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"O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how green are your leaves." To ensure that it stays that way and that the Christmas tree has its brilliant appearance at Christmas, there are a few things to consider. After all, it should shine brilliantly at the festival and delight many children's hearts. In addition, it would also be nice if he survived the turn of the year unscathed in his beautiful green needle dress. Here are some tips to keep the Christmas tree fresh and keeping the needles.
Keeping the Christmas tree fresh
Christmas Eve is already in sight. So it's high time to set up and clean the Christmas tree. So that it shines in all its splendor even days after the festival, there are a few tips for keeping the Christmas tree fresh.
Note when buying
It starts with the purchase of the Christmas tree that it is then beautiful to look at in the living room with all its balls and candles. The fir trees are usually cut down for the festival at the end of November. Usually they don't even come from the local forest, but mainly from Denmark. Although these are inexpensive, they are also rather dry and lose needles quickly.
It is therefore important to keep your eyes open when buying and to make sure that the tree is also quite fresh. Otherwise it is easily possible that a nasty surprise awaits you on Christmas Eve. The Christmas tree should be checked carefully before you buy it. In addition to an even growth, the tree should also have a straight stem show. Furthermore, a relatively fresh tree can be recognized by
- shiny needles
- no injuries on the branches
- no grinding marks
- white interfaces on the trunk
If the log already shows a brown-grey coloration at the cutting point, it has certainly been with the dealer for a long time. Continue should be with the closed hand against needle direction to be touched on a branch. If the tree loses needles, it is already dry. Certainly he will not really enrich the festival with his beauty.
An alternative to buying a Christmas tree is this hit yourself. In some densely wooded regions it is possible to cut down the Christmas tree yourself. Then it is guaranteed in any case that it is fresh. It can also be a special experience for the whole family. With appropriate care, native trees can retain their beautiful appearance until the beginning of February at Candlemas.
tree species crucial
Of course, the type of tree also plays a role in how long a Christmas tree can be kept fresh in the home. In this country, Nordmann firs are very popular. Not only because the needles don't sting and are shiny green, but because the fir lasts for a long time in the heated room. The same applies to noble firs. With good care, both tree species retain their appearance well into January. However, they cannot come up with the pleasant scent of a blue spruce.
In comparison, blue spruce or normal red spruce start to lose their needles after only two to three weeks. Black pines are also on the rise as Christmas trees. Even in heated rooms, these have no problem with slightly higher temperatures and do not lose the needles so quickly. However, there is a disadvantage, the branches are quite weak and they can easily break under stress.
storage
After the purchase, the Christmas tree should not be left to its own devices until it makes an appearance at Christmas. In any case, it is important that the Christmas tree is not placed in the warm room immediately after purchase. This would significantly reduce durability. In order to keep the trees fresh, the following tips should be observed for storage until the festival:
- cool, sheltered place
- balcony or basement
- Cut a 2 to 3 cm thick slice from the trunk
- better water absorption possible
- Put the tree in a bucket full of water
- Net should remain on the tree
- thus less evaporation of water
If there is no possibility that the tree can be temporarily stored outside or in the basement, the branches should be sprayed with water regularly. In this way, evaporated water can be returned to the tree.
notice: The durability of the Christmas tree always depends on the room temperature. The lower the temperature, the longer the Christmas tree will stay fresh.
The festival is approaching
Before the tree comes into the house for Christmas, a “temperature shock” should be prevented at all costs. In other words, the Christmas tree should not immediately be placed in the heated room. It is advisable to get him used to the new temperatures the night before in the stairwell or in the hallway. Then the transport network should also be removed. The branches can then be easily bent into their natural position. To prevent injuries to the tree, the net is removed from the fir tree from bottom to top.
To ensure that the Christmas tree retains its beauty over the holidays and beyond, a tree stand with a water tank is a good solution. Tap water can easily be refilled here on a regular basis. The water requirements of the trees can be very different. The decisive factor here is the size of the Christmas tree. The trees can use up to three liters of water within 24 to 48 hours. There are other measures to keep the Christmas tree fresh in the heated room
- Do not choose a place directly next to the heater or stove
- turn the heating down at night
- regular ventilation of the rooms
- increase in humidity
- spray the branches with water
- use with underfloor heating, stools or small tables
These measures can reduce water evaporation from the tree and prevent the foliage from drying out.
notice: It is sometimes recommended to add a tablespoon of sugar, preservative or glycerine to the water to prevent the needle from falling quickly. On the one hand, care must be taken when pets live in the household. Such a cocktail can be fatal for them. On the other hand, the addition of sugar or preservative does not bring the desired effect. On the contrary, adding glycerin can only cause the tree or foliage to turn brownish to red. Mold can also form.
Alternative "pot tree"
As an alternative to the felled Christmas tree, a fir tree in a pot can also be enjoyed at Christmas. This is usually always smaller than the classic one Christmas fir. The advantage here is that no stand is required. But even these Christmas trees should not be placed directly in the heated living room, but rather they should spend a few days outdoors beforehand. They can then move into the house shortly before the holidays. Here are some tips too:
- Always keep soil moist
- no waterlogging
- Remain in the house only three to four days
If kept indoors for a long time, the foliage can quickly turn brown and needle loss occurs. Such Christmas trees can be transplanted into the garden after the holiday on frost-free days when the ground is not frozen. With a lot of luck, they will also grow well there. However, there can be problems with Nordmann firs. Due to their long taproots, the roots can be damaged when planted out.
notice: If you don't have enough space for a whole tree or simply don't want a Christmas tree, you still don't have to do without the Christmas decorations made of fir green. Here's how you can easily tie a Christmas wreath yourself.