December is the time of New Year's troubles. And one of the most enjoyable moments in the festive fuss is buying and decorating a Christmas tree. A living tree brings the aroma of a holiday to the house. Even the not yet dressed up forest beauty cheers everyone up. Of course, I want the tree to stand for a long time and please everyone with its appearance. To prevent the needles from crumbling in a couple of days, you need to follow these tips.
What to look for when choosing
It all starts with a purchase. To make the tree stand for a long time, it is important to choose a freshly cut tree. Or at least well-preserved. The fact is that the harvesting season begins in October, and markets open in December, the earliest at the end of November. However, there are signs that will help identify a fresh tree:
- First of all, you need to pay attention to the color of the needles: it should be bright, green. A yellow hue indicates that the tree was cut down for a long time, and it has already begun to dry out; gray color - for pain. In both cases, the tree will not last long, and there will be practically no smell.
- Another test for needles is sustainability. You can lightly tap the tree on the ground. Another option is to squeeze a twig in your hand and see if the needles remain in the palm of your hand. If the needles began to crumble, it means they cut down the tree for a long time.
- Fresh aromatic needles, it is easy to check if it is rubbed in the fingers. Old dry needles will not give a smell.
- The next stage is the inspection of the trunk. It must be clean, without mold, mildew and damage. A good sign if the trunk is also covered with needles and they do not crumble.
- If a brown border appeared on the cut, then the tree has long been on the market.
- You also need to pay attention to the branches. They can tell a lot to an attentive customer. Twigs should be easily bent, without breaking at the same time. To check it is better to use the lower shoots, because they begin to dry first.
- The branches should be located often enough and evenly so that the tree is fluffy.
Before buying, you need to determine the optimal height so that you do not have to cut the crown. If the vertical shoot breaks, then the tree begins to die.
When choosing, it is important to know which tree costs longer without dropping needles. Fir begins to crumble after 2 weeks in warmth. Pine - in 12-14 days. Spruce costs the least - not more than 10 days.
Before installation
It is best to bring a forest beauty home in your hands. She will be least affected by this type of transportation. But it is not forbidden to transport it on the roof of a car or on a bus or tram. Just need to make sure that it does not suffer during transportation.
Do not immediately bring the tree into a warm room. For the tree to stand for a long time, you need to let it stand for a couple of days on the glassed-in balcony or in the hallway. The temperature difference should be as smooth as possible. And then she will have to stand for at least a day in the room where the place is prepared for her.
How to install
The trunk will need to be cut again to open the tarred channels. You should also remove the bark to a height of 15-20 cm. If necessary, chop off the lower branches. All this will provide access to water.
When installing the stand, the camel must be wrapped in rags so that you can water the tree in this way.
The tree stands longer in a bucket of sand. The trunk should go into it by 20 cm, but not touch the bottom. However, not everyone has the opportunity to stock up on sand, so a tree can be put just in the water. At the same time, it must be well fixed so that the entire structure does not tip over.
The tree should stand away from heating appliances: radiators, heaters, etc.
Healthy supplements
To keep the Christmas tree longer, you need to water the tree daily or moisten the rags in the stand. This should also be done according to certain rules:
- The settled water must be used so that the chlorine evaporates and the particles forming the precipitate settle.
- You can make a solution with chalk, sugar, citric acid or aspirin. Nutritional supplements improve the nutrition of the Christmas tree.
- It is also useful to put pieces of copper wire or coins in a bucket. Metal disinfects water, prevents the appearance of fungus.
- In order for the tree to stand for a long time, you need to ensure that there is enough water. During the day, the tree can drink from 0.5 to 3 liters - depending on size.
- You can periodically spray needles with water from a spray bottle.
Alternatives
If you want the tree to please not only on holidays, then you can buy a seedling and plant it on the site. Then the fluffy beauty will always be at hand, the annual problem of her search will disappear. However, if the plant will be at home in a pot, you need to find out from the seller how to care for it and how long the live tree stands. Trees do not like a dry and stuffy apartment climate, so 2-3 weeks is a maximum for them. It is better to keep them on the balcony or alternate their location.
Also, some shops provide the service "Christmas tree for rent." The plant is rented, and after the holidays comes back.
Why is it still a living tree?
Despite the wide selection of artificial beauties, many people still prefer to put natural ones. The coniferous aroma cannot be compared with anything, only it alone is able to create a festive mood. Essential oils are also very beneficial for the body, they kill harmful bacteria.
Also, Christmas tree needles can be used after the holiday, for example, take a pine bath or prepare a pine mask. For many, the New Year holidays is the only way to stock up on raw materials.