Christmas tree care guide: how to keep a real Christmas tree alive until January
Once you’ve found your perfect Christmas tree, the work doesn’t stop at decorating. With just a bit of extra care, your tree should still look good as new on December 25, and beyond.
Keeping your tree hydrated and healthy over the festive period is key to minimising needle cleanup and warding off the dreaded ‘skeleton tree’.
Here are our top tips for taking care of your tree this season:
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Get a water-retaining stand: This is the most essential bit, it’s important to remember that your tree, like other house plants, needs regular drinks to stay healthy. Think of a cut tree like a bouquet of flowers — if you want it to stay fresh, you’re going to want to keep the trunk in water at all times. If you don’t have one already, you can have one of our water-retaining stands delivered along with your tree. Make sure to keep it topped up throughout the festive period.
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Make sure the base of the tree is cut: Cutting a small amount from the base of the trunk helps your tree drink more easily, but most Londoners don’t have the equipment or space to do this. I’d suggest checking that your supplier offers freshly trimmed trees to keep those pines holding strong.
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Keep your stand topped up: The amount of water your tree needs will depend on its size, so check your stand’s water levels every day and keep it topped up.
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Keep it away from heat: You might love a toasty fireplace in the winter, but your Christmas tree doesn’t. Radiators and open fires will dry it out quicker. Ideally, you should keep it away from heat sources.
Freddie Blackett is the Founder of Patch (www.patch.garden). Patch helps you discover the best plants for your space, delivers them to your door, and helps you look after them. Follow @PatchPlants on Instagram to get inspired by the world’s best indoor and outdoor urban gardens.