As the holiday season approaches, Louisiana Nursery is excited to help you find the perfect Christmas tree for your home. Whether you prefer a lush live-cut tree or the snowy charm of a flocked one, we want to ensure your tree stays fresh and beautiful throughout the festive season. Here are some expert tips, provided by General Manager of Louisiana Nursery Ken Gilbert, for both types of trees:
Live Cut Christmas Tree Care:
- Rinse Your Tree: When you bring your live-cut tree home, start by giving it a thorough rinse with a hose. This simple step helps eliminate most of the pollen from the tree, making it a healthier environment for your family when you bring it inside.
- Fresh Cut and Hot Water Treatment: We will provide a fresh cut to the tree’s trunk for you. Sap can quickly harden on the newly cut surface, inhibiting water absorption. To counter this, fill the tree stand (with the tree in it) with VERY HOT water from the stove and add your tree preservative. This hot water treatment re-emulsifies the sap on the trunk, allowing the pores to absorb water effectively.
- Wait Before Decorating: Resist the urge to decorate your tree on the first night. Wait for approximately 24 hours from the time you bring the tree home to ensure it has had the chance to drink up the water and tree preservative mixture. When you see the water level drop, it indicates that your tree is actively taking in water and tree preservative, ensuring its longevity.
- Ideal Placement: When selecting the perfect spot in your home for your live-cut Christmas tree, try to keep it away from heater vents if possible. Heaters can remove humidity from the air, which can dry out the foliage more quickly than it can rehydrate.
Flocked Christmas Tree Care:
- Unpack and Set Up: Your flocked tree will arrive in a plastic sleeve. Untie the sleeve at the top and roll it down to the base, tucking it underneath the tree. This will make it easier to remove the tree later without making a mess.
- Initial Watering: Fill the stand with water when you set up your flocked tree. A flocked tree primarily drinks water during the first 24-48 hours after flocking. While water may not be necessary afterward, you can continue to add water if you prefer.
- Needle Maintenance: Flocking seals the needles to the tree, so there should be minimal needle drop.
- Proper Placement: Place your flocked tree away from vents, heat sources, or blowing air to prevent it from drying out. Avoid positioning it near a fireplace to keep it fresh. The flocking used contains a fire retardant, ensuring safety.
- Post-Christmas Cleanup: After the holiday season, unroll the plastic sleeve, pull it back up over the tree, and tie it at the top. Ensure there’s no water left in the stand. Remove the tree from your home, and if you wish, you can remove the stand for future use.
Louisiana Nursery wishes you a Merry Christmas and hopes that these tips help you maintain the beauty and freshness of your chosen Christmas tree throughout the holiday season. Whether you opt for a live-cut tree or a flocked one, we are here to make your Christmas memorable and magical.
