"preserving" spruce paws. How to keep a live Christmas tree longer at home: ways to properly save a cut down Christmas tree at home

Here comes the most long-awaited holiday - New Year! What does he smell like? Frost and tangerines, fresh pastries and spices, candles and incense. And, of course, a Christmas tree - the most important attribute of the New Year's celebration! What a holiday without the aroma of fresh needles in the house, so familiar to us from childhood and so good for health.

Living spruce, according to legend, keeps an inexhaustible source of vital energy, and the spirits living in it protect the home from various evil influences.

If you have opted for a living tree, then you really want to preserve the freshness of the Christmas tree and its bright aroma for the entire duration of the holidays. How to prolong the life of the forest beauty? Here are some tips.

This method is the most efficient. Just buy not a cut down tree, but a Christmas tree growing in a special tub, where the roots continue their life activity. The main condition for its preservation in its original form is to save forest beauty from heat shock when moving from frost to warm house. This should be done gradually, first holding the plant for several days on a glazed balcony or veranda. You can replace the Christmas tree with more heat-loving trees like cypress or araucaria.

It is very important to choose the right freshly cut tree.

  • To do this, you need to pay attention to the trunk. It is good if its surface is covered with needles, and the cut does not have a wide dark border.
  • The freshness of the Christmas tree is evidenced by the elasticity of its branches and the bright, rich green color of the needles. If you rub a few needles in your fingers, a strong spruce smell must necessarily appear, and the surface of the skin will become oily.
  • Try hitting the base of the barrel hard on the ground. If the needles fell down, it means that the tree is not the first freshness and it is not worth taking it.
  • It is very good if the crown and tips of the branches remain intact during transportation.

Try immediately after the acquisition not to bring the Christmas tree into warm room, and hold for several days on a glazed veranda or balcony wrapped in paper. There she will go required acclimatization period .

AT warm room do not unfold the forest guest immediately, but let it slowly warm up to ambient temperature.

When installing a Christmas tree, remove the lower branches (they are perfect for a New Year's wreath or bouquet), clean the trunk by 10-20 cm, be sure to update the saw cut and place the plant in settled water for a couple of days, constantly adding liquid. Then set the tree in a stand with a container filled with wet sand or water. You can also wrap the cleaned part of the trunk with any loose cloth and regularly moisten it with water or a specially prepared solution.

To prolong the life of the forest beauty, make the water more nutritious for her, and also take measures to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Here are some recipes:

  • The most famous option is to add a few cubes of refined sugar, an aspirin tablet and a handful of salt to the water. Pour the solution into a prepared container with water or sand.
  • Dissolve in 3 liters of water half a tablespoon of pre-crushed chalk and 5 grams of gelatin and citric acid.
  • A tree that stands in water with several dissolved crystals of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) retains its freshness well. The color of the liquid should be bright pink. This compound acts as a micro-fertilizer and your Christmas tree may even take root.
  • Your New Year's decoration will feel great if you add any specialized feed for conifers to the water in a dosage according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  • The nutritional composition can be obtained by mixing a teaspoon of superphosphate, a tablespoon of ammonium nitrate and half a teaspoon of potassium nitrate into the water. This fertilizer needs to be topped up daily at 1 tablespoon.
  • If, immediately after cleaning the trunk, the tree is lowered into a hot solution of acetic acid, then the heat will further open the pores of the tree, and the essence will protect against pests and preserve the plant.
  • You can also put Soviet-era copper coins in the water (perhaps someone else still has them) or just copper wire. In this case, it will not be superfluous to add a few pieces of sugar along with an aspirin tablet.

The liquid, as it evaporates, must be topped up so that the cleaned lower part of the barrel is constantly under water. These same solutions can be used to regularly dampen sand or fabric.

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Having bought a cut Christmas tree on the market, each of us wants it to look fresh and attractive during all the holidays. We offer several simple tips that will help keep live Christmas tree more at home. This does not require any special means, just a grain of knowledge on choosing, installing a Christmas tree and caring for it.

From the article you will learn:

  • 1 How to save Christmas tree so that it doesn't crumble?
    • 1.1 Choosing a quality tree
  • 2 Correct installation live Christmas tree
    • 2.1 Mounting the Christmas tree
    • 2.2 Few Recipes for Nutrient Solution to Extend Tree Life
  • 3 The tree is installed. What to do next
    • 3.1 We also recommend reading:

How to save a Christmas tree so that it does not crumble?

Choosing a quality tree

Let's start by choosing a Christmas tree. If you buy a tree that has lain for a month at the seller, believe that no matter what you do with it later, trying to save appearance, a beautiful tree will not stand for a long time. Needles will crumble just from time to time.

Christmas tree selection

When buying spruce or pine before the new year, check with the seller about the time of the log house, asking for documents for the goods.

If they are not, first of all pay attention to the color of the needles. A yellow tint will indicate that the tree is far from young and will soon begin to crumble. Also, experts advise with an effort to run your palm along the branch: if needles remain in your hand, the tree was cut down a long time ago and it is better not to take it. When running your hand along the branch, the needles should be flexible and stay on the tree.

To keep the Christmas tree as long as possible, pay attention to the trunk and branches of the tree. The branches should be elastic and unbreakable. The surface of the trunk should be covered with needles; there should not be a wide dark border on the cut.

The freshness of the Christmas tree is evidenced by the elasticity of its branches and the bright, rich green color of the needles. If you rub a few needles in your fingers, a strong spruce smell must necessarily appear, and the surface of the skin will become oily.

Proper installation of a live Christmas tree

Deciding to keep a live Christmas tree at home longer, do not rush to install it in the room immediately after purchase. Let the tree acclimatize a little. From a sharp temperature drop, the tree can lose all the needles. For successful acclimatization, put the tree in a cold garage or balcony.

setting up a live Christmas tree

While the Christmas tree is getting used to the change in temperature, we will prepare a place for its installation. First, the tree should be kept away from open fire or heat sources that can dry it out prematurely. Second, keep your tree out of reach of pets.

If you plan to use garlands to decorate your Christmas tree, place the tree closer to the outlet. If this is not possible, you will need to use an extension cord. Make sure that the extension cord runs along the wall, does not come into contact with moisture and does not create a fire hazard for electrical wiring.

If you want to keep your live Christmas tree fresh long time, forget about metal and plastic supports-crosses, in which the tree is fixed with nails or screws. Buy a special stand into which you can pour water or pick up a deep container where you can pour water, pour wet sand or put pebbles. It should be deep enough so that the tree does not fall and does not roll to one side.

Keep in mind that you will need some form of water to keep the wood fresh. So that she does not harm your flooring and furniture, cover the place of installation of the Christmas tree with a cloth or light paper. You can also cover the container in which the Christmas tree is installed with something. With the help of tinsel, rain and others Christmas decorations everything can be arranged as a great Christmas tree decor.

Christmas tree installation

When setting up the Christmas tree, remove the lower branches (they are perfect for a New Year's wreath or a bouquet for decoration holiday table). Clean the trunk 10–20 cm. Be sure to renew the saw cut. This is necessary so that the trunk can absorb moisture.

Note! On some sites, you can find a recommendation to drill several holes in the barrel before installing in the water. It is assumed that this way the tree will absorb moisture better. However, experts do not recommend doing this - there is no particular benefit from this, but such experiments can damage the stability of the tree.

Place the tree in the container

Set the tree in a container filled with wet sand or water. Instead of sand, you can collect small pebbles, set a Christmas tree in them and fill them with water. You can also wrap the cleaned part of the trunk with any loose cloth and regularly moisten it with water or a specially prepared solution.

In any case, no matter what way you choose to keep a live Christmas tree at home longer - in water, among pebbles or in sand, make sure that the tree is stable. The stores sell special coasters, which provide a container for water. If there is no such stand, take an ordinary bucket, just make the tree rest against the edges with the lower branches or fix it with rope extensions. They are easy to hide under the New Year's decor.

A Few Recipes for Nutrient Solution to Extend the Life of a Christmas Tree

To prolong the life of the Christmas tree, make the water more nutritious for it and take measures to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Here are a few simple recipes to help you with this:

  • The simplest option is hot water and acetic acid. Boiling water will open the pores of the wood, and vinegar will protect against pests that live under the bark. In addition, the essence will act as a preservative, extending the life of the Christmas tree.
  • The second option is a solution of water and 2-3 tablespoons of liquid glycerin. This solution will protect the trunk from decay.
  • The third way is a solution of cold water, sugar (2 tablespoons) and aspirin (2 pcs.). Sugar will feed the tree, and asperin will become a preservative for water. It will not bloom, it will not smell bad and the Christmas tree will last longer.

Note: as folk remedies feeding the Christmas tree, you can find advice to add cola or lemonade to the water. This chemical food industry product is considered folk chemists should extend the life of the tree. I don’t know how effective it is, but if you decide to try this remedy, make sure not to pour sweet water on the Christmas tree, furniture and floors. In addition, you should not use this remedy if there is a small dog or other animals that love sweets in the house. They will definitely want to know what smells so delicious there and you are tormented to drive them away from the Christmas tree.

The tree is set. What to do next

So, you have taken all the necessary measures to keep a live Christmas tree at home longer. Now you just have to monitor the water level in the container with the tree if it is installed in water or the moisture content of the sand if the tree is installed in the container with sand. To do this, look into the container and add water. The sand should be wet and the water level should not fall below the base of the tree.

In addition to feeding the tree from the side of the trunk, it is advisable to spray the branches of the tree from time to time with a spray bottle. This should be done a few hours before turning on the electric Christmas decorations.

Important! When choosing garlands for the Christmas tree, buy new-style LED bulbs. They will not dry the tree much during operation and it will last longer.

The festive pre-New Year atmosphere in the house, which is remembered from childhood, is created not only by frosty patterns on glass and whirlwinds of snow-white snowflakes, but also by the unique aroma of baking, citrus fruits and pine needles. Not artificial, but a living forest beauty with unique abilities to give joy and vital energy, will decorate the long-awaited holiday. How to keep the Christmas tree at home and what to do to make the holiday a success in all respects, we will describe below.

Having chosen a live Christmas tree, the New Year holiday transforming into a fabulous and unforgettable celebration, you need to be prepared for a number of activities aimed at extending the life of the guest, the brightness of the needles and the intensity of its aroma. After all, no one wants to look at bare branches and walk on a carpet of fallen needles.

Real, fragrant and bright needles are an unforgettable gift in the house for the holidays, not only for children, but also for adults. To protect a coniferous tree from death will allow the purchase of a Christmas tree planted with roots in a container with an earthen mixture, for rent. Numerous domestic firms specialize in this service for a wide range of consumers.

Forest beauty belongs to the category of evergreen coniferous trees who feel great in the conditions winter cold. Moving a plant to well-heated premises, without prior adaptation to changing conditions, is a process leading to the probable death of a Christmas tree. A few days spent by the purchased plant in an unheated garage, a glazed but not insulated balcony and even a flight of stairs will allow it to keep its natural characteristics. During this period, the tree should be “wrapped” with wrapping paper or newspaper.

Another prerequisite for preserving the life of a living spruce for the New Year is to install it away from heating appliances, in cool rooms. You should not rush to remove the paper: the plant should gradually warm up and adapt to room temperatures.

When to put up a Christmas tree at home - everyone decides for himself, but it's better not to rush with the installation.

A few words about water

Water is the source of life for all living things. Extend life cycle felled forest beauty will help regular moistening of the sand mixture, specially prepared for the Christmas tree, installed at home.

An alternative to a container with sand mixture can become a vessel of water. Another option requires wrapping the bottom of the trunk with a loose cloth folded in several layers and constantly moistening it with special nutrient mixtures.

Important: Water must be settled or defrosted, that is, without chlorine.

Glycerin added to the liquid in a volume of 2 tbsp. l. per 10 liters of water, will keep the green needles a long period time.

Refreshing the cut

Living spruce receives nutrients from the soil. A cut plant needs nutrition to the same extent. Provide forest beauty with sufficient volume nutrients can be done by updating the slice. To do this, you need to expose the bottom of the trunk for a couple of centimeters, freeing it from the bark. Then make a new cut, updating the existing one. A feature of the process is the need to design a cut with an angle of 45º and its constant immersion in a liquid.

Keep your tree green!

Water enriched with a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp. sugar, will help delay the fall of the needles.

Aspirin can be used to fight bacteria leading to the death of the tree. Medicinal antiseptic solution is created from 1 tablet and 4 liters of water.

In water, along with aspirin, you can add refined sugar and copper wire.

Christmas tree standing at home, will respond well to fertilizer.

To install a Christmas tree at home, you should choose river sand. To prolong the life of the forest guest, it is worth moistening the mixture with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, which acts as a fertilizer.

An alternative to potassium permanganate can be a specialized fertilizer for conifers.

The best option for the nutrient mixture, daily 1 tbsp. l. added to a vessel with an ephedra installed, is created from the following components:

Dilute to 10 liters. water.

Increase the intensity of coniferous aroma will allow regular spraying of needles.

So that the tree does not crumble and long time pleased with its aroma and greenery of needles, it is worth choosing a freshly cut tree. About the freshness of the purchase will say:

  • trunk covered with needles;
  • the absence of a dark border along the edges of the cut;
  • branch elasticity;
  • the brightness of the color of the needles;
  • strong spruce smell.

A Christmas tree from which needles are poured when buying is not worth taking.

The life cycle of a cut tree will be longer if the top and tips of the branches, during transportation, remain intact.

A mixture of 3 liters can be used as a nutrient solution. water with the addition of 5 gr. gelatin and citric acid, as well as pre-crushed chalk (0.5 tablespoons).

There is nothing more beautiful than the bright, fragrant, green needles of a forest guest, decorating cozy house, giving joy and a festive atmosphere until the end of the official holiday events. The question of how to keep the Christmas tree in the house is not difficult, the main thing is to have the desire to keep the New Year's guest looking attractive for a long time.

Helpful Hints

Only a live spruce can bring a long-awaited, incomparable aroma and a wonderful New Year's mood into the house.

If you decide to buy a natural Christmas tree for the New Year, then we have prepared some tips for you on how you can save it for longer. long term so that she exudes fragrance during all new year holidays and even after them.

Christmas tree selection

As a rule, you can find spruce, pine or fir in Christmas markets. All these trees differ from each other both in smell and appearance, and in terms of life after felling.

There are several general rules when choosing a tree. For example, the trunk must have needles, even rare ones, and on the cut, the tree should not have a tight border. You will learn about these and other tips for choosing and storing a Christmas tree here.


How to keep your Christmas tree longer

1. Bend the tree branch a little. If it bends easily, but cracks, the wood inside is already dry. This means that very soon the needles will begin to fall off.


* In a good spruce, all branches are very elastic and difficult to bend.

* If you rub spruce needles in the palm of your hand, you will smell the needles.

* good spruce also has bright green needles.

2. If you plan to buy a Christmas tree for a period of less than 7 days, then it can be installed anywhere, and not particularly looked after. However, if you want the tree to stand for more than a week, then you will have to take care of it.

How to keep a live Christmas tree

3. The tree should not stand next to a heat source such as a radiator, fireplace or heater.


4. Humidify the air. Pour water into the stand or, at worst, wrap the Christmas tree with a wet rag. Better to use melt water so that the wood does not absorb chlorine.

5. Do not put a newly purchased Christmas tree right into the room. Leave it for a few hours in the hallway or on the balcony.

And if you bought a Christmas tree more than a week before the holiday, then it is best to store it wrapped in paper and in the cold.

See also: 20+ ways to BEAUTIFULLY decorate the Christmas tree for the New Year

How to care for a tree


6. Before installation, peel the tree trunk about 10 cm of bark. It is also worth using sharp knife to plan the spruce, thereby opening its fresh pores.

7. Spray spruce branches with water from a spray bottle. In this way, the tree will retain its freshness longer.

8. The Christmas tree can be placed in a bucket of wet sand. Approximately 1 liter of water is used per bucket of sand. Add a small amount of glycerin or gelatin. From below, the trunk of the tree should be covered with sand by about 20 cm. Add water to the sand every two days.

How to keep a Christmas tree at home


9. If you install a Christmas tree in a bucket or tank of water, then you can add citric acid (0.5 teaspoon), 1 tsp to the water. gelatin and crushed chalk. You can also add 1 aspirin, some salt and 1 tbsp. l. Sahara.

Aspirin prevents the growth of putrefactive bacteria.

Salt and sugar provide the tree with some nutrients.

10. When you decide to get rid of the Christmas tree, then to clean the dried needles, just tap the trunk on the floor.

* artificial christmas tree made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) must first be vacuumed. But you should not wash it, as there is a risk that the metal rods will rust.

How long will the tree at home last?

Spruce will stand for 10 days and will have a faint aroma.


Pine can stand up to 14 days and will delight with a strong aroma.


Fir can stand up to 21 days, with an average aroma.


What to do with the Christmas tree after the holidays?


1. Recycle. The Christmas tree can be turned into sawdust for boilers or fertilizer.

2. Take the Christmas tree to the zoo, where it will become animal food.

3. If you have a cottage, then you can chop the branches and trunk to make a protective layer for the soil.

4. You can make a cold paste:

* Grind 300 gr. needles.

* Add 200 gr. honey.

* Add 50 gr. propolis

Store the solution in the refrigerator.

Use a solution of 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day before meals with warm water.

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Well, what is the New Year without a Christmas tree? This wonderful and magical holiday cannot be imagined without the main attribute - a thorny tree. It doesn't matter if it's spruce or pine. Everyone is looking forward to the New Year holidays and want them to last as long as possible. And I want the “forest smell” of winter to beckon for more than one week. And it will be quite a shame if the New Year's beauty turns yellow in a few days, and the needles begin to crumble.

Buy a week before the holiday

The remnants of past years have laid in the memory the fact that there may not be enough Christmas trees for everyone. And so we begin the pursuit of New Year's beauties a month before the holiday. Now a beautiful pine or spruce of any size (high, small) can be found in any market, and not only.

On New Year's Eve, there is every chance to buy a fresh Christmas tree. Check the date on the chip located on one of the branches of the tree. It is this item that indicates the date of the felling of the tree.

But if you are very serious about the process of decorating a Christmas tree, then buy it in a few days, pick up your favorite christmas toys and decorations. And already in advance, plunge into the atmosphere of New Year's magic.

The tree needs cold

After buying a Christmas tree, do not rush to install it immediately (if it was not bought an hour before the New Year). The thorny tree needs cold. Find the coolest place in the house (maybe it will be a garage or a balcony) and place a spruce there for a while.

It is best to lower the tree for several days (if the size allows) in a container with cold water, with the addition of glycerin (3-4 tablespoons).

Appropriate place

Choose a place convenient for you where you want to see the Christmas tree, with the exception of drafts and radiators. It won't be the most good places to install a Christmas tree.

Follow the safety rules, especially if you have small children. In this case, the tree should be located on high level from the floor so that children cannot reach it. As a rule, glass toys and garlands sparkle on the Christmas tree, and it can be dangerous if the tree falls.

Installation

One of the most popular ways to mount a Christmas tree is with a cross. Its varieties are numerous. You can buy a Christmas tree already with a ready-made cross (it will be attached to the tree trunk). But not always an already “equipped” tree can catch the eye of the buyer. Such simple devices are sold separately. As a rule, these are hardware stores, supermarkets, or construction-type stores.

We will also share advice on how to make a cross for a Christmas tree yourself:

You will need: a pair of bars that are fastened perpendicular to each other. Next, a large self-tapping screw is installed at the intersection of the bars, and screwed into the tree trunk.

Many people remember and still use the old, proven way to install a New Year's tree - pour sand into a bucket. But it is not always possible to find sand so quickly in the middle of winter. This method has good alternative- bucket with water. Nutrient mixtures used to prolong the life of cut flowers can be added to the water. Such additives will be useful for spruce. For example, "Plyme". The product is added to the water (according to the dosage indicated in the instructions for use). It prolongs the life of flowers by 75%, and is ideal for wood. You can buy it at a flower shop.

There are also water additives that are easy to make yourself:

  1. activated charcoal or aspirin (one tablet per liter of water);
  2. A pinch of citric acid crystals (lemon juice is ideal);
  3. Boric acid (1 tsp per 1 liter of water);
  4. Salt (1 tsp per 1 liter of water), alcohol, acetic acid, glycerin and glucose solution (1 tbsp per 1 liter of water, all methods are different).

Watering

Christmas tree Like any other, it needs water. In one day, it can consume up to two liters of water. In this case, if you want to admire your fluffy and green Christmas tree for a long time, do not forget to water it regularly.