How to Care for a Christmas Tree

After you spend a lot of time preparing for the holidays this year, have a plan in place about how to care for your Christmas tree. Once it starts to dry out, there is little you can do at that point other than watch the needles fall to the floor.

Caring for your Christmas tree begins by selecting a healthy tree. When you spot a tree that you like, slide your hand up the branches and see if needles fall to the ground. If yes, it's a good sign the tree is already dry, and it will just get worse in the warm environment of your home. You can also raise the tree a few inches off the ground and allow the bottom of the trunk to firmly land. If some of the needles shed, that's an indicator of a dry tree.

When your tree arrives home, place it near a cool area if you're not ready to bring it inside. Cut a maximum of one inch off the base of the trunk and place the tree into a container of water. This supplies water to the tree as soon as possible. Don't wait until you bring the tree inside a day or two later to start supplying it with water; that's too late.

Many Christmas tree farms make the cut at the end of the trunk for you, but prepare yourself with an appropriate saw. Making a fresh cut is important for the tree's health and uptake of water throughout the season.

Place the Christmas tree into a tree stand for your next step. Use a stand that will hold a sufficient amount of water that matches the capacity of the tree. Fresh trees should contain enough water to last one full day. Generally, a tree uses up to one quart of water per day for each inch of stem diameter, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.

The NCTA further advises that supplementing the water with some commercial additives and home concoctions can actually be detrimental to the tree's ability for uptake. Research shows that plain tap water is the only thing required to care for your Christmas tree and prevent it from drying out prematurely.

Once you have the tree properly fastened inside the tree stand and watered, you're ready to decorate.