How to extend the life of your Christmas Tree

How to extend the life of your Christmas Tree: There are as many ideas out there about what to add to your tree’s water to keep it fresh as there are Christmas traditions. They range from sprite to asprin to fertilizer. Most of these in the right amount won’t hurt your tree, but research has shown that plain old H2O works best. There are, however, a few key things to remember that definitely will effect the life of your tree. Most importantly, is to constantly keep the base of the tree submerged in water. When you first bring the tree home, cut a 2″ section from the base of the trunk and put it immediately in at least a gallon of water. If it will not be put up in your home for a day or two, do the above process but put it in a bucket of water and store outside or in a garage away from sun, wind and below freezing temps. Repeat the process when ready to put it in it’s permanent tree stand, make sure the stand is big enough to hold a gallon of water. Check the water level daily and always keep it well above the bottom of the trunk. Display your tree away from heat sources including heaters, furnace vents and televisions. Using a humidifier to increase the humidity of your home also helps extend the life of a tree in our dry Utah climate.