If you have a real Christmas tree to decorate your house with this holiday season, you would naturally want to keep it looking as healthy as possible until Christmas day at least, and ideally, even beyond New Years. Doing this requires just the simplest changes in the care, positioning, and choice of your tree. Here are 7 of the most important things to look out for. |
|
Before you buy it
1. See that the tree is bought fresh When buying your tree, make sure you pick one that has a healthy green color and a few brown needles. If you're buying it from a roadside lot, the trees will most likely be coming from out of state, with the exposure to dry winds. So make sure your tree is fresh, by lifting it from the ground and dropping it onto its trunk - if only few needles fall off, that's a good sign. 2. Opt for trees with a base cut When you're picking a tree at a farm, look out for one that has a straight cut across its base. This would have been done intentionally by the farmers in order to enhance water absorption. This way, your tree will be able to stay fresh for longer. If you don't find this cut, you may try making it yourself. |
|
After you buy it
3. Trim your trunk again before setting it Newly-bought trees might have developed dried-over resin at the bottom of the trunk - and this may block the absorption of water. Open up the tree's vascular system again by cutting off one inch from the base of the tree as soon as you get home. 4. Supply your tree with enough water Make sure you supply your tree with water as soon as you can after buying it, or at least, within 24 hours. Fill the stand or a bucket with water and fit the tree into it, making sure it never ends up without water. You may find the need to top up this container with water every day. It is estimated that a typical tree absorbs a quart of water for each inch of its diameter. If in any case, you tree show signs of dryness, try drilling in some holes at the bottom to improve the absorption. 5. Don't be gullible to everything you read If you've frequently heard several tips that will help prolonging your tree's life, make sure what you believe makes sense after all. One of the myths you might have come across is to add sugar, Sprite, or aspirin to your tree's water supply - but in reality, there are all unnecessary. Plain water is all that your tree needs. 6. Keep the tree away from heat Heat will make your tree dry up faster, so make sure it is located in a safe place in your home. If you have a fireplace, a wood stove or windows that get a lot of sunlight, make sure your tree is placed as far away from them as possible. Besides, if your home's air is very dry, try using a humidifier to improve it. |
After the celebrations 7. Recycle your tree By this point, it's irrelevant whether your tree has dried up or not, but in either case, don't simply discard it on the curb, where it takes up landfill space. Recycle your tree - look out for any local programs through which you can get your used tree collected and recycled. |
H/T: goodhousekeeping.com | popularmechanics.com
Easy Tips to Fit in EXTRA Crops in Your Vegetable Garden
Garden filling up? Follow these practical tips to grow more crops even in a small garden.
Christmas Trees and Pets: A Few Important Safety Tips
A Christmas tree can pose a threat for cats and dogs, but there are a few easy safety precautions pet owners can take
How to Keep Your Pets Away From the Christmas Tree
Learn to keep your pets away from the Christmas tree using clever tricks, including some quick DIY alternatives to tinsel.
What to Do if Someone is Drowning: A Complete Guide
Whether someone is a strong swimmer or not, drowning's always a potential risk. So you need to know how to deal with the situation. Here'a complete guide.
How to Actually Enjoy Shoveling Snow!
As always at Babamail, we come in with some more tips on how to make your house chore easier than ever. This time, snow shoveling!
These Tips Will Winter Proof Your Garden
Learn some tips to help you prepare your car, your home and your garden for the winter season.
How to Clean and Organize a Leather or Fabric Wallet
Your wallet has more germs than a toilet, but most rarely clean theirs. This guide will walk you through deep cleaning and organizing your wallet.
I Never Imagined That I Could Use Cucumbers in These Ways
Take a look at the video below and see how cucumbers can help save you some money in 10 different ways.
Click to See Unbelievable Uses for These Household Items
Click to learn more! We've collected Ba-bamail's best list of tips and alternative uses for things you've got lying around the house.
NEVER Pop These 7 Types of Bumps and Blemishes
When it comes to bumps and blemishes, keep your hands off. Keep your complexion fresh and flawless with these handy tips.
Shocking! How Thieves Steal Card Details at the ATM
Take note of some of the most common ways thieves will try to steal your credit card details.
Tip: All You Need to Know About Your Kitchen Knives
This handy quick cheat-sheet for home cooks gives you a quick run-down of what chefs know about their knives, explains the lingo, and gives some great advice!
4 Smart Ways to Keep Your Herbs Fresh
To help keep your herbs fresh and delicious for longer, we've compiled four tips for you.
If You Defrost Your Meat Like This, Stop Right Now!
Here are eight common defrosting mistakes that you really need to stop making right now!
These Innocuous Car Items Conceal Surprising Dangers
If you're a car owner, this video will be really helpful to you.
12 Indoor Gardening Hacks You Must Know
Even if you can’t say about yourself that you have a green thumb, you can try yourself with indoor gardening, and these 12 tips will help
WATCH: 7 Alternative Uses of Rice That Will Surprise You
Rice isn't just a delicious and wholesome grain, it's got a whole host of other surprising uses...
This Is Why You Should Never Throw Away Your Lemon Peels
25 reasons why you should definitely keep your lemon peels.
10 Ways to Get Rid of Black Circles and that Puffy Look
Had enough of looking tired? Try our natural recipes to rid yourself of that tired look.
Eating Out? How to Pick the Healthier Meals
If you're looking to stay on a healthy diet, we have compiled some recommendations for you regarding what to look out for in various international cuisines.
Got Dark Knees and Elbows? 8 Remedies That'll Help
Put an end to dark knees and elbows with these 8 natural remedies.
7 Steps That Will Help Break Your Addiction to Sugar!
If you're addicted to sugar, following these 7 steps will help you break this unhealthy addiction.
15 Microwave Tips Everyone Should Be Told About
Microwaves can be used even more than you'd imagine. Here are 15 more ways in which you can use your microwave that you probably didn’t know about.
These Healthy Vegetables Are Very Easy to Grow In a Pot
If you grow your own vegetables at home, you can both eat healthier and save money. These 10 vegetables don't even need a garden to grow perfectly well.
Make Your Daily Life Easier with These Great Home Tips!
Here are 22 easy to apply tricks will make your life hassle free. Some of them are so simple you’ll wonder why you didn't think of them first.
Learn to Solve 7 Common Appliance Problems All By Yourself
The washing machine, the fridge, the dishwasher - these are the home appliances that make our lives that much easier. Here are 7 common problems we have with our home appliances that we can easily fix ourselves.
What to Do if Someone is Drowning: The Complete Guide
Whether someone is a strong swimmer or not, drowning's always a potential risk. So you need to know how to deal with the situation. Here'a complete guide.
Learn the Banana Tricks You Always Wanted to Know
You're Going to Love This Handy Banana Trick
With Age Comes Wisdom! Great Advice From People Over 50
Why get advice from a book when you can get great advice from a person over 50?
Discover: Who Are the Most Successful Inventors in History?
If you love inventions and history, you'll find this post fascinating!
How Many Times You Can Wear Clothes Before Washing Them
Are you re-wearing your clothes more often than you should? Follow this guide.
6 Great Benefits of Waking Up Early
Do you promise yourself that you'll wake up early the next day, but at the moment of truth you hit the snooze button? Stop this with these 11 tips!
These Life Hacks Will Take Good Care of Your Shoes
Whether you're a seasoned collector or just looking to extend the life of your favorite pair, these insights will transform how you care for your footwear.
Amazing! How Can One Small Tool be So Useful?
18 brilliant ways to use Command Hooks. These will come in handy in the future.
7 Items You Might Be Disinfecting the Wrong Way
With the Covid-19 outbreak, disinfecting has become a daily necessity. But some items can be damaged by the chemicals & need a gentler approach
Solve 18 Cooking and Food Storage Problems With These Tips
These 18 food tips will teach you how to prevent food from spoiling and will show you how to save time and effort in preparing certain foods
Do You Know Why Wedding Rings Are Worn On the 4th Finger?
There's a specific reason why we all wear our wedding rings on our fourth fingers, and this informative video will explain the tradition behind it.
The 6 Most Common Mattress Shopping Mistakes You’re Making
Planning on buying a new mattress? Do keep these tips in mind.
Avoid These Email Clichés and Communicate More Effectively
Watch out for the outdated phrases below and upgrade your email vocabulary with thoughtful and unique sentiments.
10 Household Items You Should Disinfect Every Day
Here is a list of 10 essential household things that you simply must disinfect during the winter months.
Beware! NEVER Put These Things on Your Credit Card
Credit cards might be convenient but there are some cases where you should avoid using them.
This is One Useful Oil You Always Want to Keep Around
This article will share six different and particularly effective uses for sesame oil, which make it clear why every home should have this essential ingredient.
Make Your Home Smell Amazing with These 2 Ingredients
You can make your home smell absolutely amazing by using just these two ingredients. This video will show you how to make your own air freshener.
5 Incredible Secrets 5-Star Hotels Use to Do the Laundry
Achieve outstanding results with these incredible laundry tips
These 8 Beauty Items Are Useless and Not Worth Your Money
The average American woman uses 16 beauty products daily. But most of these are a waste of money. Take a look.
Do You Store Your Eggs in the Door of Your Fridge? Don't!
If you store your eggs in the refrigerator door, you should stop. Here's why.
This Chinese Spoon Massage Will Keep Your Face Youthful!
When you want to look young, the face is the right place to start, and with the next home massage technique, it's never been easier!