Keep your fresh or potted Christmas tree looking its best throughout the festive season!
A lot of people pine for the look, smell and feel of a real Christmas tree, versus an artificial one, which smells like, um, nothing. If you’re going to opt for a freshly cut or potted Christmas tree, you gotta know how to keep it looking its best throughout December – maybe even beyond.
Christmas is hot in New Zealand, so keeping your tree watered is essential to ensure it stays alive until Santa arrives! (This applies to both cut and potted trees.) But there’s more to it… see below.
Here, garden guru Dale Vine shares his seasonal plant tips.
HOW TO CARE FOR FRESHLY CUT CHRISTMAS TREES
When buying freshly cut Christmas trees, try to buy the tree as close to Christmas Day as possible, to keep it looking fresh. When picking your tree, make sure it doesn’t appear as if it’s already wilting. Try to get the cut base into a bucket of water as soon as possible.
Treat your cut tree like you would a cut flower in a vase; the base should remain submerged in water and continually topped up throughout the month.
If your cut tree is placed in a base without water, it will dry out and die before Christmas Day even arrives.
When the festive season is over, dispose of your Christmas tree thoughtfully by composting or cutting it up and placing it in your green-waste bin.
CHRISTMAS TREE CARE TIP
Cut 2 centimetres off the base of your Christmas tree before placing it in a bucket of water to promote better absorption.
HOW TO CARE FOR A LIVE, POTTED CHRISTMAS TREE
If you can’t bear the thought of cutting down a tree just to use as a decoration, consider a live potted Christmas tree or plant.
Pines and European spruces are two commonly used species for a traditional potted Christmas tree. It is best to have your tree in a lightweight pot that’s easy to move around, and ensure it has a saucer underneath.
It’s recommended that you keep your potted tree near a window that receives filtered morning light, but has protection from hot afternoon heat.
After the Christmas period, repot your tree into a slightly larger pot to keep it healthy for next year.
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