Although fake Christmas trees are becoming popular, there’s nothing quite like a freshly cut Christmas tree. Sure, the latter requires more upkeep and care, but if you do all the right things, you can be the proud owner of a fabulous Christmas tree!
One of the disadvantages of installing a live Christmas tree in the home is the infamous ‘needle drop’. Even the best fir and fir trees cannot escape. But there are ways you can minimize shedding and increase your tree’s needle retention.
Are here 7 easy steps to prevent the Christmas tree needle from falling off:
1. Choose your tree carefully. Ideally, choose a locally grown and sourced tree rather than one imported from abroad. The most important condition for selecting a tree is its needle retention properties. Popular preferences for a live Christmas tree are Norway spruce (traditional choice but with a fast needle drop rate); Nordmann Fir (dark green and expensive, but also boasts slow needle drop); noble fir (the king of Christmas trees and again has a better needle drop record than Norway spruce); Fraser Fir (excellent needle holding properties and a lovely pine fragrance to boot and resembles Norway spruce).
2. Have it ‘stirred’ manually or mechanically at the place of purchase so that you can judge for yourself the drop of the needle. This exercise also removes any insects, egg masses, or debris that may have accumulated on the tree. If the green needles fall off, avoid buying that particular tree. It simply means that this tree has been cut down quite some time ago and has lost most of its moisture.
3. Take it home. Avoid exposing the freshly cut tree to the wind, as this can start the drying process before the tree even gets home. If you can, try to transport it in your car or if you load it on a trailer, be sure to cover the top of the trailer.
4. After you bring the tree home, tap it on the ground to dislodge any needles that the tree naturally sheds anyway. This prevents a mess inside the house. Next, trim back about an inch below the trunk. This opens up the pores and allows water to flow easily through the tree, keeping it fresher for longer.
5. For best results, keep tree in a cool place and delay entry as long as possible. Usually the weekend before Christmas is ideal. Until then store it in a bucket of water and water it daily.
6. Avoid heat. Christmas trees are generally trouble-free trees even indoors as long as they are kept away from heat, as that is a freshly cut tree’s biggest enemy. This includes radiators, fireplaces, and even warm lights, as they drain moisture from the needles and speed up the ‘drip’ process.
7. Water it religiously. Place your Christmas tree on a special tree stand inside the house and be sure to water it every day. These evergreens require a lot of water to stay hydrated and, well, evergreen! Even a low needle drop tree requires as much as a pint of water a day to stay fresh during the holiday season. All Christmas trees require regular watering twice a day for the first week, after which they start to use less water, but still need it daily!
So keep these tips in mind to minimize needle drop on your Christmas tree.
