TREE CARE TIPS
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When choosing your tree and checking for freshness, insure that an abundance of green needles do not fall from the tree when shaken. The tree should look healthy and smell fresh. Take a needle between your fingers. It should snap like a fresh carrot. When you gently pull back on a branch, there should be very few if any needles in your hand.
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All trees should get a fresh cut of at least ½” just before it gets placed into the stand. We will always provide a fresh cut at any of our retail locations and our Tradition delivery teams make a fresh cut before bringing the tree inside your home or business! When a tree is cut, if left for more than several hours without water, the tree will form a seal of sap around the base and which makes it almost impossible for the tree to take in water. If you do not intend on bringing your tree in as soon as you get it, if possible, cut the base and store in a bucket of water in a cool place, out of the sun and wind.
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Displaying trees in water in a traditional reservoir type stand is the most effective way of maintaining their freshness and minimizing needle loss. Trees can drink over a gallon a day so having a stand with a large water reservoir is crucial. We recommend using a stand with at least a 1 quart reservoir for every inch of trunk diameter. We only sell Cinco and Gunnard brand stands that have ample water capacity. We do not recommend any other stand types or brands!
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Once the tree is in your home, place room temperature water inside the stand immediately. Do not let your tree run out of water and check the stand frequently—2x per day at least, morning and evening. Many people put their tree into water, and don't check it until the next day or so. The problem is that most people have very small water reservoirs for their trees and a tree will drink 65% of its water in the first week. A good rule of thumb is that for every 1" of diameter, a tree will use a quart of water per day. For example, a 4" diameter tree will use 1 gallon of water per day for the first several days.
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If your tree is not drinking water upon installation, we recommend pouring hot (not boiling) water in the stand as this can help break up sap deposits in the trunk which may be preventing the tree from adequately drinking. When the trees go from being outside in the cold winter air to heated homes it is often a shock to their systems. If your tree does not begin drinking immediately, don’t panic. Oftentimes, it takes 24-48hrs for them to adjust to their new environment before they begin to drink.
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Drilling a hole in the base of the trunk does NOT improve water uptake.
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Keep trees away from major sources of heat (fireplaces, heaters, heat vents, direct sunlight). Lowering the room temperature will slow the drying process, resulting in less water consumption each day.
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Check the stand daily to make sure that the level of water does not go below the base of the tree. If the water level is low, refill with room temperature water.
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When placing lights on your tree, always use lights that produce low heat. We recommend LED lights.
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Always inspect light sets prior to placing them on the tree. If worn, replace with a new set. Check the box for the maximum number of lights you can string together and do not overload. Always turn off the tree lights or have them on a timer when leaving the house or when going to bed.
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Do not use real candles on trees. Also, we do not recommend candles to be used on brush or greenery.
The safest tree is a fresh tree and the very best way to keep your tree fresh is to provide plenty of water to the fresh cut tree daily. In other words, WATER, WATER, AND WATER MORE!
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