From the Ground Up: Proper care for a natural Christmas tree

The joy of a real Christmas tree can't be beat. Whether you cut your own at a tree farm, or find one at a local lot, bringing it home and decorating it is a forever memory. Of course, you want your tree to be fresh and fragrant through the entire holiday season. By following these simple tips, you can make sure your tree is beautiful until the New Year.

When a Christmas tree is cut, more than half its weight is water. Consequently, maintaining the moisture in your tree is essential.

- Make a fresh cut to remove about a 1/2-inch thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk before putting the tree in the stand. Cut perpendicular to the stem axis. Don't cut the trunk at an angle, or into a v-shape, which makes it more difficult to hold the tree in the stand and reduces the amount of water available to the tree.

- Place the tree in water as soon as possible. Most species can go 6 to 8 hours after cutting the trunk and still take up water. Don't bruise the cut surface or get it dirty. If needed, trees can be temporarily stored for several days in a cool location. Place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket that is kept full of water.

- Displaying trees in a traditional water reservoir type stand is the most effective way to maintain freshness and minimize needle loss.

- To display the trees indoors, use a stand with an adequate water holding capacity for the tree. As a general rule, stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter. Devices are available that help maintain a constant water level in the stand.

- Use a stand that fits your tree. Don't whittle down the sides of the trunk to fit a stand. The outer layers of wood are the most efficient in taking up water and shouldn't be removed.

- Drilling a hole in the base of the trunk doesn't improve water uptake.

- The temperature of the water used to fill the stand isn't important.

- Check the stand daily to make sure that the level of water doesn't go below the base of the tree. With many stands, there can still be water in the stand even though the base of the tree is no longer submerged in water.

- 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.

- Use of lights that produce low heat will reduce drying of the tree.

- Always turn off the tree lights when leaving the house or when going to bed.

For gardening questions, call the Linn County Extension Master Gardener Hortline at (319) 447-0647.