you are ready to take it indoors or into the final display area, a fresh cut to the base is recommended but not absolutely necessary. Just be quick during transport so the base does not dry out and sap resin does not form.
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