How to Set Up and Care For a Live Christmas Tree

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A Christmas tree is the perfect centerpiece in any home’s Christmas décor. And there’s no denying the nice feeling (and smell) that a live Christmas tree brings to any home. The idea of ​​bringing a live tree into your home may sound a bit complicated at first, but they are actually very easy to care for and transport.

Here’s how to safely place a live Christmas tree in your home and ensure it stays alive throughout the holiday.

What to do before receiving your live Christmas tree

Before you head out looking for your perfect Christmas tree, there are a few quick tasks to complete that should make getting your tree inside an easier process.

• Measure your space: Before you decide what size Christmas tree you want, get a good floor-to-ceiling measurement so you don’t accidentally get a tree that’s too tall.
• Install the tree stand: Go ahead and open the ends of your tree stand and place it on the ground in the area of ​​your house where the tree will go. You don’t want to be fumbling with the tree stand while carrying a heavy tree inside.
• Clear a path: Before bringing the tree inside, make sure the path between the door and the base of the tree is clear of potential tripping hazards or items that could be knocked over by a rogue tree branch.
• Prepare your materials: When you go shopping for your live Christmas tree, you’ll want to bring a canvasSome ropeand a safety flag with you to ensure that everything runs smoothly during the transport of your tree.

Note: If you plan to transport your Christmas tree in the bed of a pickup truck, you may not need a rope.

How to put a living Christmas tree in your house

1. Cut the stump

A tree stump becomes clogged with sap after being cut down at the tree farm, limiting the tree’s water intake and can cause it to dry out faster. It is important that you cut off the end of the tree stump so that your tree can drink water properly. About a half inch to an inch cut should suffice.

If you purchased your tree from a retailer or tree farm, see if an attendant will cut the end of your tree stump for you. If no one can help you, carefully cut down the stump when you get home.

2. Wrap your tree

Once you have chosen your tree, you will want to wrap it in a canvas (or thick blanket) to avoid damaging your car and the tree during the ride home. Most places that sell live Christmas trees will sell you the tree, but wrapping it in something else is still recommended. Or you can just put a tarp or blanket on your car roof to prevent scratches on your car roof.

Wrapping your tree will also make bringing it inside much easier. Plus, there won’t be a giant mess to clean up the roof of your car.

3. Place the tree on the roof of the car

When you go to place your wrapped tree on top of your car (or truck bed), be sure to place it stump side facing forward. Placing your tree in this direction minimizes wind damage to the branches of the tree.

4. Tie the tree to the roof of the car

If you have a roof rack in your car, you can use some rope to tie your tree across the roof rack. If your car does not have a roof rack, please open your car windows and pass the rope through your car several times and tie it securely. Also be sure to tie a safety flag to the end of your tree if it is longer than the length of your car.

Before you leave, try shaking the tree a bit to see if it moves. If the tree moves, that means it’s not tied down enough.

5. Bring your tree inside your house

Once you get home, untie the tree from your car, leave it wrapped up, and carefully bring it inside. Place the tree on your tree stand and have a helper close the tips to stabilize the tree.

Finally, remove the tarp and netting, fluff up the tree, and you’re ready to begin Christmas tree care. And it comes to the best part: decorating.

6. Securing your tree

If you’re worried about a tree tipping over or that the prongs at the base of the tree won’t be enough, there are some creative ways to secure your tree:

• Get a heavier tree base. A metal tree base would be ideal.
• Tie the top of the tree to nearby curtain rods.
• Tie the tree to nearby window sills.
• Install a ceiling hook and tie the top of the tree to the ceiling hook.
• Create a solid base by screwing the legs of the tree base to a wooden board.

Caring for a live Christmas tree is quite simple and straightforward. It’s mostly about making sure your tree doesn’t dry out, which could start a house fire. If properly maintained, your tree should last around 5-6 weeks. Here are a couple of tips for maintaining a healthy Christmas tree.

How to care for your living Christmas tree

Check the water level of your tree

First, you’ll want to make sure your tree stand It can hold at least a gallon of water. The water should always be covering the bottom two inches from the trunk of your tree, and the water level should be checked diary.

Live Christmas trees tend to drink the most water during the first week they are in your home, so you may want to check your tree’s water level twice a day just to be sure.

Like most other plants, the best thing for your tree is Water. Tap water will work just fine, so no other additives are necessary.

Note: Remember that a tree without water or without water will quickly begin to get dried and can greatly increase the chances of a christmas tree fire happening.

Avoid placing your tree near heat sources.

A dry tree is a dying tree. To avoid drying out the tree too soon (or starting a potential house fire), keep it away from heat sources. Placing your tree next to the fireplace with a few candles might be aesthetically pleasing in pictures, but it’s actually one of the quickest ways to kill your tree and possibly start a house fire. Avoid at all costs placing your tree near heat sources and dry areas of your home.

Other ways to keep your tree healthy

• Automatic drinker for Christmas trees: If you’re worried about forgetting to water your tree or just don’t have the time, you can also purchase a automatic waterer for trees to help you
• irrigation funnel: If you still want the experience of watering the tree yourself, but don’t want to crawl under the tree, consider grabbing a tree watering funnel.
• Led lights: LED lights produce less heat than other lights, making them less dangerous. In addition, they also consume less energy.
• smart plug– Set your lights on a timer or schedule with a smart plug to save energy and reduce the risk of fire.

The bottom line

Now that you have your live Christmas tree in your home, it’s time to move on to the best part: decorating the tree. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to decorate all the areas around your Christmas tree as well.