| |
Christmas Tree Maintenance & Safety Tips
OPH Good Housekeeping – Christmas Tree Maintenance
A living tree should only remain in the house for a short spell not exceeding 10 days. With this in mind It is essential that you plan when to uproot the tree, in order for it to remain fresh for the festive season.
Living Christmas tree roots grow in a ball of earth. Place this ball of earth in a container and ensure it is kept moist. Do not remove any soil from the roots whilst the tree is in the house.
Introduce your living tree back to the garden gradually. For example to garage, to shed and then to planting site.
Care Of A Real Christmas Tree
Real Christmas trees remain a firm favourite and to a great extent epitomise Christmas.
Make a 1" diagonal cut off the base of the trunk so that the tree can take up water immediately.
More height can be taken off the tree - this will depend on the space where your tree will be displayed.
Position your tree away from open flames and direct heat to prevent premature drying out.
If you do not wish to display the tree straight away store it in a cool place out of direct sunlight in a bucket of warm water.
Place a piece of plastic sheeting over the area where your tree will be displayed.
Tip your tree on one side and tighten the levelling clamps of the stand around the base of the trunk.
Your tree should stand perfectly upright. If the surface upon which it stands is uneven, use a piece of ply wood to level it.
If your tree is large or you are concerned that it might topple, increase the broadness of the stand by placing it on a
larger piece of ply wood to increase stability.
Making adjustments to the top of the tree should be kept to a minimum. If the tree is too tall clip away any straggling branches but avoid cutting the tallest vertical branch as this is usually a stiff branch, ideal for housing the tree top decoration.
Tidy up your Christmas tree by clipping any untidy branches or branches that hit the furniture and walls. Cuts are less obvious if you aim for an angle parallel to the floor. Keep these trimmings in water then use to decorate mantles, sills and table.
Remember to check the water level. For the first few days this could be as frequent as every few hours. Christmas trees absorb up to 3 pints of water a day. If you allow the water level to drop below the trunk, sap will reseal the pores in the trees bark and prevent further uptake of water.
Do not use soil or sand to stabilise your tree as this also
will restrict the intake of water.
Do not whittle the sides of the trunk in order for it to fit a stand, as the outer layers of wood are the more efficient in taking up water.
Care For Your Artificial Tree
Follow manufactures instructions for assembly.
Ensure that rows are even and spaces between each row of
branches is minimised.
Branch tips should curve according to the instructions to create a more natural look.
To fluff up needles and branches that have become squashed due to storage and packing simply run your hand against the grain to refluff.
Thanks for checking out our OPH Good Housekeeping Christmas Tree Maintenance special.
Click here for all you need to know about how the Christmas tree has now become firmly established within the theme of Christmas...
Click here for tips and advice on choosing the perfect tree for your home...
Click here for some excellent tips on decorating your home at Christmas...
From Christmas Tree Maintenance, to Christmas Ideas
Home
|
