How to find a fresh Christmas tree in a lot and keep it fresh this season

Miles Blumhardt, Fort Collins Coloradoan
Updated ·3 min read

Picking out the perfect Christmas tree can be stressful, and who needs another layer of anxiety during the busy shopping season?

Selecting the right tree is critical since it's going to stand in a prominent place in your home for a month or more.

Add shelling out $80 to $100 on average for a tree, according to the National Christmas Tree Association, and you have an investment in time and money.

Here are tips to help you pick out the right tree and keep it fresh throughout the holiday season, whether picking from a lot or cutting in a national forest, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.

How to pick out the right tree from a Christmas tree lot

  • Measure first: Be sure you know the height and width to fill out your space before you go shopping. Typically, trees in a lot are trimmed to an 80% taper, meaning a 10-foot tree will be 8 feet wide at the bottom.

  • Not all trees are the same: Different tree species, such as firs, spruce and pine, have different growing habits. Some have more open or tighter foliage, stiffer or more limber branches, and shorter or longer needles. Match the tree type with the decorations you will be using.

  • Ask questions: This takes some trust but ask workers how often trees are delivered. Buying trees newly delivered usually results in fresher trees.

  • Do your own freshness test: Run a branch through your enclosed hand. The needles should not come off easily. Bend the outer branches to check how pliable they are. If they are brittle and snap easily, the tree is dry. Some needle drop is OK, but excessive needle loss, discolored foliage, musty odor and wrinkled bark are indications the tree is dry.

How to keep your Christmas tree fresh: Fact vs. fiction

  • When a Christmas tree is cut, more than half its weight is water, so use a stand that can hold enough water for the tree size. As a general rule, stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter. Devices are available that help maintain a constant water level in the stand.

  • The outer layers of the tree are most efficient in taking up water, so don't whittle the sides of the trunk to fit the stand. Instead, choose an appropriate stand to fit the tree.

  • Remove a flat, 1/2-inch-thick disk at the base of the trunk before putting the tree in the stand. This helps the tree take up water. Don’t cut the trunk at an angle or v-shape as this reduces the amount of water the tree can take up.

  • Once home, place the tree in water as soon as possible. Most species can go 6 to 8 hours after cutting the trunk and still take up water. If needed, trees can be temporarily stored for several days in a cool location. Place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket that is kept full of water.

  • Plain tap water is all you need. Don't add bleach, aspirin, fertilizer or commercial additives.

  • Drilling a hole in the base of the trunk does not improve water uptake.

  • The temperature of the water used to fill the stand is not important and does not affect water uptake.

  • Keep trees away from major sources of heat and direct sunlight.

  • Use of lights that produce low heat, such as miniature lights, will reduce drying of the tree.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Don't let these myths ruin keeping your Christmas tree fresh